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Revival of Manufacturing giants-Industrial 4.

0
the Toyota way
1.Introduction to Industrial 4.0

Industry 4.0 is a name given to the current trend of automation and data exchange in
manufacturing technologies. It includes cyber-physical systems, the Internet of things, cloud
computing and cognitive computing. Industry 4.0 is commonly referred to as the fourth industrial
revolution

Industry 4.0 fosters what has been called a "smart factory". Within modular structured smart
factories, cyber-physical systems monitor physical processes, create a virtual copy of the
physical world and make decentralized decisions. Over the Internet of Things, cyber-physical
systems communicate and cooperate with each other and with humans in real-time both
internally and across organizational services offered and used by participants of the value chain.

The term "Industry 4.0" was revived in 2011 at the Hannover Fair.In October 2012 the Working
Group on Industry 4.0 presented a set of Industry 4.0 implementation recommendations to the
German federal government. The Industry 4.0 workgroup members and partners are recognized
as the founding fathers and driving force behind Industry 4.0.

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2Design principles
There are four design principles in Industry 4.0. These principles support companies in
identifying and implementing Industry 4.0 scenario

 Interconnection: The ability of machines, devices, sensors, and people to connect and
communicate with each other via the Internet of Things (IoT) or the Internet of People
(IoP)
 Information transparency: The transparency afforded by Industry 4.0 technology
provides operators with vast amounts of useful information needed to make appropriate
decisions. Inter-connectivity allows operators to collect immense amounts of data and
information from all points in the manufacturing process, thus aiding functionality and
identifying key areas that can benefit from innovation and improvement
 Technical assistance: First, the ability of assistance systems to support humans by
aggregating and visualizing information comprehensively for making informed decisions
and solving urgent problems on short notice. Second, the ability of cyber physical
systems to physically support humans by conducting a range of tasks that are unpleasant,
too exhausting, or unsafe for their human co-workers.
 Decentralized decisions: The ability of cyber physical systems to make decisions on
their own and to perform their tasks as autonomously as possible. Only in the case of
exceptions, interferences, or conflicting goals, are tasks delegated to a higher level.

3.How is Toyota 4.0 different from Industrial 4.0

Currently prevailing trend in global automotive industry assumes replacing employees with
robots. Toyota has yet a different approach. The managers of the Japanese corporation claim that
human participation in the process of production is still necessary and the robots should only
make work easier.

The Japanese are sure that automation can “more human” They prove it also in their state-of-the-
art factories. This is the case, for example, for Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky in
Georgetown, the biggest plant of the Japanese company in the world. In the production halls of
the area of 750 thousand square meters, over a half million cars – mainly intended for the
American market – are produced every year. These are Toyota Camry and Avalon, and Lexus
ES.

Recently, a thorough modernization of the factory which cost over 1.3 billion dollars was
completed. The factory has been adapted to the production of a completely refreshed model of
Camry. Despite these costly investments, the participation of the employees in the assembly of
cars has not been decreased. The new solutions automating the work have been implemented,
and… the company hired additionally about 700 persons.

The degree of process automation is not higher now than 15 years ago. Machines are excellent in
fulfilling repetitive tasks, but they are not able to improve efficiency or quality of work. This can
be done only by humans” – explains Wil James, President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing
Kentucky.

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Although for a decade, the participation of robots in manufacturing processes in Toyota’s
factories has not changed significantly and remains on the level of 8 percent, productivity is still
rising. The key to the success is expressed in the Japanese word kaizen, meaning constant
development, in which all Toyota’s employees are engaged, proposing concrete improvements.

3.1Toyota’s employees improved the production process


As an example, we can take rationalization of the assembly of fuel tanks. Previously, a heavy
tank was lifted with the conveyor and then fastened by the workers with clamps and screws. It
required work in an uncomfortable position with arms held up, so the employees made up a
practical device which with one movement lifts the tank, placing it in the right position, and then
fastens it to the car body.

Did the workers shed their jobs themselves? Not at all, they gained new important tasks. They
are now controlling the quality of tanks assembly. They are responsible for checking all the
fastenings and connection.

It seems that without replacing people with robots Toyota will become less competitive
compared to other automotive companies which cut jobs and thus significantly decrease
production costs. However, the Japanese manufacturer chose a different way to reduce costs: by
technological development.

3.2Higher level of kaizen

Toyota New Global Architecture is described as further evolution of kaizen. This is a natural
development of a well-known Toyota’s production system used for many years consisting of the
optimization of resource management. TNGA includes not only module unified structure of
vehicle components, especially the floor pan, body, power train and steering elements, but also
the technology and organization of production.

While developing TNGA, the focus was on the better use of materials and designing vehicles in
a way that helps to reduce weight and dimensions of components and at the same time to achieve
an optimum position of the center of gravity. It ensures better drivability and performance with
reduced fuel consumption. The inventors paid attention also to the unification of components,
including engines and structures. The number of so-called platforms was reduced from approx.
100 to fewer than 10.

Simultaneously, the company introduced production process enabling manufacturing of several


models of vehicles on the same line without any production downtime. TNGA means various
changes in the production process – even the shape of the line has changed.

The company resigned, for example, from large conveyors hanged on the rails under the roof of
the facility that had been used before for transporting parts, such as engines, along with the
electronically directed paths on the floor of the production halls Toyota’s managers are proud
that this solution let them reduce sizes of production halls, which enables saving costs of light,
heating and air-conditioning, and in the case of new plants – also their construction costs.

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4. Technologies Begin used

• Predicative Analysis

• Big Data

• Artificial Intelligence

5. Conclusion
Thus Toyota production system not only produces the products with zero defects but also ensures
worker satisfaction in work environment of shop floor.

Thus we conclude that Revival of Manufacturing giants can be done using “Revival of
Manufacturing giants-Industrial 4.0 the Toyota way”

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