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Answers to Readers' Questions on Total Quality:
Poka-Yoke
The following 10 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.
List of first 10 items
- Tryng to mistake-proof amplifier assembly
- Ideas for poka yoke projects.
- Workers put panels in wrong boxes
- Idiots are ingenious
- How can Poka-Yoke help achieve zero defects?
- Roll of HR manager in implementing poka yoke
- Need example of poka yoke
- Looking for information on poka yoke
- Wants poka-yoke information
- Wants details
Tryng to mistake-proof amplifier assembly
Question
September 30, 2009
Poka Yoke technique of mistake proofing is really great. Actualy i've a problem. I m a trainee in DELTRON company in chandigarh. I've to apply this technique in our company on the amplifier assembly line. I have to find out the solution for preventing the wrong connection of wires of the output transformer (sound amplifier). I have to make a poka yoke device for this problem of making wrong connection of wires. Do you have any such device? Please help me .I thought of a device using colour sensors with some buzzer or alarm as if any wire is connected wrongly then it can be prevented by the ringing of alarm. Is it correct or any other technique which can be applied? can there be any such device ? please reply me soon........
pari - India
18407
Answer
Although the color of wires can help in making sure they are connected correctly, it does not prevent mistakes if the worker does not pay attention to the colors.
One possible solution is to make the size of the wire end larger with one wire, such that it cannot be connected to the other side. Another possibility is to have one wire too short to connect to the wrong side.
Of course, without knowing your exact configuration, I do not know if these methods would work, but they can give you some ideas of how to do it. Poka Yoke often requires a clever solution.
Ideas for poka yoke projects.
Question
June 29, 2009
I am interested in getting some ideas on electrical switchboard on which i can do poka yoke projects.
Please reply
Jaykrishnan - India
17954
Answer
You have to be clever to make something like an electrical switchboard and apply Poka-Yoke.
For example, if someone must turn switches in a certain order, you must make sure that nothing will work unless they do it correctly. Sometimes warning lights will tell the user.
Also, any type of electrical outlets must be made so that only the correct plug may be used.
I hope this gives you some ideas.
Workers put panels in wrong boxes
Question
September 8, 2008
Im working in a company where the products( solar panels ) travel on conveyers.The problem starts when it comes to packaging the panels into the right boxes manually by operators.The system works like this,it will show on computer monitor which panel goes into which box number.By referring to the screen the operator will unload the panels from the conveyer and load it into the particular box refered by the system.I have problem whereby the operator will unload the panels from the conveyer and mistakenly load into the wrong box although the monitor shows which box he should put the panels into. I need help on how to ensure the operators put the panels into the right boxes.
Things that cannot be implemented currently are as below:
The labeller cannot print the box number on the panels.
We cannot put any color stickers on the panels to differentiate the panels.
kumaresan - Malaysia
16465
Answer
Assuming the solar panels are different sizes or shapes, the Poka-Yoke system eliminates such a problem by having boxes that only allow the correct item to fit in the box. This could be done using a cardboard or Styrofoam template in each box.
But if the solar panels are the same size and shape, you need to improve the cues for the workers. You could put color stickers on the boxes and have the number on the monitor also be in that color. That might reduce the number of errors.
TQM encourages getting feedback from the workers on how to improve the process. You might also elicit suggestions from your workers on how to improve the system and reduce the errors. The workers will also be more careful if they feel their opinions are valuable to management.
I hope these ideas help in reducing the errors.
Idiots are ingenious
Question
December 28, 2001
The only problem with idiot proofing something is that idiots are damned ingenious! This is not to say that trying is a bad thing.
My father told me of a project he was involved with in WWII. Two chemicals, explosive when mixed, were stored at the same site. By convention one set of piping was blue, the other red. Also, one had only left-hand threads - the other, right. You guessed it - someone went and made an adapter.
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Hypertherm, Inc.
David - USA
14618
Answer
Thanks for sharing your father's experience!
How can Poka-Yoke help achieve zero defects?
Question
October 16, 2007
Hello !
My company is the manufacturer of Circlips , Washers etc . We manufacture our products in huge quantity also in good QUALITY. For instance out of 40k circlips only 40 peices are defective, so how can poka yoke philosphy help me ,is there is any kinda format to follow and kindly also tell me how can i implement in my plant to get zero defect ?
Warms Regards
Arpit - India
14554
Answer
Although 1 defect per 1000 parts is good, it is not outstanding quality and results in a loss in profits to your company. The goal should be a 6-sigma failure rate of less than 4 parts per million. Obviously, zero defects is impossible, but 6-sigma is achievable.
You need to examine where in your manufacturing process most of the failures occur. If a problem area is in human error, such as forgetting to make an alignment or missing a step, the Poka-Yoke concept can be used to assure people cannot make those errors.
Increased maintenance on machinery that make your parts can be cost effective if the cause of defects is from worn parts of such.
Using variability reduction, where you are aiming at perfection, as opposed to falling within tolerances is also an effective method.
Note that in all cases, you need to statistically analyze where the problems occur, so that you can correct them.
Roll of HR manager in implementing poka yoke
Question
March 24, 2006
What is the roll of hr manager to implementing poka yoke in plant or in office. and how much is it useable for human resource management.
yogesh - India
10587
Answer
Poka yoke is making procedures such that workers cannot make mistakes. It is usually used in the assembly of parts in a factory. It is unlikely that a Human Resources (HR) manager would have anything to do with implementing poka yoke techniques. That would usually come from the Quality Assurance manager or Plant manager.
HR would be responsible for training personnel to try to eliminate errors, but poka yoke is a way to make it almost impossible to make an error.
Need example of poka yoke
Question
May 1, 2004
i need a clear exemple about poka yoke system. please
arnulfo - mexico
3181
Answer
Poka yoke is designing products or equipment so that the users or workers will not make a mistake. Many electrical plugs are designed so that they can only be inserted in one orientation. A stamping machine can be made that will only stamp the metal when it is placed correctly and the workers hands are not in the way.
Looking for information on poka yoke
Question
March 18, 2004
i wanted to do a project and seminar on poka yoke.What kind of project i can do in bearing company? i need a detail literature on poka yoke.
kalyani - India
2737
Answer
Look within a bearing company for areas that worker can make mistakes. Often the equipment they use allows for such mistakes.
http://www.campbell.berry.edu/faculty/jgrout/pokayoke.shtml gives a number of good examples. Also to see some information on the subject, see http://curiouscat.com/management/pokayoke.cfm.
Unfortunately, there is not too much written on the subject.
Wants poka-yoke information
Question
January 25, 2004
metode of poka-yoke can aplication on industri like what? kinds of industri
- i want to know if poka-yoke methode can used in industri maker milk?
sory my languge bad,so if reply my letter with simple word,thanks.
anisah -
2126
Answer
The following articles may help you:
http://www.campbell.berry.edu/faculty/jgrout/pokayoke.shtml
http://www.campbell.berry.edu/faculty/jgrout/pokasoft.html
Wants details
Question
November 10, 2003
Hi
Please send me a Project Report on Poka-yoke Device,with real data, and it must be very simple.Collect real data!Implement solution
Allow for Murphy,Allow enough time after implementation to collect data proving you have solved the problem.
chaitanaya -
1150
Answer
I'm sorry, but we don't have the detailed information you are seeking available at this time.
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