| 4 Ms |
An approach to stability developed by Toyota. The 4 Ms are man/woman, machine, material, and methods. |
| 5S |
A methodology of workplace organization that consists of five sequential steps: sort, straighten, shine, standardize, and sustain. |
| A3 report |
A Toyota-pioneered practice of getting the problem, the analysis, the corrective actions, and the action plan down on a single sheet of large (A3) paper. |
| andon |
A visual management tool that highlights the status of operations in an area at a single glance and that signals whenever an abnormality occurs. |
| automatic stop |
Ensuring that a production process stops whenever a problem or defect occurs. |
| autonomation |
Also known as jidoka or automation with human intelligence. Providing machines and operators the ability to detect when an abnormal condition has occurred and immediately stop work. |
| autonomous maintenance |
The part of total productive maintenance that emphasizes operator involvement in machine maintenance. |
| communications board |
A centrally located visual aid for charts, announcements, and other information that helps employees implement and maintain 5S improvements. |
| countermeasure |
An action taken in response to another action. |
| critical to quality |
Specific, measurable characteristics of a product or process that are identified by customers as necessary for their satisfaction. |
| DMAIC |
A five step system for process improvement. DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. |
| gemba |
The Japanese term for "actual place," often used for the shop floor or any place where value-creating work actually occurs. |
| gemba walk |
A means of gathering real-time first-hand information on the status of the production process by walking around the plant and observing what is happening. |
| heijunka |
Leveling the type and quantity of production over a fixed period of time. Heijunka enables production to efficiently meet customer demands. |
| jidoka |
Also known as autonomation, or automation with human intelligence. Providing machines and operators the ability to detect when an abnormal condition has occurred and immediately stop work. |
| kaikaku |
Radical, revolutionary improvement of a value stream to quickly create more value with less waste. |
| kaizen |
Continuous improvement of an entire value stream or an individual process to create more value and less waste. |
| kaizen event |
A multi-day, hands-on event that targets a particular problem area within a company. Kaizen events, often called kaizen bursts, result in dramatic changes carried out by a cross-functional team. |
| muda |
Any activity that consumes resources without creating value for the customer. |
| mura |
Unevenness in an operation. |
| muri |
Overburdening of equipment or operators by requiring them to run at a higher or harder pace with more force and effort for a longer period of time than equipment designs and appropriate workforce management allow. |
| office TPM |
The part of total productive maintenance that involves using TPM principles to improve administrative functions. |
| overall equipment effectiveness |
A lean metric that consists of a percentage of a machine's availability, performance rate, and quality rate multiplied together. The primary goal of OEE is to keep machines running at takt time. |
| Plan-Do-Check-Act |
A four-step process used in lean manufacturing for continuous improvement. |
| planned maintenance |
The part of total productive maintenance that helps employees and managers clean and organize their workspace through a 5-step work method. |
| poka yoke |
A Japanese term meaning "mistake proofing." An example of poka yoke would be a machine designed so that parts can be fixtured only in the correct position. |
| quality maintenance |
The part of total productive maintenance that focuses on keeping machines running. |
| root cause analysis |
A study undertaken to find the first or underlying cause of a problem. Root cause analysis involves the collection and study of data to determine a true cause to a problem. |
| safety |
The part of total productive maintenance that covers the practices and policies that preserve the health and well-being of employees, equipment, and facilities. |
| scientific method |
A method of investigating and discovering in which a problem is identified, a hypothesis is formulated and tested, data is collected and analyzed, and conclusions are made based on the data. |
| shining |
A step in 5S that requires working together to clean the work environment. |
| six big losses |
The core problems that typically occur in maintenance. |
| sorting |
A step in 5S that requires removing unnecessary material and clutter from the workplace. |
| stability |
Running a process in an even, predictable, and controlled manner. |
| standardization |
The principle that work should be performed in a manner that ensures repeatable, predictable outcomes each time the work is done. |
| standardized work |
A tool for standardization. Standardized work involves establishing universal methods, procedures, and performance requirements. |
| standardizing |
A step in 5S that requires identifying and documenting methods of maintaining 5S throughout the workplace. |
| straightening |
A step in 5S that requires organizing the tools and materials in the work environment. |
| sustaining |
A step in 5S that requires maintaining 5S improvements. |
| target state |
The revised or corrected process resulting from identifying and resolving the root cause of a problem. |
| total productive maintenance |
An approach used in manufacturing to increase production and reduce waste through continuous attention to the condition of production machinery and facilities. |
| training |
The part of total productive maintenance that involves educating staff about TPM implementation and practices. |
| variation |
Any change from what is normal and consistent. Variation is undesirable in lean. |
| visual management |
A strategy for creating, supporting, and sustaining process stability through the use of visual cues. |