What Is Lean Manufacturing 5S?
One of the basic initiatives for any business looking to go lean will be 5S. This is the process of organizing and cleaning specific sections or work cells of a business to ensure the operate more efficiently. Let’s look at exactly what the term lean manufacturing 5S consists of.
5S originated in Japan, and all of the words started with an S. Luckily, these words also translate to words that also start with an S. Let’s look at what all of the 5S terms mean.
Sort – This means exactly what it says. You take a certain area you will be working on, and you decide what equipment and tools you will need to do the job. All of the other stuff is extra, and will be disposed of.
In order to be organized, you need to have a place to set your tools. This is where the term Set comes in. Just by using some tape to outline a tool, or a peg board labeled with a tool name, can help show where the tools go or when tools are missing.
Now, you have the essential tools and a place for them, let’s keep this area clean. This is where the Shine portion happens. And to ensure it happens all the time, elect a person to be in charge of the cleanliness of the area.
Now that the area is organized and cleaned, you need to standardize. One of the ways to do this is by having periodic review of the area. Another potential pitfall is not having new procedures. you most likely changed some stuff, so new procedures and new processes will need to be established. This helps to ensure the area operates at a set standard.
Lastly, and the most difficult one, is to sustain the area. You have built a good amount of momentum right now, so now is the best time to move to another area. Just be sure to hold the appointed people responsible for the cleanliness of the area accountable. This ensures you do not need to micro-manage the area, and can focus on the next area.
5S is a lean manufacturing tool. It can be uses anywhere in a plant or business to help organize and clean an area. Plus, now th employees will have the necessary tools for the job, and know what is expected of them. This is how lean manufacturing 5S can help.
