What is 5S in LEAN manufacturing ?
5S in LEAN manufacturing is a method of organizing the workplace to improve efficiency, and is a foundation of TPM. The term comes from the 5 Japanese words seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, and shitsuke. In English, these words are translated as Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize and Sustain . 5S enables the work space to be organized to improve efficiency – by identifying and storing the items used, and maintaining the area and items.
Sort
Make the workplace more efficient by removing all obstacles and unnecessary items. Remove all tools and parts that are not in use, and remove all waste material.
Straighten
Arrange all necessary tools, equipment and parts so that they can be easily selected for use. Prevent loss of time by ensuring that all tools and equipment are within reach. Place components by their use, those frequently used being closest to the work place.
Shine
Clean the workplace daily or at a set frequency. Inspect the workplace while cleaning, prevent deterioration of equipment. Keep the workplace clean and pleasant to work in. Even a person unfamiliar with the workplace must be able to detect any problems within 50 feet in 5 sec.
Standardize
Standardize all processes in the work area. Everything in its right place, every process has a standard. Standardize color coding of usable items People must be aware of the processes Sustain
Do all this autonomously, without being told. Perform regular audits. Follow the process, but also be open to improvement Action point A surprising amount of time is wasted on the shop floor searching for things (like the example in this post ) and navigating obstacles.
The principles of 5S in LEAN manufacturing are simple, can yield huge benefits if implemented, and can be implemented in any size of shop floor.
