Glossary

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Y Yaw or Yaw Angle

Yaw or Yaw Angle (Y) refers to the rotation of an aircraft or vehicle around its vertical axis. In aviation, yaw is one of the three axes of flight and is controlled by the rudder, affecting the aircraft’s direction to the left or right.

Y/D – Yaw Damper

Yaw Damper (Y/D) is a system in aircraft designed to prevent unwanted yawing motions, such as fishtailing, by automatically applying rudder inputs. It enhances flight stability and passenger comfort by minimizing oscillations during turns and turbulence.

YC – Yaw Control

Yaw Control (YC) in automotive refers to systems that help manage a vehicle’s yaw motion, improving handling and stability, particularly during cornering. Advanced yaw control systems are used in modern vehicles to prevent skidding and enhance safety.

Yellow Belt

Yellow Belt in Lean and Six Sigma methodologies refers to a certification level for individuals who are trained in the basics of process improvement and waste reduction. Yellow Belt holders support project teams in implementing lean initiatives within their organizations.

Yield

Yield in lean management refers to the percentage of products or processes that meet quality standards without needing rework or repair. Maximizing yield is essential for improving efficiency and reducing waste in manufacturing operations.

YM – Yard Management

Yard Management (YM) refers to the process of overseeing, coordinating, and optimizing the movement and storage of trailers, containers, and vehicles within a yard or a facility’s outdoor space, such as a warehouse, distribution center, or manufacturing plant. It acts as the bridge between transportation management and warehouse operations, ensuring smooth and efficient flow of goods.

Effective yard management is crucial for reducing congestion, minimizing wait times, improving visibility, and ensuring timely loading and unloading of shipments.

Key elements of Yard Management include:

  • Trailer and Container Tracking: Keeping real-time records of where trailers, containers, and vehicles are located within the yard.

  • Dock Management: Coordinating the assignment of loading docks to incoming and outgoing vehicles to prevent bottlenecks and delays.

  • Gate Management: Managing vehicle entry and exit points, including check-in, security checks, and documentation.

  • Appointment Scheduling: Organizing and controlling the timing of vehicle arrivals and departures to optimize yard traffic flow.

  • Equipment Utilization: Managing yard assets like yard trucks, hostlers, and forklifts to maximize efficiency.

  • Visibility and Communication: Providing up-to-date information to warehouse staff, carriers, and drivers about trailer locations, dock assignments, and service status.

Benefits of Effective Yard Management:

  • Reduced dwell times (how long trailers stay in the yard)

  • Improved carrier turn-around times

  • Enhanced inventory visibility and shipment accuracy

  • Lower labor and operational costs

  • Increased safety and security within the yard

  • Better coordination between warehouse, transportation, and logistics teams

Yard Management Systems (YMS):

  • Many companies use specialized software called Yard Management Systems (YMS) to automate and streamline yard operations.

  • YMS often integrates with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and Transportation Management Systems (TMS) for seamless logistics operations.

  • Advanced YMS may include features like real-time GPS tracking, mobile apps for yard drivers, automated gate check-ins, and AI-based yard optimization.

Yokoten

Yokoten is a lean management concept meaning horizontal deployment, which refers to the sharing of best practices and knowledge across different departments or teams within an organization. Yokoten fosters continuous improvement by encouraging the replication of successful processes.

The word Yoko means”sideways or horizontal, and ten means to spread or to roll out, highlighting the idea of lateral knowledge transfer.

Key aspects of Yokoten include:

  • Sharing Best Practices: Once a team achieves an improvement, they are responsible for communicating the methods and results to others.

  • Standardization: Helps standardize successful processes across the company, promoting consistency and reliability.

  • Learning Culture: Encourages employees to learn from one another instead of reinventing solutions in isolation.

  • Responsibility to Share: It’s not only management’s job; individuals and teams are expected to actively share and seek out improvements.

  • Respectful Communication: Sharing must be done in a way that respects the receiving team’s context, involving dialogue rather than forcing change.

  • Pull System of Adoption: Rather than pushing changes, other teams are encouraged to pull ideas that are relevant and adapt them thoughtfully.

Benefits of Yokoten:

  • Faster spread of improvements

  • Reduction in duplicated efforts

  • Stronger cross-functional collaboration

  • Increased overall efficiency and quality

  • Development of a culture of continuous improvement (Kaizen)

Typical Steps in a Yokoten Process:

  • Identify a successful improvement or best practice

  • Document the change clearly and concisely

  • Share it horizontally across teams or departments

  • Offer support and discussion for teams adapting the idea

  • Track adoption and measure the broader impact

Applications of Yokoten:

  • Manufacturing process improvements

  • Safety enhancements

  • Customer service best practices

  • IT and software development innovations

  • Administrative and operational efficiency upgrades

YTD – Year to Date

Year to Date (YTD) is a business term used to describe the period beginning from the start of the calendar or fiscal year up to the current date. YTD figures help track performance and trends over the current year in areas such as revenue, expenses, or production output.