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.
Some people really like this first step. It is your chance to get a trash can and load it up. All of the things not needed for the job are removed and only the essentials are kept.
Now that you know what you are going to keep, you need to give it a home. The 5S term for this is Set. You need to be able to Set the item in a designated place. Peg boards and tape can help distinguish where these areas are.
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.
When you see the term Standardize, it means to ensure the same process you laid out originally is done exactly the same with everyone. This could mean new procedures, or periodic reviews of the area. But it needs to be kept up.
Trying to sustain this initiative will take the efforts of all parties involved. Whether you are management, or the employees, you all have a stake and an important role in ensuring this initiative is sustained. This is why this section is called Sustain.
All businesses should at the minimum have a 5S initiative in their company. Everyone likes a clean area and likes to know what is expected of them. Lean manufacturing 5S can help with this.
Filed under: Management