My Work Report

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Table of Contents Summary ....................................................................................................................................................... 2

Company Profile: Toyota History .................................................................................................................. 3

Company Profile: Toyota Now ...................................................................................................................... 3

Toyota Way ................................................................................................................................................ 3-4

Responsibilities ............................................................................................................................................. 4

Professional Development …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4-5

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Summary On September 14, 2015 I started my first co-op rotation at Toyota, a Japanese automotive

company that manufactures a diverse line-up of vehicles all over the globe. My co-op was

located at Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing center (TEMA) in Saline, Michigan.

Specifically, I worked in Body Design Trim (BDT) Department under Que Rhee’s supervision.

The company was founded founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937 as a spinoff from his

father's company Toyota Industries to create automobiles. Three years earlier, in 1934, while still

a department of Toyota Industries, it created its first product, the Type A engine, and, in 1936, its

first passenger car, the Toyota AA.

Nowadays, Toyota Motor Corporation produces vehicles under 5 brands, including the

Toyota brand, Hino, Lexus, Ranz, and Scion. It also holds a 51.2% stake in Daihatsu, a 16.66%

stake in Fuji Heavy Industries, a 5.9% stake in Isuzu, a 3.58% stake in the Yamaha Motor

Company, and a 0.27% stake in Tesla, as well as joint-ventures with two in China (GAC Toyota

and Sichuan FAW Toyota Motor), one in India (Toyota Kirloskar), one in the Czech Republic

(TPCA), along with several "nonautomotive" companies.

The Toyota Way is a set of principles and behaviors that underlie the Toyota Motor

Corporation's managerial approach and production system. Toyota first summed up its

philosophy, values and manufacturing ideals in 2001, calling it "The Toyota Way 2001". It

consists of principles in two key areas: continuous improvement, and respect for people. The 14

principles of The Toyota Way are organized in four sections: I) Long-Term Philosophy, II) The

Right Process Will Produce the Right Results, III) Add Value to the Organization by Developing

Your People, and IV) Continuously Solving Root Problems Drives Organizational Learning.

I would classify my first rotation at Toyota as an enormous learning experience. One of

my responsibilities included working on CATIA software . It enables the creation of 3D parts,

from 3D sketches, sheet metal, composites, molded, forged or tooling parts up to the definition

of mechanical assemblies. Furthermore, I was doing an independent study on various auto parts

by applying theory knowledge as well as benchmarking. Other than that, I had an in-hand

experience by assembling door trim parts.

While working at Toyota, I have learned a large amount about the mechanical

engineering profession. I have become more responsible with time and utilized time management

strategy by putting priorities straight. Moreover, I improved my CATIA and benchmarking skills

as well as learned to apply theory to practice.

Thus, I am confident that the experience gained at Toyota has secured my decision to

become a mechanical engineer.

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Company Profile: Toyota History The history of Toyota started in 1933 with the company being a division of Toyoda

Automatic Loom Works devoted to the production of automobiles under the direction of the

founder's son, Kiichiro Toyoda. Kiichiro Toyoda had traveled to Europe and the United States in

1929 to investigate automobile production and had begun researching gasoline-powered engines

in 1930. Toyoda Automatic Loom Works was encouraged to develop automobile production by

the Japanese government, which needed domestic vehicle production, due to the war with China.

In 1934, the division produced its first Type A Engine, which was used in the first Model A1

passenger car in May 1935 and the G1 truck in August 1935. Production of the Model AA

passenger car started in 1936. Early vehicles bear a striking resemblance to the Dodge Power

Wagon and Chevrolet, with some parts actually interchanging with their American originals.

The company took its present name in 1982 when Toyota Motor Company was merged

with Toyota Motor Sales Company, Ltd. Two years later Toyota partnered with General Motors

Corporation in the creation of New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc., a dual-brand

manufacturing plant in California, where Toyota began U.S. production in 1986.

The company experienced significant growth well into the 21st century, with innovations

such as its luxury brand, Lexus (1989), and the first mass-produced hybrid-powered vehicle in

the world, the Prius (1997). In 1999 Toyota was listed on both the London Stock Exchange and

the New York Stock Exchange. The company continued to expand to new markets—specifically

targeting younger buyers with the launch of its Scion brand (2003) and unveiling the world’s

first luxury hybrid vehicle, the Lexus RX 400h (2005). However, the company subsequently

faced significant financial challenges: plummeting sales stemming from the global financial

crisis of 2008 as well as an international safety recall of more than eight million vehicles in 2010,

which temporarily halted the production and sales of several of its top models.

Company Profile: Toyota Now

Today Toyota has assembly plants and distributors in many countries. Its vehicles, some

in the form of unassembled units, are exported to more than 140 countries. In addition to

automotive products, its subsidiaries manufacture rubber and cork materials, steel, synthetic

resins, automatic looms, and cotton and woolen goods. Others deal in real estate, prefabricated

housing units, and the import and export of raw materials.

Toyota Way

The Toyota Way is a comprehensive expression of the company's management

philosophy, which is based on the two foundational principles of Continuous Improvement

(Kaizen) and Respect for People.

Toyota documented the company's management philosophy in 2001 but has not made the

document publicly available. Dr. Jeffrey Liker, a professor of industrial engineering at the

University of Michigan, analyzed the philosophy and principles in his 2004 book, The Toyota

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Way. Liker characterizes the Toyota Way as "a system designed to provide the tools for people

to continually improve their work."

According to Liker, Toyota's management philosophy can be broken into 14 guidelines

categorized under four main principles:

Responsibilities During the first rotation, I was serving as a supporting role within BDT Department. The

role was not like any other traditional co-op or internship, which involves a single long-term

project. I was involved in a wide range of responsibilities and cross-department projects. As a

result, it helped me to adapt to a fast-paced interactive work environment, meet deadlines, and

handle multi-tasking efficiently.

My main responsibilities were related to CATIA, detailed vehicle research, creating

testing methods and verifying their correctness, identifying the part issues and providing the

possible solutions to fix them, testing various models during different road and weather

conditions, and identifying the issues and finding solutions. In addition to this, I was tracking,

ordering and delivering vehicle parts for engineers as well as visiting dealerships for

benchmarking.

Professional Development

The experience gained by working for Toyota provided a large impact on my

professional development as a student. Applying the knowledge gained while at school into a

professional environment helped me to fill the gap between theory and practice, and prepared me

to become a full-time employee in the future. My knowledge about automotive industry

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significantly improved. I learned how to identify and troubleshoot the possible car issues by

using symptoms, area, and visual inspection. Moreover, I improved drafting skills by using

CATIA software in different projects.

As of personal skills, I learned how to manage my time efficiently and wisely by

following deadlines and putting priorities straight. Additionally, I was able to set up a good

network with my manager, mentor and other team members, which helped me to turn into a

mature and a responsible adult.