The Failure of Concurrent Engineering

Toyota remains a benchmark for efficient production. Yes. It is true. How good is good? How high is Up?

Toyota is always held to be " divine magic" by fawning experts.

They have a great corporate culture and have put many powerful systems into place, but they still recall cars...

One fact that none of these"Experts" ever mention is the difference between high volume low mix manufacturing (toyota lean) and high mix low volume manufacturing, (what it is that Toyotas suppliers do.) The combinations that toyota manages are small compared to the suppliers.

Frankly,while the trade press continues to snuggle up to Toyota, The USAF is benchmarking to Hyundai in Alabama for Logistical excellence. My tour of Hyundai's plant in Alabama convinced me that Hyundai is incredibly under- valued, -rated, -appreciated. Hyundai changed the market ecology with quality by offering 100,000 mile warranty, a sign of true statistico-economic confidence in their systems. Their Humane use of human beings (The robots do the bull work, and the people do what people do best) is best I have seen, and their HR, and ergonomics are best I have seen. They are building world class cars in Rural alabama. RURAL Alabama.

As for A3 reports, They are indeed a powerful tool, And toyota should be credited for creating a culture that can make decisions using them. But to think that toyota invented "plan do check act," or that theyinvented the idea of "put it on a single sheet of paper," is evidence that someone is not wearing their critical thinking cap. ( No disrespect intended toward Mr. Sobek, who correctly recognizes that A-3's are a savvy process and "nothing magical" unlike the guys who fail to understand that it took a whole bunch of engineers a thousand lines of gannt chart to diistill their vision to one a-3 report...)

Toyota is a frighteningly well managed company. But they are not divine, and we do not need divine oracles(consultants) to tell us that only toyota way is best.

My guess is that Toyota's top management are more concerned about Hyundai's more than incremental improvement and positioning in the coming decade, I saw a press report that said Honda sure was.

The premise of the commentary is based on the fallacy that Tyota way has uniquely divine magical powers, when in fact Toyota suffers from recalls, faulty market judgement, just like other companies. While Toyota's floor mat recall does not rise to the level of engineering failure of the ford pinto, or ford speed control deactivation switch recall, Toyota is neither perfect, nor sole leader in efficiency and quality. Consultants should get out of their house of worship (if you get it) and visit other companies.

milo

GA Milo. Yes, I know a lot of people who have bought Hyundas because of the warranty. They have had this warranty out for long enough to go broke if it was just an advertising gimmick. They are still in business, therefore, the quality must be there.

Toyota has even apologized for its falling quality, you just don't hear about it.

First, what does this have to do with pneumatics?

It looks like a form of spam to me.

Second, what is wrong with concurrent development? I get involved with machine control. Often the programmers don't get access to the machine until it is done. It is far better to have a simulator for the machine so that the software guys can develop code while the machine is being built as opposed to getting a start the day before the machine is to ship. I can remember machines being shipped before I had a chance to check them out because I was still in the field finishing the previous machine. That is a serial method of development that I wouldn't recommend.