 |
Autonomation or "Automation with Human Intelligence"
Autonomation is a quality control process that detects when a defect is produced, stops the machine automatically, corrects the condition and looks for a permanent solution. It applies the principle of Jidoka, used by Toyota, and similarly employs four steps: 1. Detect the abnormality 2. Stop the machine /operation / line 3. Correct / fix the current condition 4. Seek permanent solution by examining the root cause As the machine detects and stops the machine on its own, we call it also "automation with human intelligence". Through it you aim to "free" the man from the machine, allowing him to do other things rather than watch the machine incessantly for problems. Why is this important? Because people are your best asset. Make their work more interesting, more challenging. They can start supervising several machines. This automation with human intelligence becomes a powerful ally in your company's lean transformation in that it doesn't pass the defects down the line. It rather stops the problem at the source or close by, thus eliminating one important form of waste, the waste of correction. Beside, you don't add process steps (value) to a part that eventually would become scrap. So, please consider carefully how you can implement it in your company.
|
