POKA-YOKE OR MISTAKE

PROOFING
-AN OVERVIEW
Ashish Gupta
Asst. Officer QA
Parle Biscuit Pvt. Ltd., Pantnagar(Uttarakhand)
Be more careful not effective
The old way of dealing with human error was to scold people,
retrain them, and tell them to be more careful My view is
that you cant do much to change human nature, and people
are going to make mistakes. If you cant tolerate them... you
should remove the opportunities for error.

Training and motivation work best when the physical part of
the system is well designed. If you train people to use poorly
designed systems, theyll be OK for awhile. Eventually, theyll
go back to what theyre used to or whats easy, instead of
whats safe.

Youre not going to become world class through just training,
you have to improve the system so that the easy way to do a
job is also the safe, right way. The potential for human error
can be dramatically reduced.
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What Causes Defects?
1. Poor procedures or standards.
2. Machines.
3. Non-conforming material.
4. Worn tooling.
5. Human Mistakes.

Except for human mistakes these conditions
can be predicted and corrective action can be
implemented to eliminate the cause of defects.
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What to do now!!!
To avoid such mistakes here comes the tool
that is called
Mistake-proofing systems
Does not rely on operators catching
mistakes
Quick feedback 100% of the
time
Inexpensive Point of Origin
inspection
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What is it?
Poka-yoke (pronounced POH-kah YOH-kay) was
coined in Japan during the 1960s by Shigeo Shingo
who was on of the industrial engineers at Toyota.






The initial term was baka-yoke, which means fool-
proofing. This term baka-yoke dishonorable and
offensive connotation. Hence, the term was changed
to poka-yoke, which means mistake-proofing.

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What the Poka-yoke is?
Techniques that help operators avoid mistakes
in their work caused by choosing the wrong
part, leaving out a part, installing a part
backwards, etc.
It involves the implementation of fail-safe ways
methods that detect or prevent human and
machine error at or near the source.
It provides instant feedback and prevention of
quality problems
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Poka-Yoke as a
Poka Yoke as Prevention Device
Is a device or process that prevents errors from
occurring or prevents these errors from creating
defects.
Examples: part locators, part present sensors.

Poka Yoke as Detection Device
Is a device that will detect a defect or concern and
initiate a corrective action.
Examples: vision system, limit sensors
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Why is it important?
Poka-yoke helps people and processes work
right the first time.
Poka-yoke refers to techniques that make it
impossible to make mistakes.
Poka-yoke techniques can drive defects out of
products and processes and substantially
improve quality and reliability.
It can be thought of as an extension of FMEA.
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Contd
It can also be used to fine tune improvements
and process designs from six-sigma Define -
Measure - Analyze - Improve - Control
(DMAIC) projects.

The use of simple poka-yoke ideas and
methods in product and process design can
eliminate both human and mechanical errors.

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When to use it?
It is a technique, a tool that can be applied to
any type of process be it in manufacturing or
the service industry.

Poka-yoke can be used wherever something
can go wrong or an error can be made.
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Contd
Errors can be of any type-
i. Processing Error: Process operation missed or
not performed per the SOP.
ii. Setup Error: Using the wrong tooling or setting
machine adjustments incorrectly.
iii. Missing Part: Not all parts included in the
assembly, welding, or other processes.
iv. Improper part/item: Wrong part used in the
process.
v. Operations Error: Carrying out an operation
incorrectly; having the incorrect version of the
specification.
vi. Measurement Error: Errors in machine
adjustment, test measurement or dimensions of a
part coming in from a supplier.
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How to use it?
Step by step process in applying poka-yoke:
1. Identify the operation or process - based on a Pareto
Analysis.
2. Analyze the 5-whys and understand the ways a
process can fail.
3. Decide the right Poka-yoke approach, such as using a,
Shut out Type: Preventing an error being made, or
an
Attention Type: Highlighting that an error has been
made.

Note: Take a more comprehensive approach instead of merely
thinking of Poka-yoke as limit switches, or automatic shutoffs. A
poka-yoke can be electrical, mechanical, procedural, visual, human
or any other form that prevents incorrect execution of a process
step.
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Contd
4. Determine whether a
Contact Method
Constant Number or Counting Method
Motion-Sequence Method
5. Trial the method and see if it works.
6. Train the operator, review performance and
measure success.
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Methods in Detail
Contact Methods
Do not have to be high tech!
Passive devices are sometimes the best method.
These can be as simple as guide pins or blocks
that do not allow parts to be seated in the wrong
position prior to processing.
Take advantage of parts designed with an uneven
shape!
A work piece with a hole a bump or an uneven
end is a perfect candidate for a passive jig. This
method signals to the operator right away that the
part is not in proper position.
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Methods in Detail
Constant Number or Counting Method
Used when a fixed number of operations are required within a
process, or when a product has a fixed number of parts that
are attached to it.
A sensor counts the number of times a part is used or a
process is completed and releases the part only when the
right count is reached.

Motion-Sequence Method
The third poka yoke method uses sensors to determine if a
motion or a step in a process has occurred. If the step has
not occurred or has occurred out of sequence, the sensor
signals a timer or other device to stop the machine and signal
the operator.

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Day2Day Examples of
Poka-Yoke
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Day2Day Example







3.5 inch diskettes cannot be inserted unless diskette
is oriented correctly. This is as far as a disk can be
inserted upside-down. The beveled corner of the
diskette along with the fact that the diskette is not
square, prohibit incorrect orientation.
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Day2Day Example






For some file cabinets, opening one drawer locks
all the rest, reducing the chance of the file cabinet
tipping.

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Circuit breakers prevent electrical overloads
and the fires that result. When the load
becomes too great, the circuit is broken.

Day2Day Example
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Day2Day Example






Even bathroom sinks have a mistake-proofing
device. It is the little hole near the top of the
sink that helps prevent overflows.


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Both the sink and the urinal are fitted with light
sensors. These sensors insure that the water
is turned off in the sink and that the urinal is
flushed.

Day2Day Example
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Okay, So This Is Not An
Everyday Example For
Anybody. I Hope You'll Find It
Interesting Nonetheless
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Bathyscaph Submarine





The bathyscaph is a deep water submarine used to explore the very lowest
parts of the ocean. It is electrically powered. Once at the bottom, if the
batteries or electrical system fail the best outcome would be for the sub to
return to the surface. The designers made this outcome occur by holding
the ballast in place with electromagnets. When power is lost, the ballast
drops off automatically and the sub starts its ascent.
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Any
Questions???

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Thanks For
Keeping
Patience

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