Second World Conference on POM and 15th Annual POM Conference, Cancun, Mexico, April 30 - May 3, 2004.
Abstract Number 002-0191
Proposal and Implementation of
Human Intelligence-Production Operating System “HI-POS”
- Arrangement of Global Production Strategy in Toyota -
Hirohisa Sakai
Toyota Motor Corporation
1 Toyota, Toyota-shi, Aichi-ken, 471-8571 Japan
Tel: +81.565.23.4880 Fax: +81.565.23.5808
E-mail: [email protected]
Kakuro Amasaka
Aoyama Gakuin University
5-10-1 Fuchinobe, Sagamihara-shi, Kanagawa-ken, 229-8558 Japan
Tel: +81.42.759.6313 Fax: +81.42.759.6556
E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract- The authors propose HI-POS as a way of practically achieving
intelligent productivity, recognizing the need for the creation of a new, people-centered
production system that incorporates rich creativity and the motivation of those involved.
HI-POS is particularly significant because it offers support for both the next-generation
digital engineering systems already proposed by the authors, V-MICS (A), which
improves production operators’ operational technology abilities in regard to integrated
equipment, and V-IOS (B), which improves levels of mastered skills. In addition to this,
HI-POS is comprised of three core systems that improve the intelligence level of
production operators’ technology and skills (an intelligent diagnostic method, HID (C),
which assists in the discovery of factors inhibiting the attainment of high quality, an
integrated assistance system, HIA (D), which links human wisdom to technical evolution
and the dissemination of information, and HDP (E), a linkage system which utilizes a
digital pipeline to ensure that intelligent production information is passed throughout a
process, from design to manufacturing stages. The authors have applied HI-POS within
the cutting-edge corporate environment of Toyota, and have verified its effectiveness.
They are now proposing it as a foundation global production strategy.
Keywords- HI-POS, Global Production Strategy, the intelligence of
production operator, the three core systems (HID, HIA, HDP), Toyota
1. Introduction
In order for Japan’s manufacturing industry to realize its goal of customer-first, high
quality guaranteed manufacturing leading to success in global production, it is becoming
more and more important that consistent levels of quality can be achieved, along with
appropriate localization of manufacturing. The authors believe that it is vital that the work
of production operators is made more intelligent, in order to be able to respond to the
raising of levels of technology within production systems. This is a new key to opening
up the possibilities of global production.
As can be seen within the automobile industry, overseas production is developing at an
extremely high speed, with production being shifted into developed countries such as the
USA and Europe, and developing countries within Asia. In response to the increasing
quantitative expansions of overseas plants, simultaneous improvements in productivity and
quality assurance are also required, to levels equivalent to those achieved in Japan. As
high levels of digital engineering-based automation (mechanization involving IT) are
introduced increasingly to production lines, it is vital that higher levels of ability and
precision are realized within the production systems, so as to allow these challenges to be
met.
Production operators are required (1) to be skilled in the operation of integrated
equipment utilized in the mass production process, to prevent the incidence of breakdowns
in individual facilities or production systems overall that result in reduced availability and
quality. They are also required to ensure the reliability and maintainability of the
production lines, through defect analysis, maintenance and preventative maintenance of
production systems and facilities. In addition to this, due to the fact that in integrated
assembly industries such as automobile manufacture there are many areas in which
automation cannot provide all the skills required, production operators are required (2) to
have their own specific knack and key skills (mastered skills), particularly in the important
step of built-in quality. At the same time, manual operation lines, which feature largely in
developing countries, and produce smaller quantities, tend to have a wider range of
operations than fully automated lines, and therefore workers in these facilities are required
to have at least the same levels of skills as Japanese workers, if not higher.
The authors believe that production operators are currently required to break away from
their conventional attitudes of simple labor operations, and make the shift to a new
paradigm of intelligent production operations, which will be more motivational. The
authors propose HI-POS (Human Intelligence - Production Operating System) as a way of
practically improving intelligent productivity, recognizing the need for the creation of a
new, people-centered production system that incorporates rich creativity and the motivation
of those involved. HI-POS incorporates V-MICS (Virtual Maintenance Innovated
Computer System) (A), which was previously proposed by the authors [1][2], and which acts
as a key technology in improving the use of intelligent production techniques, through
raising production operators’ operational technology abilities in regard to integrated
equipment, and V-IOS (Virtual Intelligence Operator System) (B), which improves
production operators’ levels of mastered skills. It is a new intelligent operation
educational system with these two core systems at its heart.
In addition to this, HI-POS includes three core systems that improve the intelligence
level of production operators’ technology and skills (an intelligent diagnostic method, HID
(Human Intelligence Diagnostic System) (C), which assists in the discovery of factors
inhibiting the attainment of high quality, an integrated assistance system, HIA (Human
Integrated Assist System) (D), which links human wisdom to technical evolution and the
dissemination of information, and HDP (Human Digital Pipeline System) (E), a linkage
system which utilizes a digital pipeline to ensure that intelligent production information is
passed throughout a process, from design to manufacturing stages. The authors have
applied HI-POS within the cutting-edge corporate environment of Toyota, and have verified
its effectiveness. They are now proposing it as a foundation of global production strategy.
2. The current status and issue relating to the training of production
operators in IT age
As noted above, the Japanese manufacturing industry is pressing ahead at high speeds
with moving production bases overseas, in order to improve competitiveness. The
creation of a production system that can deal with these shifts is an outstanding issue of
vital importance. Conventionally, companies have sent experienced, highly skilled
trainers from within Japan to these locations, and implemented man-to-man skills training
of production operators. In this way, since the level to which skills and abilities were
passed on to production operators depended on the individual quality of the highly skilled
trainer involved, the process was open to confusion when trainers were replaced, since
different things would be taught by different people, and as a result, there was a large
variation in terms of the skills acquired by production operators. This issue was present
not only in overseas plants, but in Japan too.
In response to this, a variety of IT systems began to be introduced to facilities and
equipment designed for use in production overseas from the second half of the 1990s, in
line with the swift progress in IT capabilities. Significant changes were anticipated from
the introduction of digital engineering to the production process, both in plants within Japan
and those in developed countries overseas. Alongside this frequent investment in IT
systems, however, insufficient attention was paid to the issues involved in training
production operators to improve their operational technology in regard to integrated
equipment, or their mastered skills, and as a result, the anticipated benefits were not
achieved in many cases.
One of the reasons that this occurred was that IT tools and IT-based systems were merely
introduced, with the assumption that these would lead to the reforms necessary for the
realization of integrated production systems and processes. Essentially, IT was introduced
as an end in itself. A second reason was the level of vagueness, or tacit knowledge,
regarding the skills and working methods required of people involved in the production
process. If the skills and techniques, as well as know-how and operating rules, required of
individuals and organizations, remain unclear, any IT systems would be ineffective and the
desired benefits would not be achieved. This is assumed to be the issue behind a wide
variety of manufacturing problems.
3. The structure of production operators’ intelligent operation support
systems V-MICS and V-IOS
The authors propose V-MICS [1] (A), which improves production operators’ operational
technology abilities in regard to integrated equipment, in preparation for global production.
This system works to make possible support for improvements in production operators’
operating skills and techniques, such as equipment availability administration, defect
analysis [3][4], and other intelligence-based functions. As a result of this, production
operators are able to understand the status of their equipment, and establish a system that
deals with problems as they occur, resulting in the given benefits. In addition to this, the
introduction of a system incorporating computer graphics and databases into new IT-based
operating sheets allows operators throughout the world, who function in different languages,
to access a unified understanding of their work. The benefits of this system have already
been verified and are now being applied.
In addition to this, the authors proposed the intelligent operator educational system
V-IOS [2] (B), which improves levels of mastered skills among production operators. The
contribution this system makes to the evolution and dissemination of production operators’
mastered skills leads to improved productivity among production operators when setting up
a new overseas plant, and the given benefits have already been acknowledged.
As shown in figure 1, V-MICS and V-IOS are compatible and complementary, and are
established as an intelligent operation support system that improves the key technologies of
production operators.
Figure 1: V-MICS and V-IOS [1][2]
4. Proposal of HI-POS, improving the intelligent skills of production
operators
4.1 Improving the intelligent productivity of production operators
As mentioned earlier, the key to global production success lies in improving the
intelligent productivity of production operators. In order to achieve this, it is important to
ensure that the visualization of the integrated production processes, which are changing so
much as a result of the introduction of IT and computerization, is achieved. A basic
element of this is the use of V-MICS (C), which facilitates production operators in
understanding the whole range of integrated production processes.
Following on from this is the use of V-IOS (D) in raising the level of mastered skills and
the dissemination of skills and information in response to the evolution taking place in
production. For this, it is important to ensure the clarification and standardization of
elemental skills required for mastered operations. This facilitates the improvement of
mastered skills.
In addition to this, it is important to establish a system (E) for sharing the latest
intelligent information relating to operational technology within integrated equipment,
and mastered skills, between production lines and divisions, since this information
changes gradually and consistently.
4.2 The architecture of HI-POS and the five core systems
Based on the five viewpoints expressed above (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E), the authors
propose that the objective, in other words the improvement of production operators’
intelligent productivity, can be achieved through the utilization of the five core systems
shown in figure 2 ((A) V-MICS, (B) V-IOS, (C) HID, (D) HIA, (E) HDP), facilitating a
next-generation intelligent production framework. HI-POS is proposed as this system,
with the added benefit of realizing a new, people-centered production system.
The particular features of HID, HIA and HDP are outlined below.
Figure 2: HI-POS architecture
4.3 HID, concept and structural elements
HID, as proposed by the authors, incorporates the following specific features. Firstly,
(1) it is important to visualize the availability status of the overall system structure,
comprising the equipment, workers, control equipment and computers involved in the
integrated equipment line, based on a flow of things and tasks. Secondly (2), it is
important to visualize the production process, through the conversion of information,
relating to control equipment etc. in the integrated production process, into production
engineering information data. This achieves the clarification of tacit information that to
date has existed only as a type of ‘black box’ in relation to integrated equipment and
integrated production processes.
Specifically, HID has been proposed as a system for the analysis of problems, proposal
of countermeasures, prior evaluations, implementation of countermeasures, and final
evaluations relating to integrated production processes. The system structural elements
are comprised of the seven steps shown in figure 3 below.
Figure 3: Concept and structural elements of HID [1]
1) In the analysis plan proposal, the objectives and policies for analysis is clarified and
related persons share relevant information. The following analyses and
countermeasures are planned in agreement with related parties.
2) A fact-finding survey is carried out, based on “genchi-genbutsu” and in line with the
objectives and policies for analysis. This survey is divided into the survey and analysis
of the overall outline, and a survey and analysis of the details. The former involves
gaining an understanding of the outline of the entire process to be analyzed, and defining
any problem areas. The latter is based on these results, and aims to make problem
issues still clearer.
3) Overall problem issues are defined in terms of the elements related to both the
production process and the production line division (people, things, money, information,
time, etc.). The positive and negative of each of these is analyzed from various
perspectives in terms of integrated production processes. Furthermore, the authors
have established and are applying a new modeling method, TLSC (Total Link System
Chart), which facilitates the consideration of kaizen details and methods already
implemented.
A specific example of TLSC is shown in figure 4. The main features of this system are
(a) the clarification of analysis, (b) the organization of a yardstick by which to measure
the positive and negative elements of the production process, (c) the clarification of
working relationships between organizations, (d) the clarification of the flow of work
and information, (e) the clarification of knowledge and know-how, (f) an understanding
of resources available, and (g) the uncovering and organization of problem areas.
Figure 4. An example of TLSC
4) When tracking down problem areas, TLSC, mentioned above, should be utilized,
allowing latent problems to also be discovered.
5) Problem areas should be organized by grouping using the KJ and other methods.
6) The true source of problems should be traced using further logical development and
appropriate collection and organization of verifying information.
7) In terms of the proposal and evaluation of countermeasures, the level to which each
proposal will implement kaizen, as well as the cost of kaizen, should be considered.
4.4 HIA, concept and structural elements
The level of performance of production operators should be evaluated using HID, as
explained above. In addition to engineering and technical skills, it is important that
operators possess a spirit of challenge and creativity, enabling them to realize their own
targets, and work with commitment, pride and logic.
For this reason, the authors propose HIA as a new system that supports operators in
autonomous kaizen activities, enabling them to ask and answer questions for themselves in
relation to the work in which they are engaged. This system comprises the following
elements, as a means of developing the knack and key skills of production operators
engaged in standardized tasks as shown in figure 5. (1) Global implementation of same
standards, (2) convenience, (3) maintenance / maintainability of intelligent systems.
Implementing this system allows production operators to be autonomous and committed in
improving their own mastered skills.
Figure 5: Concept and structural elements of HIA [2]
4.5 HDP, concept and structural elements
HDP, as proposed by the authors, is a linkage system, which utilizes a digital pipeline to
ensure that intelligent production information relating to technical and engineering
knowledge is passed throughout a process, from design to manufacturing stages, in order to
facilitate stronger simultaneous startups throughout the world. HDP facilitates intelligent
training, with its increasing requirements for intelligent productivity.
The main structural elements of this system are shown in figure 6: (1) the use of design
data, even in cases where there is no prototype, relating to a new product, from its design to
the production engineering stage, as well as the individual operations used by production
operators on the assembly line, all of which are included in a work instruction sheet, which
is created in advance. (2) Facilitating image training in the proscribed order of assembly,
even when there is no actual process available to refer to, so that the necessary technical
and engineering processes are understood and operators are trained in them from the
production engineering process stage.
These work to reduce the disparity level between individual production operators, and
allow the bottom-up communication of skills to those unfamiliar with them in a short time.
Figure 6: Structural elements of HDP
5. Example of HI-POS implementation
5.1 HI-POS hardware and software systems
I should like to spend some time explaining the example of HI-POS as applied within
the cutting-edge corporate environment of Toyota. Figure 7 shows the hardware and
software systems required for the structure of HI-POS – comprising (A) V-MICS, (B)
V-IOS, (C) HID, (D) HIA, and (E) HDP.
Figure 7. Hardware and software structures in HI-POS [1][2]
In (A) V-MICS, there are software which describes the disassemble figure of robot parts
by CG and hardware which share the information. In (B) V-IOS, there are software which
visualize the knack and key skills of the operations and the same hardware which share the
information as I mentioned. In (C) HID, there are software which specify the concrete
output and the method in production processes and hardware which we can administrate
and make use of them on computer. In (D) HIA, there are friendly software which can be
used all over the world and the same hardware which share the information as I mentioned
above. In (E) HDP, there are software and hardware from which we can produce the work
instruction sheet by using the necessary data through the digital pipeline.
By using these systems, the production operators put into practice the improvement of
their skills.
5.2 The application and effectiveness of HID, HIA and HDP
Authors have verified the application examples of both (A) V-MICS and (B) V-IOS [1] [2],
and their effectiveness. Therefore we explain the three specific examples of the
implementation of core aspects ((C) HID, (D) HIA and (E) HDP) employed in the proposal
of HI-POS, and perceive the effectiveness of this system.
(1) Visualization of high-level production processes in an overseas plant by HID
Firstly, in the area of (C), HID, we utilized V-MICS [1] to implement the visualization of
integrated production processes during the production engineering process in an overseas
plant. This contributed to the reduction in the number of times a process required
repetition. A particular example would be that of the assembly operation training as
shown in figure 8-a.
Work procedure methods for assembly processes have been organized in order (a)
classroom training, skill training, off-line training and on-line training. (b) The trainers
are able to pick out their evaluation methods on time. Furthermore they can do the
actual training systematically.
This enabled a new plant, opening overseas, to achieve its target availability ratio within
the same time, and to the same level, as would have been achieved by a domestic plant.
(2) Development of highly skilled trainers by HIA
In terms of (D), HIA, V-IOS [2] was utilized in the acquisition of mastered skills.
Production operators’ knack and key skills were broken down, analyzed and taught
systematically, using the assembly operation training system shown in figure 8-b.
For example, knack and key skills of production operators in the assembly process are
divided up into (a) fundamental skill, elemental work and standardized work. Basic skills
can be further divided into eight elemental areas, such as (b) tightening, fitting, pasting, etc.
This allowed a reduction in the assembly operation training time, and contributed to the
development of highly skilled trainers.
(3) Built-in quality and the improvement of availability by HDP
In terms of (E), HDP was implemented through the use of component parts design data,
which was included in the assembly line work instruction sheet, as shown in figure 8-c.
Conventionally, production operators underwent training once a new product assembly line
was up and running, but in comparison with this, much of the work was able to be done
before the startup of the assembly line.
Concretely (a) the design data is utilized in order to make the process more transparent,
and to explain the assembly process in a way that is easy to understand. And (b) good and
bad examples of areas requiring quality confirmation are displayed using computer
graphics.
The system, therefore, contributed significantly to built-in quality and the improvement
of availability.
Figure 8-a: Example of the system as applied within the front-line corporate environment
of Toyota (Work training process for assembly operations).
Figure 8-c: Example of the system as applied within the front-line corporate environment
of Toyota (Work instruction sheet for assembly).
Figure 8-b: Example of the system as applied within the front-line corporate environment
of Toyota (Work training system for assembly operations).
5.3 HI-POS application and its role as a cornerstone of global production strategies
As mentioned above, the application of the core systems that make up HI-POS – (A)
V-MICS, (B) V-IOS, (C) HID, (D) HIA and (E) HDP, gave, among others, the following
results as anticipated:
1) Because of an improvement in high-level production equipment and facilities operating
skills and in facilities and equipment reliability, we achieved the same MTBF and MTTR
in overseas plants equivalent to that of domestic plants and the target availability ratio in
fourth week after start of production.
2) According to the correction in the disparity between skills among operators in different
countries, we controlled of quality disparity between plants in different countries and
achieved the defective production rate equivalent to that of domestic plants.
3) The bottom-up acquisition of skills by new employees within a short space of time led
the basic knowledge and skills acquired by new employees in 2.5 days.
This system was applied in Toyota’s overseas plants in France (Toyota Motor
Manufacturing France SAS, 2000 onwards), Mexico (Toyota Motor Manufacturing de Baja
California S. de R. L. de C. V., 2004 onwards), and China (Tianjin Faw Toyota Motor Co.
Ltd., 2004 onwards), among others, and achieved the given results. It has become a
cornerstone for Toyota’s Global Production Strategy, which is ‘the same quality of products
worldwide, manufactured in the most appropriate location’.
6. Conclusion
The authors propose HI-POS as a way forward in the creation of a new, people-centered
production system that incorporates rich creativity and the motivation of those involved.
HI-POS offers support for production operators’ intelligent production activities through
the implementation of V-MICS (A), which improves production operators’ operational
technology abilities in regard to high-level equipment, and V-IOS (B), a digital engineering
system that improves levels of mastered skills. In addition to this, HI-POS is comprised
of three core systems that improve the intelligence level of production operators’
technology and skills (an intelligent diagnostic method, HID (C), which assists in the
discovery of factors inhibiting the attainment of high quality, an integrated assistance
system, HIA (D), which supports technical evolution and the dissemination of information,
and HDP (E), a linkage system which utilizes a digital pipeline to ensure that intelligent
production information is passed throughout a process, from design to manufacturing
stages.) The authors have applied HI-POS within the cutting-edge corporate environment
of Toyota, and have verified its effectiveness. They are now proposing it as a foundation
of global production strategy.
References
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Utilizing DB and CG for the Maintenance Activities”, Proc. of the Second Euro-Japanese
Workshop on Stochastic Risk Modelling for Finance, Insurance, Production and Reliability,
France, pp.443-452 (Sep 2002).
[2] H. Sakai and K. Amasaka, “Proposal and Demonstration of “V-MICS-EM” by Digital
Engineering”, Proc. of 17th International Conference on Production Research, U.S.A.,
pp.1-8 (Aug 2003).
[3] K.Amasaka, and H.Sakai, “Improving the Reliability of Body Assembly Line
Equipment”, International Journal of Reliability, Quality and Safety Engineering, Vol.3,
No.1, pp.11-24 (1996).
[4] K.Amasaka, and H.Sakai, “Availability and Reliability Information Administration
System “ARIM-BL” by Methodology in Inline-Online SQC”, International Journal of
Reliability, Quality and Safety Engineering, Vol.5, No.1. pp.55-63 (1998).