// ROBOTICS AND SMART FACTORIES TERM
Jidoka
A Lean principle meaning "automation with a human touch," where equipment automatically stops when a problem is detected, preventing defects from moving down the line.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Jidoka, a pillar of the Toyota Production System, is the principle of intelligent automation where machines or processes are designed to detect abnormalities, stop automatically, and signal for human intervention, preventing defect propagation and enabling root cause analysis.
BACKGROUND
Lean manufacturing is a management system built on three principles: produce only what is needed, when it is needed; correct abnormalities as soon as they occur; and empower workers to improve the process themselves.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Autonomation
- intelligent automation
- stop-at-defect
- built-in quality
USAGE NOTE
Jidoka empowers operators to stop production, ensuring quality at the source and preventing mass defects.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Jidoka.
As the originator of the Toyota Production System, Toyota continuously develops and refines Jidoka principles within its manufacturing plants, integrating advanced sensors and automated stop functions to build quality into the production process.
Siemens develops a comprehensive suite of industrial automation technologies, including PLCs, sensors, and the MindSphere IIoT platform. These tools enable machines to autonomously detect production errors or defects and halt operations, a direct implementation of the Jidoka principle.
A leading provider of industrial automation, Rockwell's Allen-Bradley controllers and FactoryTalk software suite are used to create systems that monitor production in real-time and can automatically stop a line when a quality or process deviation is detected, embodying Jidoka.
Cognex specializes in machine vision systems and AI-powered software that inspect products on assembly lines. Their technology enables Jidoka by automatically identifying defects and signaling production equipment to stop, preventing the creation of faulty goods.
A global leader in factory automation and robotics, Fanuc equips its robots with intelligent features like integrated vision (iRVision) and force sensors that allow them to detect abnormalities and stop safely, embodying the principle of autonomation.
Keyence develops and manufactures a wide range of high-precision sensors, vision systems, and measurement instruments. These devices act as the sensory organs for automated production lines, providing the critical data needed to detect abnormalities and trigger automated stops in a Jidoka system.
Bosch Rexroth provides drive and control technologies for factory automation. Their smart, connected solutions enable machines to monitor their own health and the quality of their output, autonomously stopping the process to prevent errors in line with Jidoka principles.
Tulip provides a no-code platform for creating manufacturing applications. Companies use it to build interactive quality control systems and digital Andon alerts that connect workers and machines, facilitating the creation of flexible, human-centric Jidoka workflows.