Toyota Motor Manufacturing, U.S.A., Inc.

(1) As Doug Friesen, what would you do to address the seat problem? Where would you focus your attention and solution efforts?

We would begin with an examination of the production part approval process (PPAP) documentation from the seat supplier, Kentucky Framed Seats (KFS). The PPAP is used in the automotive supply chain to establish confidence in a component supplier and their processes. The PPAP demonstrates that the component supplier clearly understands the engineering design and specification requirements of the components they are contracted to manufacture for the customer. The PPAP also demonstrates that the supplier has the ability to produce the component by consistently meeting these requirements during an actual production run at the quoted production rate.

If the PPAP documentation indicates that KFS is meeting the engineering and process requirements, we would then recruit an internal group of our team members to initiate a root cause analysis of the car seat defects. We would ensure that our team members employed the Five-Why process as part of their analysis.

We have identified multiple quality issues with this supplier, ranging from defective seat hooks to seat fabric discoloration. We would apply the highest priority to correcting the defective seat hooks since this condition is our longest lingering known defect. A Failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) should also be considered as a valuable analysis tool for this specific defect. This analysis tool will enable both Toyota and KFS to identify potential failure modes based on past experience with similar products or processes. This will allow KFS the opportunity to design those failures out of the system.

Product proliferation and rework delays are also contributing factors to TMM’s various quality deficiencies. As Toyota introduces more models to the product mix, they have also introduced more seat styles and more color combinations as well. These increases in required seat variations put more stress on an installation process that is already struggling to meet its existing requirements. The problem with the delivery of proper seating is also spilling over into the clinic and overflow area. Generally, cars with defective seating are supposed to leave this area with retrofitted seat assemblies within the same shift or the following shift. But, it has become apparent that KFS will sometimes send the wrong seat assemblies; seat sets that do not match any of the cars waiting for rework.

To mitigate these production issues we should focus our attention on the defective seated hook problem and begin with a PPAP review, a FMEA analysis and a Five Ways process. Each of the problem areas stated should be given the same consideration.

(2) What options exist? What would you recommend? Why?

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