Jidoka means autonomation with a human touch.” The term is often used in association with a quality control process of the Toyota production system (TPS), or lean manufacturing. Jidoka is one of the basic concepts of the TPS and its main goal is to eliminate waste in the production process and streamline operations. The concept of jidoka proposes the importance of human elements and labor incentives for workers. Therefore, jidoka is not merely about automation or mechanization, but autonomation, with recognition of human elements. For example, mechanical operations are subject to mistakes due to defects in machines, which lack the intelligence to detect and avoid mistakes. However, a machine is on jidoka if it is equipped with abilities and functions to detect and avoid such mechanical dysfunctions by itself. Hence, jidoka involves the automatic detection of errors or defects in the process of production.
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See also: Just-in-time; Toyota production system