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Roles and Responsibilities of
Manufacturing Engineering
in Japan and Europe
Understanding Japan„s current and future automotive industry
The Univ. of Michigan, sponsored by Doshisha Univ.
© D.A. Heller, 2013
Is M.E. the lynchpin of a lean productive enterprise?
Daniel Arturo Heller
([email protected] )
Yokohama National University
Inside Japan: April 19, 2013
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Agenda 1. Introduction: What is M.E.?
2. System Integration: Necessary & Difficult
3. Int‟l Comparison of System Integration
“Japan” = Key role played by M.E.
“Europe” = Key role played by development
(i.e., product engineering)
4. Overseas expansion of Japanese companies: Doing Japanese-style M.E. abroad (or not?)
Roles and Responsibilities of Manufacturing Engineering in Japan and Europe
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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© D.A. Heller, 2013 3
What is M.E.?
• Manufacturing Engineering sits between product development and manufacturing in the value chain
• Roles of M.E.
– Set plant layout & production process flow
– Establish standard operating procedures
– Design production equipment
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M ←M.E.→
Manufacturing Engineering
D
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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Agenda 1. Introduction: What is M.E.?
2. System Integration: Necessary & Difficult
3. Int‟l Comparison of System Integration
“Japan” = Key role played by M.E.
“Europe” = Key role played by development
(i.e., product engineering)
4. Overseas expansion of Japanese companies: Doing Japanese-style M.E. abroad (or not?)
Roles and Responsibilities of Manufacturing Engineering in Japan and Europe
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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System Integration Example
Lynchpin
(=System Integrator)
In Japanese: 「扇(おおぎ)の要(かなめ)」 (ogiwa no kaname)
(Photo Source:http://japan.osu.edu/culture_box_program.html) © D.A. Heller, 2013
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Integration is often Difficult
• Integration is made difficult by:
– Uncertainty in user needs
– Trade-offs among a product‟s functions
– High complexity of structural component
interactions
• Automakers faced with great challenges in
all three of these areas
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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Difficult System Integration
Examples…
• Piston and Piston Ring
• Car Door
• Car
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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Piston and Piston Ring
(出所: Riken Corporation, 2008 Corporate Outline)
(出所: Aisin Seiki, 2009 Company Profile)
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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Car Door
(出所: Aisin Seiki, 2009 Company Profile) © D.A. Heller, 2013
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Car
(Mazda Familia 1966; 出所: Toyota Automobile Museum brochure 2005) © D.A. Heller, 2013
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RX-8
(2003)
(Source: Mazda Motor) © D.A. Heller, 2013
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Agenda 1. Introduction: What is M.E.?
2. System Integration: Necessary & Difficult
3. Int‟l Comparison of System Integration
“Japan” = Key role played by M.E.
“Europe” = Key role played by development
(i.e., product engineering)
4. Overseas expansion of Japanese companies: Doing Japanese-style M.E. abroad (or not?)
Roles and Responsibilities of Manufacturing Engineering in Japan and Europe
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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System Integration in Automotive
Product Development (Clark & Fujimoto, 1991; Higashi & Heller, 2012)
• Integrate movement of information
• Maximize the time spent on value adding activities
• Two Types of Integration
– External integration (achieving fit w/ customer needs)
– Internal integration (coordinating divisions & suppliers)
• Key complicating issues : Uncertainty in…
– User needs, user interface
– Product‟s structural interactions
– Product‟s functional interactions
• Principal system integrator (the lynchpin):
HWPM (Heavy-Weight Product Manager)
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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Integrative Role of HWPM
• Heavy-Weight Product Manager (HWPM) is the
cornerstone of lean development for products:
– With high complexity, and
– Equivocal user needs
• HWPM leads both external and internal system
integration (i.e, plays the role of both a planner
and an engineer)
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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Automotive Lean Manufacturing (Womack et al., 1990; Koike, 2008)
• Whole plant optimization to minimize waste
– Integrating the movement of…
Material Work Activity Information
…to get smooth flow from input to output.
• Key complicating issues: Uncertainty in…
– Market demand
– Manufacturability of product design
– Parts/component delivery
• Principal system integrator (the lynchpin):
Shop-floor worker
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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But, who integrates Product Development (D)
and Manufacturing (M)?
• For complex assembly products, there is
often a vast chasm between D and M
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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© D.A. Heller, 2012 18
Development
Manufacturing
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Role of M.E. in (Toyota-style) Japan
• Strong capability in Manufacturing
Engineering can be the bridge between
product development and manufacturing
• M.E. can be the principal system integrator
for the whole productive endeavor
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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© D.A. Heller, 2012 20
Development
Manufacturing
←← M.E.
→→
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Why give M.E. this role?
• An unlikely candidate to be key player
– M.E. neither develops nor manufactures the
product
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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M.E.
?
© D.A. Heller, 2013
D M
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Why M.E.?
• M.E. can occupy a neutral position
– Because it neither develops nor manufactures the product
• M.E. is positioned to “look both ways”
– For problem solving M.E. is independent of the local interests of D and M
– M.E.‟s neutrality frees it to be the guarantor of the customer‟s interest
• M.E. can translate, mediate and adjudicate:
– Between product development and manufacturing
– Across development and manufacturing functions
– Within development and manufacturing functions
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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Tend to see…
D M
or
But with PE as mediator/adjudicator…
Customer!
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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Two-way System Integration
• This role for M.E. is typical of Japanese management:
A focus on the key role played by the middle
• “System thinking” needed
– Systems knowledge = systems thinking
– “Connection knowledge” (Sobek‟s term)
– System-level design (Sobek, 2006)
• The aim is full-system optimization
– Products that are complex systems require organizations
that efficiently manage complex management systems
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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M.E. in (Toyota-style) Japan
• Role = System Integrator of Productive Enterprise
• Responsibility = 1st be customer‟s guarantor
2nd be active internal mediator
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M.E. as Lynchpin
M.E.
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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Impact of M.E. as Lynchpin
On Product Development…
• Less “designing”
• More “choosing”
…driver of strategically focused design work?
On Manufacturing…
• Less capital investment
• More skill development of workers
…driver of improved market responsiveness?
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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The result…
© D.A. Heller, 2012 29 Photo Source: wikipedia
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The result…
© D.A. Heller, 2012 30 Photo Source: wikipedia
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The result…
© D.A. Heller, 2012 31 Photo Source: wikipedia
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The result…
© D.A. Heller, 2012 32 Photo Source: wikipedia
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M ←M.E.→
Does M.E. play such a system
integrating role in European Companies?
D
In most cases
NO
Way!
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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D M (M)E
M.E. in Europe
→
new production equipment
By closely linking M.E.
with Development, M.E.‟s
Output can be clearly
defined. © D.A. Heller, 2013
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© D.A. Heller, 2012 35
Development
Manufacturing
+(M)E
In Europe, rather than Japanese (Toyota) style two-way,
one-way (upstream to downstream) integration seen.
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M.E. in Europe (typically?)
• Role = Designer of new production equipment
• Responsibility = Make high-spec equipment
(but not responsible for actually achieving the high specs on a
day-to-day basis)
36 © D.A. Heller, 2013
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The result…
© D.A. Heller, 2012 37 Photo Source: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk
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The result…
© D.A. Heller, 2012 38 Photo Source: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk
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The result…
© D.A. Heller, 2012 39 Photo Source: wikipedia
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Agenda 1. Introduction: What is M.E.?
2. System Integration: Necessary & Difficult
3. Int‟l Comparison of System Integration
“Japan” = Key role played by M.E.
“Europe” = Key role played by development
(i.e., product engineering)
4. Overseas expansion of Japanese companies: Doing Japanese-style M.E. abroad (or not?)
Roles and Responsibilities of Manufacturing Engineering in Japan and Europe
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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Empowerment of M.E. in
Overseas Subsidiaries • To get global optimization, become truly lean, must
strengthen M.E. in the overseas subsidiaries of
Japanese automotive companies
• But M.E. is not a natural repository of power and
influence. This is especially true outside of Japan.
• Special organizational initiatives needed.
• For example in Toyota, Japan:
– High % of top management w/ M.E. background
– As of 2007, in Toyota City there were more than 8,000
Manufacturing Engineers (called “production engineers”)
(not including plant-based manufacturing technicians) © D.A. Heller, 2013
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Capabilities needed for
Japanese-style M.E. to work
• “Systems thinkers” w/ connection knowledge
– Deep understanding of development
– Deep understanding of manufacturing
– Strong working knowledge of CAD/CAM
• Interpersonal skills (negotiation)
• Organizational memory
• Understanding of customer‟s interest
Not easy to find (develop) such manufacturing
engineers outside of Japan. © D.A. Heller, 2013
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A Long-Term Challenge
• More standardization of development needed
• Shared priorities facilitate standardization
– Getting agreement on what are the right priorities takes
time and effort
– Everyone must buy-in to these priorities
• Cultural transformation needed
– Empowering overseas M.E. function
– Career path management; top-level people into M.E.
– Only possible when the whole enterprise values and
rewards “systems thinking”
• Recruiting & retaining appropriate persons
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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© D.A. Heller, 2012 44
How to keep your star talent
(Cover of Harvard Business Review, May 2010に筆者加筆)
(Keeping them
in M.E. is
even harder…)
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A concluding word on doing
Japanese-style M.E. overseas
• Japanese-style M.E. all begins with understanding
one‟s neighbors (the upstream & downstream
processes you interact with)
• Best way to diffuse it = just do it (yourself)!
– Do your own job considering your neighbor
• Value “connection knowledge” (Sobek) and reward it
…and the lean results will naturally follow.
© D.A. Heller, 2013
The problem is such diffusion takes time. (Can it be accelerated?)
For the foreseeable future, expensive & supply-constrained Japanese
expats and short-term assignments must continue to shoulder the
burden of doing Japanese-style M.E. overseas. (Is there enough time?)
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© D.A. Heller, 2012 46
Selected References Clark, K. B., & Fujimoto, T. (1991). Product Development Performance, Harvard Business School Press,
Boston, MA.
Higashi, H., & Heller, D.A. (2012). Thirty Years of Benchmarking Product Development Performance:
A Research Note. The University of Tokyo Manufacturing Management Research Center, Discussion
Paper Series, No. 395. http://merc.e.u-tokyo.ac.jp/mmrc/dp/pdf/MMRC395_2012.pdf
Koike, K. (2008). "Kaigai Nihon Kigyo no Jinzai Keisei", [Human Resources Development of Japanese
firms overseas], Tokyo: Toyo Keizai Shinbunsha (in Japanese).
Marinov, M. & Heller, D.A. (2013) Manufacturing Management Research Center, F-202 Discussion
Paper. http://merc.e.u-tokyo.ac.jp/mmrc/dp/pdf/MMRC431_2013.pdf ←Today’s focus
Shibata, H., (2009), "A comparison of the roles and responsibilities of manufacturing engineers in Japan
and the United States", The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 20, No. 9, pp.
1896–1913.
Sobek, D.K., II (2006) “System-Level Design: A Missing Link?” International Journal of Engineering
Education, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 533-539.
Whitney, D.E., Heller, D.A., Higashi, H., & Fukuzawa, M. (2007) “Production Engineering as System
Integrator? A Research Note based on a Study of Door Engineering and Assembly at Toyota Motor
Corporation” Manufacturing Management Research Center, F-169 Discussion Paper. http://merc.e.u-
tokyo.ac.jp/mmrc/dp/pdf/MMRC169_2007.pdf ←Today’s focus
Whitney, D.E. (2008) “Design and Manufacturing of Car Doors: Report on Visits Made to US, European
and Japanese Car Manufacturers in 2007” Manufacturing Management Research Center, F-202
Discussion Paper. http://merc.e.u-tokyo.ac.jp/mmrc/dp/pdf/MMRC202_2008.pdf
Womack, J.P., Jones, D.T. & Roos, D. (1990), The Machine that Changed the World: The Story of
Lean Production, Rawson Associates, New York, NY.
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ご清聴有り難うございます
Thank you!
Q&A
© D.A. Heller, 2012 47
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Appendix
© D.A. Heller, 2012 48
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Tasks of Manufacturing Engineering
(1) Line design - designing production lines or
production processes;
(2) Method development - developing production
methods, and/or equipment;
(3) Production preparation - setting up new
production machinery or equipment, making
jigs, tools and dies;
(4) Production improvement - improving existing
production lines and processes, with the aim
of getting productivity increase.
Shibata (2009)
49 © M. Marinov & D.A. Heller, 2013
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YNU Micro-level Summary: Distribution of Manufacturing Engineering Tasks
Focus on
analytical tasks in
the phase
Key: Blue indicates holder of overall responsibility; “Lead role” means coordinate, strongly influence
decision making, and execute the majority of the tasks in the phase; “Informational support” means focus
on providing feedback from the point of view of the line operators; At both Supplier E and Supplier J, ME
provides various forms of technical and informational assistance to MT in the production preparation
phase. Figure Source: Marinov & Heller (2013), p. 18; see also, Shibata (2009)
(Europe)
(Japan)
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Types of work organization in
manufacturing engineering – JAPAN
In assembly and part-processing shops –
automobiles, car components, electronics
51 © M. Marinov & D.A. Heller, 2013
MT
ME
Method
development Line design
Production
improvement
Production
preparation
ME - manufacturing engineers
MT - manufacturing technicians Shibata (2009)
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Types of work organization in
manufacturing engineering – the U.S.
In assembly and part-processing shops –
automobiles, car components, electronics
52 © M. Marinov & D.A. Heller, 2013
ME - manufacturing engineers
Shibata (2009)
ME
Method
development Line design
Production
improvement
Production
preparation
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Key Differences between Japan and the US
1. Overlapping or not Compared to the U.S. companies, the Japanese companies exhibited downstream personnel who are much more heavily involved in upstream processes
Shibata (2009, p. 1907)
2. Hierarchical or not
Japan: Horizontal relationship between ME and MT
US: Vertical relationship between ME and MT
12
3. Localized or not
US: MT localized to plant
Japan: Inter-divisional
tasks and functions of MT
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Why is ME in Japan and the US different?
(1) Integration (suriawase) orientation - higher
integral capabilities in Japan.
(2) Production workplace orientation - employees
are heavily oriented to:
• production
• production workplaces
• on-site probelm solving Shibata (2009) 54
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Segregation of work in U.S Companies
In the U.S., Engineering drawings are not “tangible
objects”, separating the engineers, and to a lesser degree
the technicians, from the assemblers.
Bechky (2003a, 2003b)
In Japan, engineering drawings are “tangible objects”
and serve as common ground that can reconcile
differences among groups.
Shibata (2009)
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Middle-Up-Down figure
56 出所:野中・竹内(1996)『知識創造企業』、191ページ
Middle-up-down
Management
(Source: Nonaka
& Takeuchi, 1996,
Knowledge Creating
Company)
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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Middle-Up-Down vs. top-down/bottom-up
57 出所:野中・竹内(1996)『知識創造企業』、192ページ © D.A. Heller, 2013
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西洋/West 日/Japan
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top
middle
bottom
middle
bottom
top
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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西洋/West 日/Japan
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top
middle
bottom
middle
bottom
top
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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西洋/West 日/Japan
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boss
worker worker worker worker
boss
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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西洋/West 日/Japan
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出所Source:成沢俊子氏(Lean Enterprise Instituteの月刊ニューレター)より
成沢(2008)『英語でkaizen!トヨタ生産方式』日刊工業新聞社を参照。
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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応(受)援無し
62 © D.A. Heller, 2013
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応(受)援有り
© D.A. Heller, 2012 63
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応(受)援の問題点
© D.A. Heller, 2012 64
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What‟s a lynchpin?
Pin inserted through an axletree to hold a
wheel on
(Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/lynchpin)
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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(出所s: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/14/18180390_cab6aad207.jpg http://www.disabledparents.net/imagesre出所s/cribpics/hasp-linchpin-pull-rev.JPG)
© D.A. Heller, 2013
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A lynchpin
– pin inserted through an axletree to hold a
wheel on
–a central cohesive source of
support and stability
(Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/lynchpin)
© D.A. Heller, 2013