What
Andon is a visual feedback system that indicates production status, alerts when assistance is needed and physically enables the operator to stop the process.
Why
General advantages
- Enables operator to stop the process
- Shows process status and signals for assistance
Reduces waste types
- ☐ Conveyance
- ☐ Inventory
- ☐ Motion
- ☐ Waiting
- ☐ Overproduction
- ☐ Overprocessing
- ☐ Correction
When
Essential conditions
Visual Management
foundation for Andon
Non-essential conditions
None
N/A
How
Implementation
Subcomponents:
- Stopping mechanism:
- Physical way to stop the process immediately, e.g. an emergency stop button, or cord which can be pulled (a.k.a. ‘Andon cord’)
- Visual feedback system:
- A visual way of indicating the process status (running/stopped), e.g. a traffic light (a.k.a. ‘Andon light’)
Use
The operator of the process uses the stopping mechanism to stop the process.
Where
IASSC Body of Knowledge:
Lean: 21
Yellow ➔ Apply
Green ➔ Analyze
Black ➔ Create
Lean Six Sigma: –
N/A
Last Updated: 03-04-2025