Duttyman
06-30-2007, 01:36 PM
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/ISF.jpg" height="309" width="472" />
I had the extreme pleasure of stumbling across an article by a fellow named Yuri <span class="au">Kageyama</span>. Read below for my summation<!--more-->Question: How many American companies claim that they want to foster leadership and cultivate growth? How many claim that they really care about their products? How many actually do anything about the prior two questions.
Well let's see how Lexus answers. How about a training program where workers are taught to gauge proper bolt-tightening by the buzz of an electric screwdriver, and how to pat parts into the car with the right touch, like an acupuncturist at work. How about fostering a corps of 2700 "master craftsmen" whose eyes are sharp enough to catch minuscule errors even robots and computers miss. These are the Lexus answers.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/isf5cu.jpg" height="361" width="481" />
At the factory, west of Tokyo, which makes LS, GS and IS Lexus models, cameras zipping around on robotic arms take more than 1,000 images of each car to check digitally for imperfections. Then corners and curves are examined by the human eye for more fine-tuning. Anyone who enters the room where the engines are built is hit with a blast of air to make sure not a speck of dust gets into the parts during production.
The alignment of a car when parts are put together has been perfected to such a degree that when a Lexus driver lets go of the steering wheel at 62 mph for about 100 yards, the car will veer just 10 inches, rather than the usual 30 inches, according to Toyota.<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/tmc_08lexusisf_dash.jpg" height="311" width="415" />
The Lexus workers even train for dexterity by turning two golf balls in each hand, and claw at rubbery nets to strengthen their fingers. In another quality exercise, they line up dozens of token-like pieces of barely discernible shades to train their eyes to distinguish color. Finally, the workers take tests -- mostly right on the assembly line -- to climb from the lowest grade, which has 1,800 Lexus workers, to second grade with 600 workers.
The top grade boasts only 300 workers. They are all tested every four months on production techniques to make sure they haven't slacked off.
At the dojo, employees also get a dose of what's called "mind training," designed to nurture sensibilities through classes about the Lexus concept.
They do sit-ups and work out on cycling machines to stay in shape to do the job right, said Takahiro Iwase, who heads the Tahara plant.
The root of quality production is to maintain human virtues, he said.
"Our conclusion was that there can be no how-to manual to master the Lexus production method," Iwase said. "The only way is to build the right mind-set."
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/135907.jpg" height="272" width="410" />
"We will always be trying to attain the next level," "We abide by the philosophy of no compromise, and making a point to get to the bottom of any problems that may arise."
I had the extreme pleasure of stumbling across an article by a fellow named Yuri <span class="au">Kageyama</span>. Read below for my summation<!--more-->Question: How many American companies claim that they want to foster leadership and cultivate growth? How many claim that they really care about their products? How many actually do anything about the prior two questions.
Well let's see how Lexus answers. How about a training program where workers are taught to gauge proper bolt-tightening by the buzz of an electric screwdriver, and how to pat parts into the car with the right touch, like an acupuncturist at work. How about fostering a corps of 2700 "master craftsmen" whose eyes are sharp enough to catch minuscule errors even robots and computers miss. These are the Lexus answers.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/isf5cu.jpg" height="361" width="481" />
At the factory, west of Tokyo, which makes LS, GS and IS Lexus models, cameras zipping around on robotic arms take more than 1,000 images of each car to check digitally for imperfections. Then corners and curves are examined by the human eye for more fine-tuning. Anyone who enters the room where the engines are built is hit with a blast of air to make sure not a speck of dust gets into the parts during production.
The alignment of a car when parts are put together has been perfected to such a degree that when a Lexus driver lets go of the steering wheel at 62 mph for about 100 yards, the car will veer just 10 inches, rather than the usual 30 inches, according to Toyota.<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/tmc_08lexusisf_dash.jpg" height="311" width="415" />
The Lexus workers even train for dexterity by turning two golf balls in each hand, and claw at rubbery nets to strengthen their fingers. In another quality exercise, they line up dozens of token-like pieces of barely discernible shades to train their eyes to distinguish color. Finally, the workers take tests -- mostly right on the assembly line -- to climb from the lowest grade, which has 1,800 Lexus workers, to second grade with 600 workers.
The top grade boasts only 300 workers. They are all tested every four months on production techniques to make sure they haven't slacked off.
At the dojo, employees also get a dose of what's called "mind training," designed to nurture sensibilities through classes about the Lexus concept.
They do sit-ups and work out on cycling machines to stay in shape to do the job right, said Takahiro Iwase, who heads the Tahara plant.
The root of quality production is to maintain human virtues, he said.
"Our conclusion was that there can be no how-to manual to master the Lexus production method," Iwase said. "The only way is to build the right mind-set."
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/135907.jpg" height="272" width="410" />
"We will always be trying to attain the next level," "We abide by the philosophy of no compromise, and making a point to get to the bottom of any problems that may arise."