Toyota production system

textBackground: There are various manufacturing methods and systems in automobile industries throughout the world. Of these, many practice lean manufacturing methods. The most effective and influential to all of these methods is the “Toyota Production System” (TPS). The TPS was invented by Toyota's founding fathers in 1930 in Japan. The TPS continuously evolves making it a benchmark for the manufacturing, product development or any other sector of industry. It is fully based on “Socio-Technical” systems in a continuously changing manufacturing environment. It is about learn through doing and also about tacit knowledge and not explicit procedural knowledge. Outcome: The Toyota Production System is called “The Toyota Way” and it actually gives you a roadmap or more of a compass to set your direction and helps you steer your own course. Toyota has internally developed simple but effective tools and consistently trains their team members to implement those in all aspects of manufacturing and designing their vehicle. For example, Toyota has developed Kaizen or continuous improvement through which they eliminate waste that adds cost without adding value no matter how small it is. Toyota is known for the quality of their products. Not surprisingly their product is made at a significantly lower price within a given segment of the auto market. It is a result of hard work, innovation, and a Japanese work culture of generations at Toyota all across the world. Conclusions: Through theoretical analysis backed by my personal observations as an employee and from the sales figures of Toyota automobiles, I firmly believe that Toyota backs up its philosophy of long term benefits over short term financial goals. The right processes will produce right results. It is also one of the top companies among their group of long term suppliers as Toyota challenges them and helps them to improve. Initial quality and customer satisfaction surveys of J.D.Powers and Associates for Toyota and Lexus vehicles have won numerous awards since 2001.Engineering Managemen

Optimised control of an advanced hybrid powertrain using combined criteria for energy efficiency and driveline vibrations

This thesis discusses a general approach to hybrid powertrain control based on optimisation and optimal control techniques. A typical strategy comprises a high level non-linear control for optimised energy efficiency, and a lower level Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) to track the high-level demand signals and minimise the first torsional vibration mode. The approach is demonstrated in simulation using a model of the Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle, and comparisons are made with a simpler control system which uses proportional integral (PI) control at the lower level. The powertrain of the Toyota Prius has a parallel configuration, comprising a motor, engine and generator connected via an epicyclic gear train. High level control is determined by a Power Efficient Controller (PE C) which dynamically varies the operating demands for the motor, engine and generator. The PEC is an integrated nonlinear controller based on an iterative downhill search strategy for optimising energy efficiency and battery state of charge criteria, and fully accounts for the non-linear nature of the various efficiency maps. The PEC demand signals are passed onto the LQR controller where a cost function balances the importance of deviations from these demands against an additional criterion relating to the amplitude of driveline vibrations. System non-linearity is again accounted for at the lower level through gain scheduling of the LQR controller. Controller performance is assessed. in simulation, the results being compared with a reference system that uses simple PI action to deliver low-level control. Consideration is also given to assessing performance against that of a more general, fully non-linear dynamic optimal controller

A study of alternative drive control interfaces for next-generation electric vehicles

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2011.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 59).The drive control interface in automobiles has not significantly changed for almost a century. Recent advances in electric vehicles and drive-by-wire technology allow for new alternative interfaces that enable novel vehicle designs. This study examines alternative driving interfaces by prototyping controls for use with a driving simulator. Volunteers use these interfaces to drive simulated scenarios designed to isolate specific interface features that are intuitive and easy to use. These results are used to inform the design of a new interface which is also tested with the simulator. The simulation results are used to identify design elements of successful alternative driving interfaces.by C. Christopher Post.M.Eng

Accounting for Automobiles: GAAP vs. IFRS for Record Setting Recalls

“Accounting for Automobiles: GAAP vs. IFRS for Record Setting Recalls” leads an investigation into two of the most recent automobile scandals from automotive giants. Toyota went first in 2010 with its sudden unintended acceleration scandal and Volkswagen in 2015 with its diesel car emissions cheating scandal. This explores the various issues affecting these companies during these times and applying codification for contingent liabilities from both IFRS and US GAAP as well as assessing the stock and economic losses of these companies. It continues to report a forecasted income statement for Volkswagen, assessing which codifications would improve the two companies’ economic hit as well as return to normalcy best. As the two methods continue to converge, the research on the differences in contingent liability reporting depicts a way to continue the convergence

Traveling the Road to Redemption: Toyota Motor Corporation's Rhetoric of Atonement As Response to the 2010 Recall Crisis

Abstract This dissertation is a case study of Toyota Motor Corporation's movement from communicative failure to communicative success during the massive 2010 auto recall. It is the author's contention that the movement to success was accomplished through a sub-genre of apologia known as atonement. Atonement not only provided a way for the automaker to repent and take actions to address the needs of its audience of Toyota owners but also provided a way for Toyota to return to the narratives, ideology and values that are part of the Toyota Way