Of all the Lean Principles and techniques, 5 S gets the most press and is the least understood technique. The 5 Ss are Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain. They are very simple to implement, more difficult to maintain and almost impossible to measure their success. Yet these simple rules are as powerful as any other Lean technique. Let us look at each “S”.
Sort: The first step in 5 S is to get the work area organized. Remove everything from the work area that isn’t needed to perform the specific activity at the work station. That means personal pictures, pocket books, and odd tools. Leave only those tools required to do the job. If it is necessary to purchase extra tools, you will find this is a small expense to have the tools ready for use.
Set in Order: With the work station having only those tools necessary to perform the work, these tools should be set out in an orderly arrangement. It is helpful to trace the outline of the tools on the tabletop. This is a form of visual control of the work station. If a tool is missing it is very readily apparent. (This also works great in my personal workshop. I can see when my wife has “borrowed” a tool.) After work is completed at the work station, the worker must return the tools to their outlined place on the work table. With this technique, you eliminate the time an employee spends hunting up tools before he can start work. Make sure you have designated space for materials to be staged at the work station and for finished goods to be temporarily stored before moving to the next station. These staging areas must also be kept clean of anything not required at the work station.
Shine: Now that you have the work station set up with proper tools, keep everything clean. A clean work place makes it easier to identify if a tool is out of place. The work station must be cleaned after the worker is finished with his assignment. Cleaning it immediately after completion is much easier and faster (no kidding) that having a weekly or monthly clean up time. Everything not required to perform work at the station is either thrown away or returned to its proper place of storage.
Standardize: Because you can expect to have several different workers performing the same work at the work station, the smartest way to ensure consistent work methods is to standardize the work performed at the work station. This is relatively easy. Just ask the workers how to perform the activities. They are the best source of information on doing the job correctly and quickly. If their method differs from the documented method, look closely at changing the engineer-documented method. Once a standard method is set, post easy-to-read instructions for performing the tasks. Insist that each worker perform work at that station to the standard method. Make no exceptions. You will find that this reduces, dramatically, the rework and variation in finished parts.
Sustain: Now that you have spent time organizing and cleaning up a work station, don’t sit on your laurels. You must keep the work station clean, and well organized; and the workers focused on the standard work methods. If you don’t maintain the first four “S”s, the work station will quickly deteriorate into its old dirty, chaotic style. Discipline is the key to maintaining the success you have achieved. This is good, old-fashioned management: Inspect regularly, praise good behavior and correct bad behavior.
5S isn’t that difficult to implement, But it is very difficult to measure. Although every production supervisor and manager will instinctively understand the benefits of 5S techniques, you just can’t find an accountant who can measure its success. Accountants have no chart-of-accounts entry to collect data on tool searches, on clean-up activities, on trying to fix improperly made parts or assemblies, or on clearing away extraneous items to make a place to work. This is where you have to follow your instincts and recognize that 5S will result in less time spent searching for tools, correcting improperly assembled parts or frantically trying to conduct the monthly clean up session. The end result is better workmanship, better quality, less wasted time and happier employees.
5S works. Many companies start the Lean journey by introducing 5S techniques and find it gives excellent results. It is easy to implement and requires only a little discipline to maintain. Try it, you will be very pleasantly surprised at your success.
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