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Teamwork Helps Toyota Boost Quality

Toyota AustraliaBlueScope Steel has helped Toyota Australia overcome production challenges for a vital steel component in Australia's leading export car, the Toyota Camry.

BlueScope Steel and Toyota Australia formed a combined working group late last year to investigate intermittent quality concerns on the inner door panels of the Camry. The results of that program include improved quality in the end product and a greatly strengthened working relationship between the two companies.

"This is an excellent example of what can be achieved when a supplier and a customer make the effort to understand each other's processes at the most detailed level and to find joint solutions to specific problems," said Toyota Australia Press Shop Staff Engineer, Matt Mafrici.

BlueScope Steel Technical Services Product Technologist, Tony Fetch said the intermittent production difficulties began when the current shape Camry entered production at Toyota's Altona plant, and had been the subject of extensive investigations.

"This was the first time we had provided the steel for these particular panels, so it was natural enough for Toyota to look first at the quality of our steel when the problems emerged," Tony said.  "However, testing showed that our quality was well up to standard - Toyota's people said it passed with flying colours - and Toyota's production standards are extremely high, so deeper investigation was called for."

As a result, BlueScope Steel assigned a specialist team of product technologists and quality representatives to become integral members of the team at the Toyota press shop at Altona.

This detailed study, covering every stage from the steel manufacturing process through to the finished part, achieved flow-on benefits for both Toyota and BlueScope Steel.

Matt Mafrici said the BlueScope Steel involvement had proved beneficial to both parties. "Together we have developed a better understanding of the variables that could be causing the intermittent problems," he said.

“Among other things, BlueScope Steel has adopted Toyota's concepts of standardised work and kaizen (continuous improvement) at both the Westernport works and the Sunshine shear line facility," Mr Mafrici said.

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