Poka is a Japanese word meaning "inadvertent errors" and 'yoke' comes from Japanese word 'yokerie' meaning to avoid. "The idea behind poke- yoke is to free a person's mind from maintaining repetitive vigil, which is often practically infeasible. By doing so a person without the fear of making mistake can constructively do more value-added activities, runs the poka-yoke philosophy.

Sample BPL Sanyo's experience. The Company's manufacturing facility was facing a problem at the assembly line. After packing, if the speakers box was not removed in time, it would fall on the floor and get damaged. The poka-yoke solution; not to allow the conveyor to move as long as the operator did not lift the box off. To ensure this, the conveyor was fitted with a stopper and a limit switch attached to it. When the missed speakers box touched the limit switch at the end of conveyor, it immediately stopped the belt and prevented the box from falling.

The books says that errors are inevitable by prediction and detection techniques. "When a poka-yoke is designed in way that it helps the operator to recognise the defects before it is about to occurs, it is called prevention or prediction type," the  book specifies. It says that simple poka-yoke devices can increase efficiency in production system which includes, counters, checklists, limit switch, proximity, photosensors and error detection alarms.

Please Procure your copy from :

Jayashree Das
Deputy director
TPM Club India
Confederation of Indian Industry
Institute of Quality
Near Bharat Nagara, II Phase
Magadi Main Road, Vishwaneedam P O
Bangalore 560 091
Tel: 080-23289391 / 2 3286085
Fax : 080-23580314
Email: jayashree.das@ciionline.org

For Rs. 500/