About me

Born1973 in London (UK)
EducationUniversity of Hertfordshire, B.Eng (Hons.) in Manufacturing Systems Engineering (1998)
FHT Esslingen (ERASMUS Austausch 1995-7)
QualificationsChartered Engineer (2004)
EurIng (2004)
MembershipsInstitute of Engineering & Technology (IET)
Verband Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI)
Germany Association for Quality Assurance (DGQ)
EmploymentRobert Bosch GMBH, Homburg Germany
Robert Bosch Diesel KK, Higashimatsuyama Japan
BorgWarner Transmission Systems, Ketsch Germany
IHI Charging Systems International, Heidelberg Germany
GETRAG Ford Transmissions, Cologne Germany
CertificationsProcess Auditor für VDA6.3
Product Auditor für VDA6.5
Second-party Systemauditor for IATF 16949
Auditor für AIAG Special Processes CQI-9, CQI-11, CQI-12, CQI-15, CQI-17, CQI-23, CQI-27
Product Safety and Conformity Representative (PSCR)
KAIZEN-Practitioner

Mark Atkins

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Profile: Mark Atkins

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Company Presentation: Atkins Consulting

Japan

Japan and its language and culture have always played a big part in my life. In 1990 I read a book “The Machine that Changed the World” which described the increasing influence of Toyota and the Toyota Production System (TPS) and also how the western manufacturers needed to adapt their principles or esle they would be left behind. A quarter of a century later the majority of European and US manufacturers have adopted and modified TPS  for their own needs. From this many Japanese words have found their way into the vocabulary of the quality engineer:

KAIZEN (改善) lit. “Change for the better”

3 Types of waste:

  • MUDA (無駄) lit. “Uselessness” – eliminate all unnecessary process steps which do not add value
  • MURA (斑) lit. “Uneveneness” – level out all steps
  • MURI (無理) lit. “Impossibility” – do not overload the workers

5 S (these steps must be done in the order listed)

    • SEIRI (整理) lit. “sort out” – remove unnecessary things from the workplace
    • SEITON (整頓) lit. “straighten out” – arrange whatver is left over
    • SEISO (清掃) lit. “shine” – clean up the workplace
    • SEIKETSU (清潔) lit. “standardise” – set standards for cleanliness and tidiness
    • SHITSUKE (躾) lit. “maintain” – keep the standards maintained in the future
  • ANDON (行灯) lit. “lantern” – a visual signal (e.g. light or display screen)
  • GEMBA (現場) lit. “place of happening” – wherever any activity is performed
  • HEIJUNKA (平準化) lit. “smoothing” – a level manufacturing cycle time
  • HOUSHIN KANRI (方針管理) lit. “planned management” – set targets for all levels of the operation
  • JIDOUKA (自動化) lit. “automation” – use machines in place of heavy physical work
  • KANBAN (看板) lit. “sign” – a card or similar item used to request parts from the supermarket
  • MIZUSUMASHI (水澄) lit. “water beetle” – an electric tug used to deliver parts to the production line