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I'd be delighted to receive other commercial product examples. Please feel free to send Suggestions, Additions, Corrections, & Comments. 

50 .

Estes’ rocket launcher system has two mistake-proofing devices:

1. A safety key must be inserted in control box inorder to launch the rocket.  The key is attached to a plastic cap that is supposed to be put on the end of the launch pad guide rod.  Thus locking out a launch while people are nearby. It’s weakness is that there is no mechanism for enforcing the devices use.

2. A light is provided on the control box that lights when the circuit to the rocket motor is properly attached. When the saftey key is in and the light is on, pushing the button should result in successful launch.

51.

British 240v/50Hz electricity can injure people so electrical plugs are designed so that live electrical pins are never exposed.

1. the pins’ position and orientation are such that the plug can only fit one way in the socket
2. the pins are insulated near the plug body so that electric shock is not possible via the exposed pin if the plug is not pushed all the way in but still
making contact. 

This clever idea is not a mistake-proofing device in the purest sense.  However, rapid feedback is a guiding principle in mistake-proofing and this switch in a discount store restroom seems to fully exemplify that idea.

Rival sells a shaved ice machine that spins the ice around, pushing the ice over a blade which shaves it into snow cone “snow.” Rival is very interested in NOT shaving any fingers. They have designed the “on” switch into the lid. You press on the lid to activate the machine. When you stop pressing the lid the machine stops rapidly. The tabs shown on the lid in the picture (above right) press switches beneath the small holes (one shown with the larger arrow).  You physically cannot have your fingers in the mechanism and turn it on at the same time (unless you are a masochist with a pocket knife or small screw driver). 

54.

Blockbuster has figured out that helping customers get their videos back on time is good for business. This is another example that does not mistake-proof the process but does help customers get it right.  If every process we interacted with did as well, the number of mistakes we make would be dramatically reduced .

55.

What could be better than a mistake- proofing device that increases sales by creating a niche in a commodity product category? Crayola is selling markers that don’t write except on special paper. No more blue, green, and red fingered toddlers. No more ruined clothing. Nice mistake-proofing. Masterful marketing. GE essentially gives jet engines away in order to get 20 years of reparts business. Perhaps Crayola should give away the markers to get the specialty paper sales. Can you think of an industrial use of this technology?

Even fancy sandwich shops can’t afford to have their trays discarded.  Preventing customers from making a mistake, in this case, means making the trach can opening smaller than the tray.

Written permission to use these examples can be obtained by writing a short request with your name and company affiliation. Generally, I am willing to extended permission free of charge, if you will include a reference to mistakeproofing.com in your  document or presentation.

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