What is Jidoka? Test Drive a Minivan

I will confess, we own a minivan and I enjoy driving it. It’s a great car. If I wasn’t already a fan of Toyota products and how they make them, the Sienna would undoubtedly make me a fan.
As a Lean guy, I particularly like how they have incorporated Jidoka into the design of their vehicle. For review, Jidoka is a Japanese word meaning autonomation or intelligent automation. Jidoka is one of the two pillars of the House of the Toyota Production System (the other pillar is Just in Time). There are two parts to Jidoka.

Jidoka: A Seven-Step Process for Low-Cost Automation

Jidoka offers a seven-step process for low-cost automation that clearly separates human work from machine work. Unlike watching a washing machine, machinists often monitor a CNC machine while it produces parts. With Jidoka, you can load a machine and move on to operate another one, using the load-load concept (also known as chaku-chaku in Japanese). This concept enables handling multiple machines and processes, resulting in efficient one-piece flow machining. By being able to load and walk away, machinists can become multi-process handlers, leading to increased productivity. Additionally, this approach enhances safety since you can move away from the machine during a potential malfunction.

Automatic Error Detection and Processing Stoppage with Jidoka

Another benefit of Jidoka is its automatic error detection and processing stoppage capabilities. Unlike “dumb” automation which keeps producing faulty parts until an inspector rejects the entire batch, Jidoka machines can detect abnormal vibrations, noises, or heat and stop the process while notifying the operator. As a result, this approach significantly reduces the number of defects produced.

Separation of Human Work and Machine Work in the Sienna Design

So what does this have to do with the Sienna? Toyota has made the right side rear door auto-opening and auto-closing. Just lift the door handle, and the door opens or closes. Load the baby in the car seat, gently pull the handle, and walk away to the driver’s seat while the door closes by itself. Human work and machine work are separated.

One of my initial concerns was that someone would get an arm or leg caught in the door as it closed mechanically. This concern was put to rest when the salesman at the car dealership demonstrated by putting his arm in the way of the closing door. The door sensed an object in the way, stopped, and reversed itself. The door detects an error and auto-stops.

This is an example of Lean thinking in the design of a product. I’m looking forward to the Single Minute Exchange of Tires.

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