Customers have increasingly advanced needs that must be met with expert knowledge and techniques in development and design. At the same time, division of labor is increasing in the design process, and highly experienced and skilled engineers are retiring. To meet customer expectations with superior products, for several years now we have been having our experienced engineers pass on not only their on-the-job skills to younger employees, but also their knowledge and know-how that is hard to put into words.
SSM Shares Individual Skills and Know-How
Problems Segmented and Information Shared
Accumulated knowledge shared on intranet
We introduced the Stress Strength Model (SSM) at the Shiga Plant in 2007, and have been using it to pass on knowledge, strengthen human resource capabilities, and provide better products.
SSM systematizes the knowledge related to the occurrence of problems that tend to occur in products and processes. It is a framework for predicting and preventing problems during design and planning. Problems are segmented into five perspectives based on their cause, and this information is compiled into a database. SSM thus makes it possible to systematize individual knowledge accumulated by an engineer over his or her career, including knowledge of problems and how to deal with them.
Normally in quality control using SSM, the accumulated knowledge is used to inspect for defects in the final stage of product design. But at Daikin Industries, it is used from the initial design stages to prevent wasted time and effort.
Improving Techniques and Awareness of Young Employees to Meet Customers' Product Expectations
Segmentation Process Contributes to Human Resource Development
Small group activity for segmentation
In the process of the segmentation of problems, small groups of experienced and young employees brainstorm to determine the cause of problems. This creates an opportunity for human resource development by allowing young employees to sharpen their ability to understand the essence of problems.
What Our Stakeholders Are Saying
Hiroaki Nishino
Device Technology Product Development Group Air-Conditioner Manufacturing Division
Making a Habit of Questioning through Segmentation in Small-Group Activities
At small-group activities for segmentation, experienced employees have younger staff think about why problems occur. This gets young staff in the habit of thinking about the mechanisms of problems. Experienced employees don't just lecture; rather, they let young staff think and speak up for themselves to gain a better understanding. This results in a team in which ideas come from the bottom up.
SSM Raises Everyone's Awareness
All employees in the design divisions use database information. It helps young employees detect problems and prevents defects caused from failure to notice or understand. It also helps young employees improve their techniques in a shorter time.
Daikin Industries takes a variety of measures to make SSM an integral part of the company at the earliest possible stage. For example, all employees take part in a monthly meeting at which effective case studies are shared, and the company has established an in-house SSM skills certification course. A three-level system for certification of employees' knowledge of both SSM theory and practical skills helps raise motivation. The result of these activities has been a dramatic improvement in quality, and in the awareness of the prevention of reoccurrences of problems.
Segmentation at small-group activities combining experienced and young workers
By having everyone brainstorm and share knowledge, think about causes of problems, and segment these causes, Daikin is training young workers who can determine exactly why something fails.
Information used in initial stages
Instead of simply doing a final check, workers use accumulated information for reference in the initial design stages to ensure there are no defects: this prevents problems from occurring in the first place.
All ideas shared at monthly meetings
At a monthly meeting, employees from all relevant divisions share examples of how accumulated information is being used effectively.
SSM skills certification boosts SSM user capabilities
There are three levels of SSM skills certification: novice, intermediate, and advanced. This certification system helps employees understand how much they know, boosts their motivation, and ensures that SSM gets used to maximum efficiency in Daikin work processes.
A Worldwide Effort—from Design though All Stages of Manufacturing
Provide High-Quality Products to Anywhere in the World
At the Shiga Plant, SSM is utilized not just in design but also in all divisions related to air conditioner manufacturing, from supplier auditing to maintenance of manufacturing facilities. In 2010, the Sakai Plant also introduced SSM.
As Daikin establishes plants around the world, it is crucial that we are able to provide customers, wherever they are, with the same consistently high quality. We will continue spreading the use of this system, at bases in China and India, and at our suppliers, so that we can offer customers quality that satisfies their needs.
