The term Andon refers to a system that informs all employees of the status of a process and sends an alert when an issue is detected. An Andon Board refers to the way Toyota first put such a system into place, using a large board that showed operational status placed where everyone could see it from the manufacturing floor.
A car dashboard provides an example of Andon that people see every day. When systems in a car detect issues such as a low oil level or a burned out light, a light on the dashboard lights up to signal the problem. A driver can then take corrective action.
Toyota first used the Andon Board on the factory floor as part of a visual factory, allowing everyone to see the status of workflow as well as any issues that required stoppage of the flow. Use of Andon now has extended beyond manufacturing and into other areas of business.
Types of Andon
Whatever form it takes, an Andon visually transmits information to everyone involved in a process. If a business employs a full Andon Board with lights, it typically uses a three-color light scheme to indicates operational status.
- Green: Everything is working optimally.
- Yellow: The system detects an issue, and a manager addresses it within a set amount of time as dictated by company policy.
- Red: The manager cannot fix the issue within the time allotted for “yellow light” issues. The process must stop until the problem is corrected.
Andon systems are both manual and automatic. A manual Andon system involves human action. For example, on a manufacturing floor, an employee might notice that a malfunctioning piece of equipment. They then must push a button, pull a cord or take some type of action to alert everyone of the issue(s).
An automated Andon involves technology (typically something built into a piece of equipment) that senses when there is an issue and sends out an alert.
Companies use an Andon system because of the many benefits it offers. Setting up a visual system to alert everyone when issues arise creates transparency in a process. It also lowers costs by allowing managers to immediately address any defects in a process, reducing wasted effort and rework needed to correct defective products.
An Andon can take many different forms in an era of instant communication, even outside of the factory floor. For example, group text or direct messages can be used to transmit an alert when a problem occurs in an individual task that brings a project to a halt.
Amazon also uses a “Virtual Andon” for its customer service. An automated system alerts customer service representatives when consumers report a product is defective or does not meet what the product description promised. Representatives can take action to stop shipment of the product if the problem is recurring.
Also, the Amazon Virtual Andon offers a way to monitor manufacturing workstations, devices, and events, opening the door for companies to anticipate problems and move to predictive rather than reactive maintenance.
