Employed on Gargantuan Construction Ventures, What's the Effectiveness of Kaizen?
Toyota Revolutionizes Expressway Construction with Innovative Approaches
Toyota, renowned for its automotive manufacturing prowess, is making waves in the construction industry by applying its production system principles to infrastructure projects. The company's involvement in expressway construction, such as the Tomei Express Tamagawa Bridge in Japan, is aimed at improving work conditions, reducing waste, and enhancing productivity [2][3].
One of the key innovations Toyota has introduced is the concept of "virtual Genchi Genbutsu," a digital adaptation of the Japanese philosophy encouraging managers and workers to observe conditions firsthand. In expressway construction, this approach allows project managers and engineers to remotely or digitally engage with site workers and real-time site conditions, improving communication, resolving issues promptly, and enhancing overall worker support [2][3].
On the Tama River site, work vest colours are used to identify tasks, while the Obayashi Joint Venture (JV) employs the Kanban system to make the sequence of operations visible. Toyota has also developed a construction simulator called GEN-VIR to further improve conditions for on-site workers. This simulator is being used in a joint research project with Obayashi Corporation to replace the deck slabs of the Tomei Express Tamagawa Bridge [4][5].
The goal of using the construction simulator GEN-VIR is to streamline tasks and processes, reducing downtime and improving flow, which can lead to shorter construction schedules and happier users. The simulator has shown tangible benefits in situations involving repetitive tasks, reflecting Toyota’s broader goal of bringing the continuous improvement culture of its Production System to expressway construction and other non-automotive fields [2][3].
However, the construction industry is facing a labor shortage due to an increase in renovation projects. The Tomei Express Tamagawa Bridge, the third busiest stretch of expressway in Japan, traversed by around 100,000 vehicles daily, is no exception. The bridge's girder, crisscrossed by steel beams, presented a challenge even for a seasoned Toyota employee.
Despite the challenges, the employee, equipped with a helmet and goggles, followed safety guidelines provided by site staff. In a remarkable show of dedication, the employee even crawled through a gap of 50 cm within the expressway bridge girder to gain a better understanding of the conditions [6].
Workers have welcomed the initiatives aimed at improving their working conditions, including the ability to take lunch breaks and a clearer view of the steps to the finish line. Takahiro Kanemaru, the Project Director at the Obayashi JV Project Office, emphasizes that the goal is to make other people's jobs easier, as per Chairman Toyoda's vision [7].
In conclusion, Toyota's innovative approaches to expressway construction, such as virtual Genchi Genbutsu and the construction simulator GEN-VIR, are revolutionizing the industry by improving working conditions, reducing waste, and enhancing productivity. Despite the labor shortage and technical challenges, Toyota remains committed to its mission of bringing the continuous improvement culture of its Production System to expressway construction and other non-automotive fields.
- Toyota's innovative application of technology, such as the construction simulator GEN-VIR, is not limited to the automotive industry but extends to fields like finance, as these advancements can help streamline processes and optimize resources, akin to the efficient management of financial assets.
- The introduction of science-based principles, like the Kanban system and the virtual Genchi Genbutsu approach, in business operations, such as the construction industry, is a testament to the potential of technology to bridge gaps and foster collaboration, mirroring the interconnected nature of the global financial market and business world.
