Define the quality, safety, material and equipment conditions that justify raising an andon call.
Quality & Productivity
Andon Systems and Real-Time Escalation for Production Quality Issues
Design andon triggers, escalation matrices and response time targets, specify light towers and digital call systems, and protect the stop-the-line authority that keeps quality issues visible.
🗓️Duration5 training days
📚Content4 modules · 8 sessions
🎓On completionAccredited attendance certificate
About the programme
Course Overview
A defect that takes an hour to reach a supervisor has already been built into an hour's worth of output. An andon system closes that gap by giving any operator the authority to raise a visible call the moment a quality, safety or equipment condition crosses a defined threshold, and by pulling in the right response at the right tier before the issue repeats. This course covers defining genuine andon triggers, building an escalation matrix with response time targets, and specifying the light towers, boards and digital signals that carry a call to the person who can act on it. Teaching works through the first-response sequence at the point of call, the trust conditions that keep operators willing to pull the cord, and the data review that turns call patterns into fixed causes rather than repeat interruptions. Sessions close by extending the same escalation logic to office and service settings using digital ticketing. Participants finish able to design an andon system that responders trust and operators actually use.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Build an escalation matrix that names a responder and response time target for every call tier.
Specify light tower colours, call devices and board layout so a call's meaning is never ambiguous.
Connect machine fault and downtime signals to the andon system so a stop raises a call automatically.
Run a first-response sequence that captures a likely cause at the point of call before evidence is lost.
Protect operator authority to stop the line by tracking response speed and addressing overridden calls.
Track call rate and resolution data to feed recurring causes into the corrective action process.
Who Should Attend
Production supervisors and team leaders who respond to and manage andon escalations.
Manufacturing and quality engineers designing or upgrading an andon and escalation system.
Plant and operations managers accountable for response time and stop-the-line discipline.
Continuous improvement practitioners embedding jidoka and visual management into a line.
Automation and controls engineers connecting machine signals to andon triggers.
Service operations leaders adapting escalation logic to ticketing and support workflows.
Course Modules
Select any module to see its sessions and points.
01Designing the Andon Trigger and Escalation Logic
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Defining What Triggers an Andon Call and Why
- Define which quality, safety, material and equipment conditions justify an andon call before installation begins.
- Set a clear threshold, such as a defect count or a wait time, that separates a genuine call from routine variation.
- Distinguish an andon call for a systemic risk from a one-off issue an operator can resolve without escalation.
- Involve operators in defining triggers so the system reflects real failure points rather than a manager's assumption.
Session 2Building the Escalation Matrix and Response Time Targets
- Build an escalation matrix naming who responds to each call type and within what response time target.
- Set tiered response times so a team leader, engineer or plant manager is drawn in only as the issue persists.
- Assign a backup responder for every tier so a call is never left unanswered when the named person is unavailable.
- Align escalation timing with takt time so a call that runs past a set number of cycles triggers the next tier.
02Building the Physical and Digital Andon Infrastructure
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Specifying Andon Boards, Light Towers and Call Devices
- Specify a light tower's colour sequence so red, yellow and green states map to a single, unambiguous meaning.
- Position call cords, buttons or pull switches within reach of every operator without disrupting the work sequence.
- Size and site an andon board so responders across the shift can see a call's location without walking the floor.
- Choose an audible signal that gets attention without becoming background noise the team learns to ignore.
Session 2Connecting Digital and Sensor-Based Andon Triggers
- Connect a machine's fault or downtime signal directly to the andon system so a stop raises a call automatically.
- Route andon calls to a responder's handheld device or screen alongside the physical light and board signal.
- Log every call, timestamp and response automatically so response time data does not depend on manual entry.
- Set an escalation timer that advances a call to the next tier automatically if no response is logged in time.
03Responding to Calls and Sustaining Stop-the-Line Authority
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Running the First-Response Sequence at the Point of Call
- Respond to a call at the point where it was raised rather than diagnosing it from an office or a report.
- Capture the likely cause of a call while the condition is still visible, before the line resumes and evidence is lost.
- Decide within the response time target whether to contain the issue, resume production or escalate further.
- Close a call visibly, resetting the light and board state so the team can see the issue has been addressed.
Session 2Protecting Operator Authority to Stop the Line
- Confirm with leadership that an operator's decision to call andon will not be treated as a performance failing.
- Track how quickly leadership actually responds to calls, since a slow response teaches operators to stop calling.
- Address a rising rate of unresolved or overridden calls as a trust problem before it becomes a data problem.
- Recognise operators who raise calls that catch a genuine issue, reinforcing the behaviour the system depends on.
04Measuring, Analysing and Improving the Andon System
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Tracking Call Rates, Response Times and Recurring Causes
- Track call rate, response time and resolution time by line, shift and cause category on a standard report.
- Distinguish a rising call rate that reflects better detection from one that reflects a worsening process.
- Feed recurring call causes into the corrective action process so the same fault stops generating repeat calls.
- Review andon data at tiered daily management meetings so patterns reach the level that can act on them.
Session 2Extending Andon Logic to Office and Service Escalation
- Translate the andon logic of visible, timed escalation into a digital ticket system for office or service work.
- Set escalation tiers for a service process using the same tiered response time principle as a production andon.
- Adapt call thresholds to a non-production setting where volume and severity are judged differently from a line stop.
- Review adoption of an office-based andon equivalent to confirm staff raise issues rather than working around them.
What the participant receives
4 course modules
A structured syllabus
8 training sessions
across 5 days
32 detailed points
Applied, detailed content
Accredited attendance certificate
On completing the programme
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