What is the Toyota quality system called?
The Toyota quality system is called the Toyota Production System (TPS). It blends Just-In-Time flow with built‑in quality and continuous improvement to minimize waste and defects across Toyota's manufacturing network. The system’s influence extends far beyond cars, shaping modern lean manufacturing worldwide.
Origins and core principles
TPS emerged in postwar Japan as Toyota sought to compete with larger automakers using less capital. Pioneered by Taiichi Ohno and refined with input from Shigeo Shingo and others, it combined practical shop-floor practices with a philosophy of continuous improvement. The result was a production model focused on efficiency, reliability, and quality at every step.
Core elements of TPS include several interlocking practices that together create a smooth, waste-minimized flow. Here are the components that define the system:
- Just-In-Time (JIT): producing only what is needed, when it is needed, and in the amount needed.
- Jidoka (automation with a human touch): machines detect anomalies and stop, ensuring quality at the source.
- Kaizen (continuous improvement): ongoing, incremental changes led by frontline workers.
- Heijunka (level production): smoothing out the production schedule to reduce peaks and inventory.
- Standardized work: clearly defined, repeatable processes to ensure consistency and quality.
- Visual management and kanban: visual signals and pull systems that control flow and inventory.
- SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die): rapid changeovers to minimize downtime and maintain flexibility.
Together, these elements aim to minimize waste, maximize value, and ensure quality is built into every process from supplier to final assembly.
Impact and global influence
TPS has shaped manufacturing far beyond Toyota. Lean practices inspired by TPS have become mainstream across industries, from automotive suppliers to electronics, healthcare, and services. The approach emphasizes respect for people, problem-solving at the source, and a long‑term view of efficiency. Critics note that successful TPS adoption requires a deep cultural commitment and consistent practice, not just a toolbox of techniques.
In practice, Toyota has continued to evolve its production system, integrating digital tools, advanced analytics, and tighter supplier collaboration while maintaining the core principles of JIT, Jidoka, and Kaizen.
The Toyota Way and ongoing evolution
TPS sits at the broader Toyota Way philosophy, which centers on long-term thinking, continuous improvement, and respect for people. The Toyota Way’s 14 Management Principles articulate a management approach that complements TPS in leadership, talent development, and supplier relationships.
As technology and global supply chains evolve, Toyota adapts TPS concepts to digital manufacturing, automation, and data-driven problem solving while preserving waste reduction, quality at the source, and worker involvement.
Key figures behind TPS
Several individuals are closely associated with the development and propagation of the Toyota Production System. Understanding their roles helps explain how TPS came to shape modern manufacturing.
Major contributors include the following:
- Taiichi Ohno — regarded as the father of the Toyota Production System, codifying core practices and problem-solving methods.
- Shigeo Shingo — contributed the SMED concept and methodologies for mistake-proofing and quick changeovers.
- Eiji Toyoda — former president who championed TPS and its global expansion within Toyota and its supplier network.
These figures, among others, helped transform TPS from a set of on-the-floor techniques into a comprehensive management framework used around the world.
Summary
The Toyota Production System (TPS) is the quality-focused framework behind Toyota’s reputation for efficiency and reliability. Built on Just-In-Time, Jidoka, Kaizen, and related practices, TPS aims to minimize waste, prevent defects at the source, and empower workers to continuously improve processes. Its influence extends beyond Toyota, shaping lean manufacturing globally and evolving with new technologies while keeping its core principles intact.
