Andon Systems
Andon Method
Andon îs a japanese word that means lantern or light once it is translated. Toyota began using the Andon manufacturing system in lean while creating the Toyota Production System. The idea is about stopping the line and notifying through a visual cue when an issue has occurred. This issue could be a quality issues, a production issue, or any issue that limits the process.
The system could be in the form of an andon light system with stack lights and color codes, or in many other forms to alert the needed leaders to a problem or issue. Once the line stops, leaders are able to identify the problems, solve them, and ultimately increase production.
What is an Andon?
Andon is a Lean tool that streamlines the process of fixing glitches in the system. Systems can show a light that an operator turns on when something goes wrong. This could be a faulty part, running out of a part, or anything else that quickly highlights the problem.
How does an Andon system work?
Andon systems alert everyone in the area about the identified problem. This quickly shares information and reduces the time needed to find a solution.
This shares information quickly. It also reduces the time needed to find a solution. The intent is to stop the production line or the specific production processes as quickly as possible.
This can impact product quality. It highlights quality issues or other problems for the team leader to see. Once the team members use the andon and alert the leadership, this is the time to try and fix the problem or use a temporary countermeasure to continue production.
The solution can be simple, like replacing a broken part. Or it can be complex, such as organizing a sudden Kaizen event to address a problem without a clear answer.
Why do people use Andon Systems?
The value of an Andon system is in the speed of resolution, which also reduces the classic waste of time. Without an Andon, the message of a problem may go through several channels before reaching the person or group who can help.
Familiar practices and Andon Examples
There are lots of different types of andon system examples. Any industry or company can use the problem highlighting system to find issues for improvement. As a company begins its lean journey, identifying problems early and responding quickly is key to the lean process.
Andon Board: The statuses of critical projects are posted and tracked on a board like a whiteboard or a TV. Red, yellow, and green dots or lights show how projects are doing. They help us see which projects need more help and which are doing well. People frequently see the board in a common space as they go about their daily work.
Andon Light: An operator pulls an Andon cord to turn on the light when a problem occurs. This light hangs high enough in the air for everyone in the area to see it. Training has taught everyone what to do when this light goes on. That means there are more people to help implement the solution.
Some Andon lights are actually multiple lights. When things are running as expected, the green light is on. If things start to fall behind or show signs of failure, the yellow light goes on. If something has happened that needs immediate attention, the red light goes on.
The machine operator can turn the lights on or off, or in some cases, the machine can do it itself. That’s just an example and some Andon light sets have up to five lights. The key is to find out how complex the work station and the whole facility need to be.
Andon Flags work like lights. They cost less and are easier to maintain. However, they can be harder to see from far away. The work station attaches to them in a similar way to how the lights attach.
Less familiar practices
Updates on administrative processes: Instead of using lights, flags, music, or bells, we can use email updates. These emails can help encourage action or find solutions.
If someone adds a new vendor to the purchasing system, that person needs all the details. If they don’t have everything, they may get an email reminder. This reminder will have a clear subject or content. It acts like a yellow light, signaling that something is missing.
If the reminders fail, the next email will say that work with this vendor has stopped because of missing information. It will resume once the needed information is received, similar to a red light.
New Hire information packets are low. We have a low supply of new hire information packets.
If we need paperwork for legal reasons, we can use a flag or sticky note on the storage cabinet. This will inform the team that the packets are running out and that they need to reorder or reprint them.
The orientation leader should not arrive on Monday to find there aren’t enough packets for new employees. Someone can check the Andon indicator ahead of time. This way, they can restock the supply.
Next steps toward Andon Systems for all
Not every problem can or should get highlighted with an Andon, but an Andon can help in any situation. It’s just a matter of figuring out how to structure it and empower operators to use it correctly.
The HR team does not want to make a big announcement about their important employee investigation. However, they need a better way to tell the team they need help. The team needs support for the presentation skills training next week.
Here are some ideas of how to bring Andon to the whole organization:
- Share the information about Andon systems with the whole organization
- Post Andon success stories in central locations like a lunch room to promote new Andon solutions in unexpected places
- Offer resources to help teams identify their own Andon opportunities
- Share the results of current Andon systems to build trust in the organization and acknowledge teams that use them well.
- Listen for pain points that might be solved with an Andon solution
