Krupanidhi School of Management

Module 3 (WCM)

MODULES 3 PUSH AND PULL SYSTEMS

2 marks questions
1. Bring out the critical difference between
maintenance and breakdown maintenance.

preventive

Preventive Maintenance vs. Predictive Maintenance

While both preventive and predictive maintenance have the same objective of preventing
any losses to the company and to keep the plant and machinery running in top condition, they
differ in approach and requirements
Preventive maintenance is carried out at regular intervals whereas predictive maintenance is
based upon the condition of the equipment that needs to be monitored all the time
Preventive maintenance is carried out when the machinery is in the shut down condition
while predictive maintenance is done with the plant in running condition
Predictive maintenance relies heavily on information and its correct interpretation

2. Explain the term preventive maintenance.

Preventive maintenance refers to set of activities that are carried out on plant and machinery
before the occurrence of a failure. Preventive maintenance is necessary to protect and to
prevent any degradation in the efficiency of the operating system. Preventive maintenance is
characterized by periodic intervals that are predetermined and are performed with prescribed
criteria so as to minimize any future failure. Preventive maintenance is very important part of
maintenance in any production unit. It is not just its proper scheduling and following the
procedures that are outlined but also the skills of those involved in preventive maintenance
that result in a high level of maintenance. Preventive maintenance helps in avoiding failures
that would cause unnecessary losses.
3. Explain 5 S housekeeping.
5 S is a systematic approach to good housekeeping. The concept of good housekeeping has
been with Japanese for a very long time. It was only in the early 1980s that good
housekeeping became a pertinent issue in Japanese industries, as companies realized its
powerful contribution to productivity and quality improvement.
The basis for good housekeeping in Japanese companies is a concept popularly known as 5S.
This stands for five good housekeeping concepts in Japanese.
Why 5 S is required in Companies?
Workplace becomes clean and better organized,
Prof. Raghavendra A.N., BSc, MBA, UGC-NET, (PH.D)

Krupanidhi School of Management

Module 3 (WCM)

Shopfloor and office operations become safer and easier.

Results are visible.
Employees are highly motivated

5S can be briefly described as show in the table:

5 S
Japanese English
1S

Seiri

Sort out unnecessary items in the workplace and discard them.

2S

Seiton

Arrange necessary items in good order.

3S

Seiso

Clean your workplace thoroughly so that there is no dust on

floors, machines and equipment.

4S

Seiketsu

Maintain high standards of housekeeping at workplace at all

times.

5S

Shitsuke

Train people to follow good housekeeping disciplines.

4. State the objectives of maintenance.

The various objectives of maintenance are depicted below:
Providing Budgetary Control

5. What is Muri and Muda?

Muda = waste (in its many forms)
Muda waste is often accompanied or caused by...
Mura = unevenness, overburden, strain
Muri = demand that exceeds process and equipment capacities.
Prof. Raghavendra A.N., BSc, MBA, UGC-NET, (PH.D)

Krupanidhi School of Management

Module 3 (WCM)

6. What is pull vs. push system?

Push System. A "push" system is one where the manufacturer builds as many items as
possible each day, anticipating the need in the marketplace. The product is "pushed" down to
the next level of manufacturing or sales, regardless of whether it is needed there or not. The
risk, therefore, is the chance that the demand will not match the manufacturer's predictions,
and an excessive inventory will have to be stored, managed, and possibly even liquidated at
some point in the future. Or on the other hand, if the inventory is not sufficient for the
demand, the manufacturer's risk includes the potential for reduced customer satisfaction
because the market wasn't properly supplied. Either way, the push system requires good
information to be reasonably effective.
Pull System. In the "pull" system, on the other hand, manufacturing is only completed when
there is a downstream need, as indicated by customer requests. In a true "pull" system, the
manufacturer doesn't have to guess how many will be needed. He only needs to react to the
demand at the time. The result is a reduction in non-value-added costs, such as inventory
management, warehousing, etc. The risks for the pull system include the possibility that,
when the item is requested, the manufacturer will not have the raw materials or the plant
capacity to produce the requested quantity in a short time.

8 Marks Questions:
1. Briefly explain the concept of 5S Housekeeping. (June/July
2010)
5 S is a systematic approach to good housekeeping. The concept of good housekeeping has
been with Japanese for a very long time. It was only in the early 1980s that good
housekeeping became a pertinent issue in Japanese industries, as companies realized its
powerful contribution to productivity and quality improvement.
5S can be briefly described as show in the table:
5 S

Japanese

English

1S

Seiri

Sort out unnecessary items in the workplace and discard them.

2S

Seiton

Arrange necessary items in good order.

3S

Seiso

Clean your workplace thoroughly so that there is no dust on

floors, machines and equipment.

Prof. Raghavendra A.N., BSc, MBA, UGC-NET, (PH.D)

Krupanidhi School of Management

Module 3 (WCM)

4S

Seiketsu

Maintain high standards of housekeeping at workplace at all

times.

5S

Shitsuke

Train people to follow good housekeeping disciplines.

1) SEIRI - SORT OUT THE ITEMS AND DISCARD THE UNWANTED

Make a list of all the items in the department.
The list should include raw material, wip, finished product, tools, tackles, dust
bin, facilities like chair, table, bins etc. nothing should be left unlisted.
Appropriate authority should decide which items can be disposed off and
which items need to be kept in the department.
Items marked for disposal should be disposed off in a safe manner.
2) SEITON - PLACE FOR EVERY THING
After disposing unwanted material, provide appropriate place for every item
that has to be kept in the department.
While providing the place the ergonomic factors and safety aspects have also
to be considered.
Place for movement of men and material should also be provided.
Place should be distinctly identified and marked.
Place for display of instructions, posters etc. should also be identified.
3) SEISO - CLEAN THE PLACE THOROUGHLY AND KEEP EVERY THING IN
ITS PLACE.
Clean everything including material, floor, containers, walls, windows etc.
If necessary painting also should be done.
While painting follow color codes wherever applicable.
Insist on regular cleaning at the end of the work
4) SEIKETSU - MAINTAIN HIGH STANDARDS OF HOUSEKEEPING AT
WORKPLACE AT ALL TIMES
Ensure that people keep the items at designated place after its use.
If possible, design the system such that if something is missing from the place,
it is easily highlighted
5) SHITSUKE - TRAIN PEOPLE TO FOLLOW GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
DISCIPLINE
Train people in 5 S, housekeeping etc.
Lead by example.
Maintain discipline in every aspect
2. What is TPM? How does it differ from other maintenance
systems? What are the salient features of TPM?

Prof. Raghavendra A.N., BSc, MBA, UGC-NET, (PH.D)

Krupanidhi School of Management

Module 3 (WCM)

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a maintenance program which involves a newly

defined concept for maintaining plants and equipment. The goal of the TPM program is to
markedly increase production while, at the same time, increasing employee morale and job
satisfaction.
TPM brings maintenance into focus as a necessary and vitally important part of the business.
It is no longer regarded as a non-profit activity. Down time for maintenance is scheduled as a
part of the manufacturing day and, in some cases, as an integral part of the manufacturing
process. The goal is to hold emergency and unscheduled maintenance to a minimum.
The major difference between TPM and other concepts is that the operators are also made to
involve in the maintenance process. The concept of "I (Production operators) Operate, You
(Maintenance department) fix" is not followed.
Salient features of TPM
TPM is not a specific maintenance policy; it is a culture, a philosophy and a new
attitude towards maintenance.
TPM is the involvement of operators in carrying out autonomous maintenance by
participating in cleaning, lubrication, minor repair, adjustments etc.
TPM gives both the productivity index at the aggregated organization level as well as
at the detailed operational unit level.
It also gives the individual productivity indices for the individual parts.
It indicates the profitability of individual operational unit as well as the overall
organization, thereby giving indication as to which units operation to continue and all
its future investment decisions. At the same time, it clearly indicates which units is a
liability and when to get out of these units.
TPM determines the profitability of individual products and the correct product mix to
optimize the profit as well as optimum utilization of resources.
It provides important and vital information for strategic planning
TPM shows which particular input resources are utilized inefficiently in a particular
area or for a particular product so that its efficient and effective use can be ensured.
TPM integrates the entire work of planning, execution, evaluation and improvement
phases in the productivity cycle of an organization.
TPM has developed individual and collective mathematical models for the
productivity indices calculation. This makes the model validation and sensitivity
analysis relatively easier and precise.
3. Write short notes on Six Sigma.
Six Sigma: Six Sigma is a business management strategy originally developed by Motorola.
As of 2009, it enjoys widespread application in many sectors of industry, although its
application is not without controversy. Six Sigma is a fact-based data driven structured
methodology that is used to create breakthrough improvements in business processes with a
strong focus on customer needs. It is used to solve tough business problems when the root
Prof. Raghavendra A.N., BSc, MBA, UGC-NET, (PH.D)

Krupanidhi School of Management

Module 3 (WCM)

cause of the problem or the solution is not known. Six Sigma seeks to improve the quality of
process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects (errors) and variability in
manufacturing and business processes.
It uses a set of quality management methods, including statistical methods, and creates a
special infrastructure of people within the organization ("Black Belts"," Green Belts", etc.)
who are experts in these methods.
Each Six Sigma project carried out within an organization follows a defined sequence of
steps and has quantified financial targets (cost reduction or profit increase).
How six sigma works
The Six Sigma project starts in forming the Six Sigma organization. The roles and
responsibilities of each member should be clearly defined. Here is a sample of defined roles
and responsibilities:

Leader/Leadership Council senior-rank management who is accountable for

executing Six Sigma project within the association

Champion performance head in-charge with directing and enlivening the Six Sigma
efforts

Finance Representative substantiate projected and concrete savings

Sponsor senior-rank management who funds the Six Sigma projects and has
directorial power to modify changes in the process

Process Owner a certified person accountable for the business course of action that
is the target of Six Sigma project

Coach gives technical help and support to the project group

Team Leader also identified as the Project Head, responsible in organizing the Six
Sigma projects from launch to finish

Master Black Belt a highly practiced Black Belt who has supervised numerous
projects and is a specialist in Six Sigma techniques and methods. Person accountable
for training and mentoring Black Belts and for assisting the Six Sigma Champions
and Head.

Black Belt permanent expert who acts as a team lead on Six Sigma assignments.
Usually has four to six weeks of classroom education in methods, numerical tools,
and team proficiency

Green Belt trained person who plays a part-time role on a Black Belt project team
or leads less significant assignment. Usually has three weeks of classroom education
in methods and basic numerical tools.

Prof. Raghavendra A.N., BSc, MBA, UGC-NET, (PH.D)

Krupanidhi School of Management

Module 3 (WCM)

Yellow Belt usually has one to two weeks classroom education. Devotes part-time
work while doing the usual work duties

12 Marks Questions:
1. What are the different types of pillars in TPM?
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a maintenance program which involves a newly
defined concept for maintaining plants and equipment. The goal of the TPM program is to
markedly increase production while, at the same time, increasing employee morale and job
satisfaction.
TPM brings maintenance into focus as a necessary and vitally important part of the business.
It is no longer regarded as a non-profit activity. Down time for maintenance is scheduled as a
part of the manufacturing day and, in some cases, as an integral part of the manufacturing
process. The goal is to hold emergency and unscheduled maintenance to a minimum.
8 PILLARS OF TPM
PILLAR 1 - 5S:
TPM starts with 5S. Problems cannot be clearly seen when the work place is unorganized.
Cleaning and organizing the workplace helps the team to uncover problems. Making
problems visible is the first step of improvement.
Japanese Term English Translation

Equivalent 'S' term

Seiri

Organization

Sort

Seiton

Tidiness

Systematize

Seiso

Cleaning

Sweep

Seiketsu

Standardization

Standardize

Shitsuke

Discipline

Self - Discipline

SEIRI - Sort out:

This means sorting and organizing the items as critical, important, frequently used items,
useless, or items that are not need as of now. Unwanted items can be salvaged. Critical items
should be kept for use nearby and items that are not be used in near future, should be stored
in some place. For this step, the worth of the item should be decided based on utility and not
cost. As a result of this step, the search time is reduced.
SEITON - Organize:
The concept here is that "Each item has a place and only one place". The items should be
placed back after usage at the same place. To identify items easily, name plates and colored

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Krupanidhi School of Management

Module 3 (WCM)

tags has to be used. Vertical racks can be used for this purpose, and heavy items occupy the
bottom position in the racks.
SEISO - Shine the workplace:
This involves cleaning the work place free of burrs, grease, oil, waste, scrap etc. No loosely
hanging wires or oil leakage from machines.
SEIKETSU - Standardization:
Employees have to discuss together and decide on standards for keeping the work place /
Machines / pathways neat and clean. These standards are implemented for whole organization
and are tested / inspected randomly.
SHITSUKE - Self discipline:
Considering 5S as a way of life and bring about self-discipline among the employees of the
organization. This includes wearing badges, following work procedures, punctuality,
dedication to the organization etc.
PILLAR 2 - JISHU HOZEN (Autonomous maintenance):
This pillar is geared towards developing operators to be able to take care of small
maintenance tasks, thus freeing up the skilled maintenance people to spend time on more
value added activity and technical repairs. The operators are responsible for upkeep of their
equipment to prevent it from deteriorating.
Policy:
1. Uninterrupted operation of equipments.
2. Flexible operators to operate and maintain other equipments.
3. Eliminating the defects at source through active employee participation.
4. Stepwise implementation of JH activities.
JISHU HOZEN Targets:
1. Prevent the occurrence of 1A / 1B because of JH.
2. Reduce oil consumption by 50%
3. Reduce process time by 50%
4. Increase use of JH by 50%
Steps in JISHU HOZEN:
1. Preparation of employees.
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Krupanidhi School of Management

Module 3 (WCM)

2. Initial cleanup of machines.

3. Take counter measures
4. Fix tentative JH standards
5. General inspection
6. Autonomous inspection
7. Standardization and
8. Autonomous management.
PILLAR 3 - KAIZEN:
"Kai" means change, and "Zen" means good (for the better). Basically kaizen is for small
improvements, but carried out on a continual basis and involve all people in the organization.
Kaizen is opposite to big spectacular innovations. Kaizen requires no or little investment. The
principle behind is that "a very large number of small improvements are more effective in an
organizational environment than a few improvements of large value. This pillar is aimed at
reducing losses in the workplace that affect our efficiencies. By using a detailed and thorough
procedure we eliminate losses in a systematic method using various Kaizen tools. These
activities are not limited to production areas and can be implemented in administrative areas
as well.
Kaizen Policy:
1. Practice concepts of zero losses in every sphere of activity.
2. relentless pursuit to achieve cost reduction targets in all resources
3. Relentless pursuit to improve over all plant equipment effectiveness.
4. Extensive use of PM analysis as a tool for eliminating losses.
5. Focus of easy handling of operators.
Kaizen Target:
Achieve and sustain zero loses with respect to minor stops, measurement and adjustments,
defects and unavoidable downtimes. It also aims to achieve 30% manufacturing cost
reduction.
Tools used in Kaizen:
1. PM analysis
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Krupanidhi School of Management

Module 3 (WCM)

2. Why - Why analysis

3. Summary of losses
4. Kaizen register
5. Kaizen summary sheet.
PILLAR 4 - PLANNED MAINTENANCE:
It is aimed to have trouble free machines and equipments producing defect free products for
total customer satisfaction. This breaks maintenance down into 4 "families" or groups:
1. Preventive Maintenance
2. Breakdown Maintenance
3. Corrective Maintenance
4. Improvement Maintenance
PILLAR 5 - QUALITY MAINTENANCE:
It is aimed towards customer delight through highest quality through defect free
manufacturing. Focus is on eliminating non-conformances in a systematic manner, much like
Focused Improvement. We gain understanding of what parts of the equipment affect product
quality and begin to eliminate current quality concerns, and then move to potential quality
concerns. Transition is from reactive to proactive (Quality Control to Quality Assurance).
QM activities are to set equipment conditions that preclude quality defects, based on the basic
concept of maintaining perfect equipment to maintain perfect quality of products. The
condition is checked and measured in time series to verify that measure values are within
standard values to prevent defects. The transition of measured values is watched to predict
possibilities of defects occurring and to take counter measures before hand.
PILLAR 6 - TRAINING:
It is aimed to have multi-skilled revitalized employees whose morale is high and who has
eager to come to work and perform all required functions effectively and independently.
Education is given to operators to upgrade their skill. It is not sufficient know only "KnowHow" by they should also learn "Know-why". By experience they gain, "Know-How" to
overcome a problem and what to be done. This they do without knowing the root cause of the
problem and why they are doing so. Hence it become necessary to train them on knowing
"Know-why". The employees should be trained to achieve the four phases of skill. The goal
is to create a factory full of experts.

Prof. Raghavendra A.N., BSc, MBA, UGC-NET, (PH.D)

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Policy:
1. Focus on improvement of knowledge, skills and techniques.
2. Creating a training environment for self learning based on felt needs.
3. Training curriculum / tools /assessment etc conductive to employee revitalization
4. Training to remove employee fatigue and make work enjoyable.
Target:
1. Achieve and sustain downtime due to want men at zero on critical machines.
2. Achieve and sustain zero losses due to lack of knowledge / skills / techniques
3. Aim for 100 % participation in suggestion scheme.
PILLAR 7 - OFFICE TPM:
Office TPM should be started after activating four other pillars of TPM (JH, KK, QM, and
PM). Office TPM must be followed to improve productivity, efficiency in the administrative
functions and identify and eliminate losses. This includes analyzing processes and procedures
towards increased office automation. Office TPM addresses twelve major losses. They are
1. Processing loss
2. Cost loss including in areas such as procurement, accounts, marketing, sales leading to
high inventories
3. Communication loss
4. Idle loss
5. Set-up loss
6. Accuracy loss
7. Office equipment breakdown
8. Communication channel breakdown, telephone and fax lines
9. Time spent on retrieval of information
10. Non availability of correct on line stock status
11. Customer complaints due to logistics
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Module 3 (WCM)

12. Expenses on emergency dispatches/purchases

PILLAR 8 - SAFETY, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT:
Target:
1. Zero accident,
2. Zero health damage
3. Zero fires.
In this area focus is on to create a safe workplace and a surrounding area that is not damaged
by our process or procedures. This pillar will play an active role in each of the other pillars on
a regular basis. A committee is constituted for this pillar which comprises representative of
officers as well as workers. The committee is headed by Senior vice President (Technical).
Utmost importance to Safety is given in the plant. Manager (Safety) is looking after functions
related to safety. To create awareness among employees various competitions like safety
slogans, Quiz, Drama, Posters, etc. related to safety can be organized at regular intervals.
2. What is waste management? Discuss the seven wastes.
Waste or muda is anything that does not have value or does not add value. Waste is something
the customer will not pay for.
The seven types of waste are:
1. Waste from overproduction
2. Waste from waiting times
3. Waste from transportation and handling
4. Waste related to useless and excess inventories
5. Waste in production process
6. Useless motions
7. Waste from scrap and defects
Waste from overproduction
It may sound surprising, but many companies are producing more than necessary because
they lose parts, products, material! Without order, care and discipline in storage, inventories
will fill all available space. Temporary storing a batch in a non defined / dedicated area is
risky, as someone could move the batch without care or notice. In such a case, it is likely to
lose its track, all ending in a waste of raw material, energy and man power.
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Krupanidhi School of Management

Module 3 (WCM)

It may lead to a double waste if the lost batch requires to produce a new one be delivered!
Eliminating the wasted space and valuable surface by excess inventories and overproduction
is another potential improvement.
Waste from waiting times
Waiting is a consequence of poor synchronization between process stages or bad preparation.
Waiting for parts, material, tools, instructions, etc, can be caused by a lack of rules about
storage places, when people have to search everywhere.
Are the items you are waiting for really necessary? If they're not, if they do not add value to
the job or the product, it it wise to try to eliminate them or at least reduce the wait time and
storage distances.
Waste from transportation and handling
The necessity to move and transport can be caused by the previously mentioned wastes. All
transportations may not be eliminated, but they have to be kept to the very minimum.
Looking for a pallet truck to move crates or pallets is a common occupation in the
workshops. People most often claim for more trucks, but a proper set of rules, parking areas
and discipline to bring them back after use is enough to solve availability problems.
Waste related to useless and excess inventories
"Useless"! The name itself gives the solution. In the 5S way, anything that is useless is to be
eliminated. In case of inventories, the gain is the value of the goods stored and the regained
spaces, which must be dedicated preferably to value creating activities.
Paper documents and their numerous copies, catalogues and calendars of previous years, files
and data, dry and worn out pens and pencils... all excess inventories!
Waste in production process
Procedures and work guides which are not constantly updated are likely to let useless
operations be performed in the process. Sorting and ordering applies also in the sequences of
the process and the related documents.
This type of waste is also common in administration processes and office work. Old rules still
remain even if the causes of their creation disappeared a while ago. As long as nobody will
update the set of rules, everyone will carry on, sticking to the olds with application and
discipline(!!).
Useless motions
Ergonomics of the work place is certainly the most popular and "visible" application of the
5S. The layout and display of the area will follow the 5S logic, favoring availability of
necessary items, distance of reach, and ease for tending...
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Krupanidhi School of Management

Module 3 (WCM)

Among useless motions, do not forget the walks to search for missing items, data,
instructions, complementary information...
Waste from scrap and defects
Number of defects and quality problems can be directly linked to the work place state:

Assembly mistakes (parts mismatch) due to jammed work table with parts from
different models / series

Forgotten parts in assembly, the parts could not be seen in the mess on the table

Scratches on parts by scrap form the work table (burrs, dirt, parts...)

Spoiled parts, useless because dirty, scratched...

Assembly mistake by not following the right sequence

3. Explain the concept of lean manufacturing.

Lean Manufacturing is a systematic methodology that identifies and eliminates all types of
waste or non-value-added activities; not only in production or manufacturing operations, but
in the service industry as well. Whether you are manufacturing a product or providing a
service, there are components that are considered waste. Lean concepts are purely about
creating more value for customers by eliminating activities that are considered waste. Any
activity or process that consumes resources, adds cost or time without creating value becomes
the target for elimination.
Lean focuses on the big picture or improvements in the entire business process as opposed
to incremental improvements. It is the business process system that can significantly improve
a companys profitability.
Lean concepts improve operating performance by focusing on the continuous flow of
products, materials or services through the value stream. To achieve this, the various forms of
waste must be identified and eliminated. Waste can include any activity, step or process that
does not add value for the customer. Lean Manufacturing, sometimes also referred to as the
Toyota Production System, is about the systematic elimination of waste.
LEAN Manufacturing Concepts
5S
Kaizen
Value Stream Mapping
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Quick Changeover/SMED
JIT/Kanban
Poka Yoke & Mistake Profing
Total Productive Maintenance
5S
The basis for good housekeeping in Japanese companies is a concept popularly known as 5S.
This stands for five good housekeeping concepts in Japanese.
5 S

Japanese

English

1S

Seiri

Sort out unnecessary items in the workplace and discard them.

2S

Seiton

Arrange necessary items in good order.

3S

Seiso

4S

Seiketsu

5S

Shitsuke

Clean your workplace thoroughly so that there is no dust on

floors, machines and equipment.
Maintain high standards of housekeeping at workplace at all
times.
Train people to follow good housekeeping disciplines.

Kaizen
"Kai" means change, and "Zen" means good (for the better). Basically kaizen is for small
improvements, but carried out on a continual basis and involve all people in the organization.
Kaizen is opposite to big spectacular innovations. Kaizen requires no or little investment. The
principle behind is that "a very large number of small improvements are more effective in an
organizational environment than a few improvements of large value.
Value stream mapping
It is often part of a kaizen event. In its true form the value stream map documents all parts of
the manufacturing process from the time the order is taken until it is delivered to the customer
Quick Changeover or SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Dies)
SMED efforts attempt to reduce the number of steps and the time it takes to perform each
during a change in the manufacturing process.
JIT/Kanban
The concept originated in Japan and adopted by many companies in India. As a concept, JIT
means materials arrive on time and no inventories are held at any time either in raw materials,
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Krupanidhi School of Management

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WIP or finished goods. Materials are pulled in to the system. JIT system ensures great
efficiency in production. Monden (1981) defines JIT as a production system to produce the
kind of units, at the time needed and in the quantities needed.
One of the most important tools in a pull system is kanban. Based on a proven Japanese
model, kanban is a visual approach to production control, using simple tools like returnable
containers, cards, or even empty spaces to pull products from producing workstations or
suppliers toward consuming workstations or businesses. In this context, a kanban is a
sign or visual aid indicating that a work center has finished a process, requires work, or needs
more materials. Kanban enable work centers to track supplier or customer needs and respond
quickly and appropriately.
Pokayoke and mistake proofing
Poka Yoke is a quality management concept developed by a Matsushita manufacturing
engineer named Shigeo Shingo to prevent human errors from occurring in the production
line. Poka yoke (pronounced poh-kah yoh-kay) comes from two Japanese words
yokeru which means to avoid, and poka which means inadvertent errors. Thus, poka
yoke more or less translates to avoiding inadvertent errors.
The main objective of poke yoke is to achieve zero defects. In fact, it is just one of the many
components of Shingos Zero Quality Control (ZQC) system, the goal of which is to
eliminate defective products.
A quality concept to manufacture ZERO defects & elimination of waste associated with
defects is known as zero defect quality. The goal of ZDQ is zero! Make certain that the
required conditions are in place and controlled to make acceptable product 100% of the time.
ZDQ functions by combining four elementary components:
1. Point of Origin Inspection
2. 100 % Audit Checks
3. Immediate Feedback
4. Poka-Yoke
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
TPM is a support function promoting high machine time availability and effectiveness. As
companies increase the use of LEAN techniques wasted steps are eliminated in the
Prof. Raghavendra A.N., BSc, MBA, UGC-NET, (PH.D)

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manufacturing process to provide more time processing material and making products
customers want.

Prof. Raghavendra A.N., BSc, MBA, UGC-NET, (PH.D)

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