5S Workshop Report
I've a client that I've been helping get started with 5S. I think I reported on one of their previous workshops, in which they color coded two different fastener types to the machines that feed them into stamping presses. This has reduced errors and lost time due to feeding the wrong fastener to a press.
This workshop was just as valuable and as much fun.
First, let me go into some of what I face when we start a workshop.
As I've mentioned before, we start in the classroom, going over the basics of 5S. After maybe an hour, we go out onto the plant floor to get going on some "hands on" learning.
This is where things get interesting; there's often a big difference between how I hope to proceed and how I actually proceed.
Hope to..
The ideal is that we'll have a fairly small, well-defined area that simply pretty cluttered up with no plan or approach for storage of tools and materials. In this case, I'll simply start at one end, pick up something and ask, "Do we keep it, throw it away, or red tag it?" If it's a keep, then I'll ask, "Where does it go?" and we talk about how to store it and label that storage. This will segue into Sweep and Shine. Then we'll end up back in the class room to plan some Sustain. A disorganized area turns into an organized area pretty quickly.
Actual
The area is large with several "sub-sections". A "One S" (just Sort....nothing else) might even be in order because there is so much stuff in the area. The area is so covered with grease, old ink, paint, dirt, "oil dry", etc. that Sweep and Shine would be a major effort in itself. Flow of material through the area is difficult to determine.
Mind you, I've often experienced the "Hope to.." scenario. Everything goes well. But, just as often, I've run into the "Actual" scenario and I've found I have to make adjustments.
Adjustment #1
I need to resist the temptation to start 5Sing right away. I ask lots of questions and make the effort to figure out the flow of product and material throughout the area. I have them identify all the "sub-sections" and their importance in the overall picture to me. If we can identify a meaningful sub-section to 5S, we get started on that.
Adjustment #2
I am flexible around the possibility that a 1S (just Sort) might be the best start to the process. This was the case at a pipeshop in a local steel company. It was easy enough to divide the shop into smaller sectors but, even then, the first step for each sector was simply to Sort what stayed from what got tossed.
Adjustment #3
I look for opportunities to apply 5S principles to an important problem that afflicts the area. Poor flow is a common one, so if I determine that poor flow is an issue, we start on that.
Check back soon to see how I applied all this thinking to my latest 5S workshop.
This workshop was just as valuable and as much fun.
First, let me go into some of what I face when we start a workshop.
As I've mentioned before, we start in the classroom, going over the basics of 5S. After maybe an hour, we go out onto the plant floor to get going on some "hands on" learning.
This is where things get interesting; there's often a big difference between how I hope to proceed and how I actually proceed.
Hope to..
The ideal is that we'll have a fairly small, well-defined area that simply pretty cluttered up with no plan or approach for storage of tools and materials. In this case, I'll simply start at one end, pick up something and ask, "Do we keep it, throw it away, or red tag it?" If it's a keep, then I'll ask, "Where does it go?" and we talk about how to store it and label that storage. This will segue into Sweep and Shine. Then we'll end up back in the class room to plan some Sustain. A disorganized area turns into an organized area pretty quickly.
Actual
The area is large with several "sub-sections". A "One S" (just Sort....nothing else) might even be in order because there is so much stuff in the area. The area is so covered with grease, old ink, paint, dirt, "oil dry", etc. that Sweep and Shine would be a major effort in itself. Flow of material through the area is difficult to determine.
Mind you, I've often experienced the "Hope to.." scenario. Everything goes well. But, just as often, I've run into the "Actual" scenario and I've found I have to make adjustments.
Adjustment #1
I need to resist the temptation to start 5Sing right away. I ask lots of questions and make the effort to figure out the flow of product and material throughout the area. I have them identify all the "sub-sections" and their importance in the overall picture to me. If we can identify a meaningful sub-section to 5S, we get started on that.
Adjustment #2
I am flexible around the possibility that a 1S (just Sort) might be the best start to the process. This was the case at a pipeshop in a local steel company. It was easy enough to divide the shop into smaller sectors but, even then, the first step for each sector was simply to Sort what stayed from what got tossed.
Adjustment #3
I look for opportunities to apply 5S principles to an important problem that afflicts the area. Poor flow is a common one, so if I determine that poor flow is an issue, we start on that.
Check back soon to see how I applied all this thinking to my latest 5S workshop.
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