Toyota Motor Manufacturing Usa
Supply Chain and Operations Management
Week 5
Toyota Motor Manufacturing USA
Seat Problem
Prepared by: Rod Wells
Student ID: 21514178
1. As Doug Friesen, what would you do to address the seat problem?
Where would you focus your attention and solution efforts? Why?
Answer:
Address the problem:
Doug needs to bring together his production team leaders to discuss the issue and gather input as to their thoughts on the root cause. He needs to assign a team leader to solely take on this problem as his sole responsibility until it is resolved.
Firstly a route cause analysis needs to be undertaken. Whether this is via a fish bone 5Y analysis or a Failure mode analysis etc doesn’t really matter as long as the most plausible root cause is determined. To undertake this analysis usually the quality team puts up a sub committee to work on this project. Once all plausible root causes are identified, then a weighting system is applied to each cause to determine the opportunity to solve the root causes with all associated costs captured.
Focus & Solutions:
I would focus the attention firstly at the seat manufacturer (KFS). Clearly before the Camry model change there were not the quality issues that are evident now with the extra proliferation (including export). Discussions need to be had with the KFS management team and get them involved with the 5Y solution process.
Secondly, Doug needs to go back to TMC in Japan and determine whether they really do have issues with the hook design. From my experience dealing with automotive OEM’s they tend to hide their issues!
Finally, from the 5Y analysis it may be determined that the TMM seat team in Kentucky maybe (mistakenly) damaging the seats (hinted in the case) when fitting them. This may require a process design change to the fitment process.
Again, the focus for this issue will be determine via the root cause analysis and this will then create the expected solution process.
2. What
Week 5
Toyota Motor Manufacturing USA
Seat Problem
Prepared by: Rod Wells
Student ID: 21514178
1. As Doug Friesen, what would you do to address the seat problem?
Where would you focus your attention and solution efforts? Why?
Answer:
Address the problem:
Doug needs to bring together his production team leaders to discuss the issue and gather input as to their thoughts on the root cause. He needs to assign a team leader to solely take on this problem as his sole responsibility until it is resolved.
Firstly a route cause analysis needs to be undertaken. Whether this is via a fish bone 5Y analysis or a Failure mode analysis etc doesn’t really matter as long as the most plausible root cause is determined. To undertake this analysis usually the quality team puts up a sub committee to work on this project. Once all plausible root causes are identified, then a weighting system is applied to each cause to determine the opportunity to solve the root causes with all associated costs captured.
Focus & Solutions:
I would focus the attention firstly at the seat manufacturer (KFS). Clearly before the Camry model change there were not the quality issues that are evident now with the extra proliferation (including export). Discussions need to be had with the KFS management team and get them involved with the 5Y solution process.
Secondly, Doug needs to go back to TMC in Japan and determine whether they really do have issues with the hook design. From my experience dealing with automotive OEM’s they tend to hide their issues!
Finally, from the 5Y analysis it may be determined that the TMM seat team in Kentucky maybe (mistakenly) damaging the seats (hinted in the case) when fitting them. This may require a process design change to the fitment process.
Again, the focus for this issue will be determine via the root cause analysis and this will then create the expected solution process.
2. What