The 5S Thinking System
Over the past several years, lean manufacturing has swept through many factories - sometimes it stays and sometimes it moves on. What is the reason behind this sustainment problem?
Within manufacturing companies around the world, thousands of people are being told that 5S is the cornerstone of lean manufacturing. How many people truly understand what that means?
How often is cleaning the primary focus of 5S in your factory? When we focus ONLY on cleaning, why are we surprised to only realize 1/5th of the potential results 5S thinking can offer?
The big unanswered question in western, mainstream 5S then is this:
if 5S is the cornerstone of Lean manufacturing, or to be more specific, Lean thinking - why is it that the primary activity we ask our people to engage in is CLEANING?
The 5S applied to ANY area are:
- Sorting as a way of thinking about anything - what is really required for the job? Look beyond the clutter. Look what is needed to the do the job in all aspects: information, equipment, process steps, motion and time.
- Setting anything in the workplace in order. Are the things needed - are they ready? Stop looking at just lines on the floor. Is the information complete and accurate? Is a routine established in the workcell? Or is it haphazard?
- Sanitizing the situation. Is this the standard situation? Is there extra steps being introduced to the standard? Is additional information breaking routines, causing us to deviate from standards? Contamination can take many forms and come from many directions. The third 'S' is much more than just sweeping.
- Standardize the first three behaviors. But are we in a waste-free environment? Standardization must be looked at through the lens of the eight wastes.
- Sustain the right behaviors by teaching others how to continuously improve their own situation.
TWI Materials
- TWI Bulletin Series
- Job Instruction
- Job Methods
- Job Relations
- Job Safety
- Problem Solving
- Program Development
- Management Training
TWI & Lean
5S Tools
