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What is PDCA?
• Prompt, Do, Check, Act
• Based on Shewhart Model (Plan, Do,
Study, Act) for continuous improvement
• Model for any manual process
Operation Post Operation
Prompt Do Check Act
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“Prompt” Explained
• What does a Prompt do?
– Initiate action
– Authorize
– Indicate
• What actions need to be performed
• How the action is to be performed
• Parameters of the action
• What constitutes completion of the action
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“Prompt” Explained
• A Prompt encourages humans to
perform the required process steps
correctly.
• PROACTIVE prompts are much more
effective than passive prompts
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“Prompt” Examples
Passive Proactive
• Paper Manuals
• Printed Instructions
• Files that musts be
opened manually
• Training (Memory)
• Buzzers
• Lights
• Voice
• Electronic
displays
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“Do” Examples
• Picking parts from storage locations
• Placing parts in machines
• Assembling parts
• Operating hand tools (hammer, drill,
screwdriver, etc.)
• Mixing solutions
• Medical examinations/procedures
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“Check” Explained
• Verify that the “Do” was done right
– Operation completed
– Quality metrics
– Quantity
– Functionality
• Automatic checks are much more
effective than manual checks
• Check should be objective
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“Check” Explained
• Inspections should strive to be:
– Frequent (100%)
• Occurrences of mistakes in human controlled
processes are inherently unstable, making
sampling operations useless
– Inexpensive
– Simple
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“Act” Explained
• Act - Negative Outcome
– Communicate outcome to:
• Operator
• Control system
• Quality/Production/Enterprise system
– Resolve negative outcome
• Fix/Re-work/Scrap part
• Find root cause
• Correct cause
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“Act” Explained
• Act - Positive Outcome
– Communicate outcome to:
• Operator
• Control system
• Quality/Production/Enterprise system
– Identify part
– Transfer part
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“Act” Examples
• Indicating light or display
• Transfer part to next station
• Engrave serial number
• Communicate results electronically
• Repair defect
• Remove part from line for disposition
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Part of a Lean Strategy
• What methods makes up Lean?
– 5S
– Kanban
– Kaizen
– Mistake Prevention (Poka-Yoke)
– Total Productive Maintenance
– Value Stream mapping
– Takt Time
– Cellular Manufacturing
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Part of a Lean Strategy
• How does PDCA fit into Lean?
– Prompting
• Reduces wasted production time through
increased productivity
• Reduces mistakes
– Check
• Reduces Re-work & Scrap
• Informative Inspection promotes Kaizen
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Part of a Lean Strategy
• How does PDCA fit into Lean?
– Act
• Reduces time, money, and effort through
communication with other systems
– Supply chain
– Production systems
– Quality systems
• Visibility of the entire enterprise allows what
was previously seen as waste to be seen as
added value
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Applying PDCA
• Use as design criteria for design of new
manual processes
• Incorporate into Process FMEA
– Instead of just looking at ways the process
can fail, look for absence of PDCA steps
that ensure that process is correct
• Use to evaluate/improve current manual
processes
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Overview of Poke-Yoke
• Japanese for “Mistake proof”
• Developed by Shigeo Shingo
• Primarily focused on preventing
mistakes before they become defects
• Poke Yoke devices help prevent errors
and defects
• Product Focused devices
• Based on 100% inspection (Informative)
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Overview of Poke-Yoke
• Generally applied to discrete systems or
processes
• Best applied to high volume, low variety
production
• Generally not well applied to high
variety production or complex
operations
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UMPQV vs. Poka-Yoke
Universal Mistake Prevention and Quality
Verification
• Includes all the elements of Poke-Yoke
• Universal
– Process Oriented, not product oriented
– Inexpensive, Redeployable, COTS
• “Mistake-Proof” split into Mistake
Prevention and Quality Verification
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UMPQV - Universal
• Process oriented, not product oriented
– Configurable to multiple product
applications
• Easy to Integrate
– Standard physical and electronic interfaces
– Programmable (Configurable)
• Expandable & Easy to change
• Communication
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UMPQV - Mistake Prevention
• Essence of Poke-Yoke
– Prevent mistakes before they happen
• Source Inspection
• Self Check
• Subsequent Check
– Based on 100% informative inspection
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UMPQV - Quality Verification
• Verify that the outcome is “Good” not
just “Not Bad”
• Mistake Prevention is a precursor
• “Mistake-Proof” does not imply that
quality is verified
• Informative - If quality is not verified,
find out why and correct
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UMPQV - Examples
• DC Torque Tools
– Socket Tray Indicates socket and proper torque
program (Prompt, Mistake Prevention)
– Operator presses trigger, Controller Controls (Do)
– Transducer/Current sensor verifies torque (Check,
Quality Verification)
– Controller displays & communicates result (Act)
– Tool is process oriented (torquing), product
independent, and provides communication
(Universal)
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UMPQV - Examples
• Sensor-based Pick-to-light
– Prompt light indicates bin (Prompt, Mistake
prevention)
– Worker picks parts (Do)
– Sensor detects proper pick (Check, Quality
Verification)
– Controller communicates result (Act)
– Tool is process oriented (part picking), product
independent, and provides communication
(Universal)
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UMPQV – Poke-Yoke Conversion
• UMPQV devices do not have to be COTS
– Go/No-Go gage used to verify/modify several
critical dimensions
– Started with a few product variations
– New Poke-Yoke devices (Custom designed
reference fixtures) were created for each product
variation
– Over time, more than 30 custom devices created
at significant expense and are complicated to use
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UMPQV – Poke-Yoke Conversion
• Poka-Yoke Issues
– No method to ensure correct gage is used
– No method to ensure any gage is used
– Operator dependent results (subjective)
– No communication or requirement for correction of
negative results
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UMPQV – New UMPQV Solution
• Electronic Measuring Device
– Custom tool developed to measure critical
dimensions
– Device has highly repeatable results
– Communicates results to operator and
electronically to other systems
– Setup/measurement requirements selected by
product model (Barcode or RFID)
– Applicable to all product variations
– Can require defect resolution (tagging, electronic
acknowledge, etc.)
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Example Comparison
– Array of Physical gages
– No method for selecting
proper gage
– No method to ensure that
any gage was used
– High level of variation in
results
– No communication
– No requirement for defect
resolution
– One electronic measuring device
– Barcode/RFID selects proper
program (Prompt, Mistake
prevention)
– High repeatability and objectivity
in results (Check, Quality
Verification)
– Communication to Operator and
electronically (Act, Universal)
– Lower life cycle cost of device
Poke-Yoke UMPQV
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Poke-Yoke vs. UMPQV
– 100% inspection
– Poke-Yoke principles
– Simple, Fast, Cheap
– Product specific
– Low level communication
– Best applied to high
volume, low variety
production
– 100% inspection
– Poke-Yoke principles+
– Simple, but more complex
and higher initial cost
– Process specific
– High level communication
– Best applied to high variety,
complex production
Poke-Yoke Device UMPQV Device
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Mistake Prevention Strategy
• Design mistakes out of product/process
• Analyze process using PDCA Manual Process Model
• Where mistakes can occur, use Source Inspection to
prevent occurrence of mistakes that lead to defects
• Use Self and Subsequent inspections to detect
defects (100%)
• Use Control methods over warning methods when
feasible
• Use UMPQV solutions where there are common
processes and/or high variety
• Use end-of-line testing as a last resort
Tom Wiesen
VP Engineering & Product Development, AVOW, LLC
What Prompt, Do, Check, Act is and what PDCA is not
Relevance
Manual operations are used much more than automation, and the rate is increasing due to increasing product variety and shorter product lifecycles
Manual operations are moving overseas (China, India, Mexico) -
Application:
Designing Manual Processes
Analyzing Manual Processes
Improving Manual Processes
PDCA Application Example
Prompt, Do, Check, Act steps
Based on Shewhart PDCA Continuous Improvement Model/Deming Cycle
I will compare and contrast the models to try to minimize confusion
PDCA is designed for a Defined Manual Process
PDCA is a four step process of carrying out a human controlled (Manual) process
Prompt initiates and directs the operator to perform the desired operation correctly
Do is the human controlled operation
Check is the verification of the the Do step
Act is the action that takes place in response to the Check step
This is a finite sequential model designed to be performed once, but flexible to allow repetition in a number of ways to fit a given situation
I will explain each of the steps in more detail first, then go over the model as a whole.
Initiate
Lights, Buzzers, Displays, Presence of parts/equipment
Authorize (Used infrequently in Manual Assembly)
Swipe card of a teller
Computer logon
Door key
Indicate
Signs
Electronic Displays
Drawings
Instructions
Checklists
Verbal Commands
Feed Forward/Proactive approach is best
Passive requires operators to get the prompt
Proactive is a “Pulled” Prompt, Passive is a “Pushed” prompt (from the perspective of the operator)
Proactive actively presents the correct information to the operator or restricts operation until a prompt is acknowledged.
Passive Example
Operator must get the information
Information training assumes that operator has been trained
Proactive example
Information is presented to operator in a manner that gets their attention
Information describes what, where, when, and how
Controls can be used to restrict operation until a passive/proactive prompt is acknowledged.
Prompts should show just the amount of information that is required to perform the task
Human performs the task as directed by the prompt, using their knowledge and experience
Human control vs. Automatic control
Human control has many influencing factors that make them “Unstable”
Forgetting
Lack of focus
Distractions
Other humans
Environment (Noise, Temp, Humidity, Lighting, etc)
Daydreaming
Task complexity
The instability of the human controlled process makes it generally unsuitable for SPC as sampling is ineffective for unstable processes
Manual operations that are controlled, in whole or in part, by the human brain
Some operations may be automated, but are set up manually or started manually by an operator
Visual Check
Sensors (force, weight, dimension, barcode, temperature, presence, etc)
Test systems (complex sensors, leak testers, dimensional measurements, vision systems, ph, hardness, etc.)
Functionality checks
Verify that the Do Step was properly completed
Automatic checks don’t require action by the operator. The more effort the operator has to do to perform the check means more time and higher likely hood of not performing the check or performing the check properly. Automatic checks tend to be more objective
Subjective checks tend to be less stringent as egos, politics, personal feelings, pressure, and other feelings can affect the outcome.
From Shigeo Shingo
Judgment provides no feedback to the process for improvement, simple Accept/Reject test
Informative uses information to improve the process, to prevent future occurrences
Source – Inspect the process or elements fed into the process to prevent mistakes from occurring
Control - Try to embed the inspection as part of the process (as a control mechanism)
Self Check – Provides immediacy, lacks objectivity
Successive Check – Next best immediacy, provides more objectivity
Inspection is seen as non-value added
By using the inspection result information, process improvements can be made, adding value to the process
Inspections need to be simple, inexpensive, and as close to the originating process as possible
Try to “Design out” the inspection need, by removing the need for inspection out of the product or process
Frequent because mistakes are intermittent, They must be checked for all the time (100%) – Human controlled processes are inherently “Unstable”
Because “Check” is a non-value added step, It should be simple and inexpensive
Source inspection (Pick-to-light sensor, Fixture sensor for part present or correct part orientation)
Self Inspection (Pick-to-light push button acknowledge, verbal acknowledge, visual inspection, checklist)
Subsequent Inspection (Visual inspection, checklist, comparison pictures, etc.)
Visual Inspection is the most common
“Feel”
Feeling the play between moving parts
Moving the parts to check for smooth operation
Feeling the surface finish of a part
Sound
Listen to part when functionally tested
Measurement
Gages, Scales
Test Equipment
Semiautomatic
Functional test
Communication of Outcome:
To the operator; can be used to resolve a problem and change process to prevent the problem from happening again
To the control system; to stop or modify the process
Record the data of the problem or reject and use for quality, production, or other enterprise level intelligence
Resolve the Outcome
Fix/re-work, scrap the part, document the problem
Find the root cause (Informative inspection)
Correct the cause so that it doesn’t happen again
Acknowledge to the operator that the part was good (Pro-active)
Better to know that the part was GOOD than to only know that the part was not identified as BAD
Inform the control system to allow production to continue (Proactively)
Pass information up to business systems for inventory, production, quality, etc.
Identify the part (Part Label, Serial Number, engraving, Special packaging, etc
Move the part to the next operation, package, place with other good parts, etc.
Communication to higher level systems
Provides process visibility
M2M components are making the communication more capable, more streamlined, and cheaper.
Reducing Waste in the form of time, material, cost
5 S - Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain
Kanban/POLCA – Material movement system
Kaizen – Continuous Improvement
Mistake Prevention (Poka-Yoke, UMPQV)
Total Productive Maintenance
Value Stream Mapping
Takt Time
Cellular Manufacturing
100% inspection (informative) reduces immediate errors
Informative Inspections strive to find root causes of problems and solve them, improving the process
Communication
M2M concept addresses intelligent devices that provide communication to higher level systems and operate more autonomously
Visibility
Extra communication capability now more usable
Three elements to communication:
Data Collection
Transfer Data
Present data as information (process raw data and make relevant)
For Evaluation, look at the lowest level with problems
Design
Use PDCA model as a design criteria for manual operations in a process. Check each process step with the PDCA model
When used as part of a FMEA, map process into macro operations and then break them down into micro operations
Example - Assembly Operation
Install pipe plugs - HMI displays locations for pipe plugs
Operator installs pipe plugs
Light prompts correct bin for plugs
Operator torques plug with Torque wrench
Torque controller controls and checks proper torque and annunciates results to operator/others
Operator counts installed plugs
Perform Leak Test
Evaluation
Identify all four PDCA steps with each process step, identify missing steps and rate all others.
Find ways to complete all four steps and improve identified weak areas. Use metrics to track.
Shigeo Shingo developed Zero Quality Control to combat overuse of SPC for manual operations (100% inspection)
Focuses on Source inspection, or finding and correcting mistakes before they become defects
Baca-Yoke (or “Fool-Proof”) was originally used by Shigeo Shingo until a worker was upset because a “Fool-Proof” device was implemented to prevent left or right handed parts from being improperly installed. The worker was so upset because they thought that the change was because they were a fool, that they missed a day of work. “Mistake-Proof” or Poke-Yoke became a more acceptable term.
Discrete systems (Go-No-go results)
Part present, part oriented correctly, Machine set-up is correct
Inspection is seen as “Bad” or non-value added
The “Bad rap” usually comes from high cost inspection or judgment inspections
Good inspections are:
Inexpensive
Fast
Close to the source of the mistake
Unbiased/objective
Includes elements of Poka-Yoke
100% inspection, Simple, Inexpensive
Informative Inspections
Source
Self
Subsequent
Poka-Yoke is “Mistake-Proof”
Broadly defined term
Better to use the terms Mistake Prevention and Quality Verification
Mistake Prevention ≈ Prompt, Do
Quality Verification ≈ Check, Act
Universal
Communication is important
Process oriented, not product oriented, redeployable
Universal is a key element in today’s manufacturing
Four elements
Process oriented can be applied to many products
Integration is more valuable as other systems become more integrated
Expandable to accommodate new parameters and process modifications
Communication
To the operator, to other processes, to quality metrics
Mistake Prevention
Follows concepts from Poke-Yoke
Informative Inspections
Source
Self
Subsequent
100% Inspection (ZQC)
Mistake Prevention is focused on specific deficiencies, does not address all potential problems
Quality Verification
Different from Mistake Prevention
Mistake Prevention is focused on specific deficiencies
Quality Verification focuses on all things being correct
Prompt
Socket Tray light
Electronic (RFID, Shift register, etc) to set proper program
Do
Operator starts torque operation
Check
Torque controller controls torque with instrumentation
Act
Torque controller communicates raw data to operator as well as good/bad
Communicates to higher level systems
Releases part to next station (Electronically)
Can determine cause of defect (Stripped, cross threaded, bad/dirty threads, etc)
Mistake Prevention
Prompt, Torque control
Quality Verification
Torque control
Release of part
Detection of failure cause
Universal
Process oriented (Torque process can be used for many products)
Communication
Integration capability with associated systems
Prompt
Job/Prompt light
Do
Operator picks part
Check
Pick Sensor
Act
Communicates Pick status
Communicates inventory change to higher level systems
Releases part to next station (Electronically)
Mistake Prevention
Prompt
Quality Verification
Pick Sensor
Release of part
Universal
Process oriented (Part picking)
Communication
Integration capability with associated systems
Poke-Yoke device perceived to be low cost at start
Questions to be considered when looking at Poke-Yoke vs. UMPQV
How much variety? Will it increase over time and by how much?
Are there other similar processes that could benefit from a similar UMPQV solution?
How important is result of device?
Cost of mistakes/defects?
Frequency of mistake/defect?
COTS (Commercial of the shelf)
UMPQV devices can be customized, but typically constructed of mostly COTS components with custom fixtures
Universal may apply to many similar parameters on a single niche process
Off the self components, customized for particular operation or family of operations.
Single device would have been cheaper overall than the series of single devices created over time.
Quality would have been higher
Electronic monitoring is more objective and reliable than visual inspection
Lead time to adapt to new product varieties would have been lower over time
General comparison (not competing solutions)
Poke-yoke is not bad, just limited in scope
Poke-yoke is still a best fit for many applications
More of today’s applications need the benefits of UMPQV
By looking at a situation in the context of a PDCA manual process model, Poke-Yoke, and UMPQV, more questions will be asked, and the outcome will be more suited and justified.
Design mistake opportunities out of product first
Source inspection, using 100%, cheap and simple solutions
Self and subsequent inspections to verify quality
Control methods are better than warning methods
UMPQV to gain economies of scale for equipment, gain more ROI from higher level systems that can use the data, and provide higher quality
Use end of line inspection as a last resort
Various Pick to light examples
The two lower examples use sensors
Common torque tools use socket trays to prompt operator to select the proper socket, or selecting proper socket triggers associated program in controller.
Common torque controllers can provide local and remote indications of torque, angle, limits, and torque status (pass/fail)
Intelligence can be added to help determine cause of failure (stripped threads, galling, burrs, wrong size threads/lubrication, etc.)
Chart shows that uncontrolled mistakes are easily missed in an SPC sampling
SPC relies on a minimum level of process stability to use sampling
Human errors could be viewed as common variation that has high magnitude