Kitchen-Inspired Breakthrough - A Mother's Comment Fueling Significant Enhancements
In the bustling world of Toyota's Miyoshi Plant, Ayami Toyomaki, a member of the Facilities Maintenance Section No.2, Driveline Manufacturing Division 2, has made a significant impact with her creative thinking. Toyomaki's definition of kaizen, the continuous improvement philosophy at the heart of Toyota's production system, is all about making tasks easier and safer to create a better workplace for everyone.
One of Toyomaki's recent innovations is the insulating plate punch, a device designed to streamline the production process of the insulating plates used in the manufacturing of Constant-velocity (CV) joints. These components are essential for transferring the engine's power to the wheels.
Before Toyomaki's invention, the insulating plates were made by hand, requiring various sizes and thicknesses, some even crafted from 0.2 mm Teflon sheets. This laborious process consumed approximately 22 work hours per month. However, within a month of Toyomaki's proposal, the team had perfected the insulating plate punch, drastically reducing the production time and improving efficiency.
The insulating plate punch operates by pressing down on the insulating plates to cut them into the required shapes. This innovation not only saves time but also improves safety by eliminating the risk of workers cutting their hands with utility knives, a common hazard in the previous process.
Toyomaki's innovative idea was recognised with the top award within the Creative Idea Suggestion System, earning her 40,000 yen. Interestingly, Toyomaki shared the award with her team leader, receiving half of the total amount.
This success has greatly shifted Toyomaki's mindset about suggesting creative ideas. She now has a greater interest in proposing innovative solutions and believes that the Creative Idea system fosters problem-solving skills, communication, and connections with others.
Toyomaki's latest project involves something bigger, and she continues to submit creative ideas every month. While she proposed a creative idea inspired by a nori punch, a device used to stamp out pieces of nori (dried seaweed) in Japan, it seems the nori punch mechanism is not currently in use at the Toyota Miyoshi Plant's Driveline Manufacturing Division 2.
The Toyota Production System (TPS) is renowned for innovations like the "kanban" system and "just-in-time" (JIT) production, which aim to simplify and streamline manufacturing processes. Toyomaki's insulating plate punch is a testament to the continuous improvement philosophy at Toyota, demonstrating how even small ideas can lead to significant improvements in efficiency and safety.
- Toyomaki's insulating plate punch, a product of her dedication to workplace-wellness and health-and-wellness, has revolutionized the production process at Toyota's Miyoshi Plant, focusing on technology to enhance personal-growth, education-and-self-development, and productivity.
- The application of her invention goes beyond the Driveline Manufacturing Division 2, as Toyomaki's innovative spirit now encourages her to explore broader ideas that may further benefit the company, such as her recent nori punch concept, which could potentially enhance connections with others and foster problem-solving skills.
- In line with the continuous improvement philosophy of the Toyota Production System, Toyomaki's insulating plate punch demonstrates the value of small, creative ideas in promoting science, technology, and education in the workplace, aiming for long-term growth and progress.
