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Our Annual 5 S Lean Cleanup

Thursday, February 18th, 2010 by ksmith

Each year at Setpoint as we begin the New Year we go through the 5 S process in our office.  We sort through everything at our desks, the shop, closets, and in the office in general to clear out those things that we no longer need or use.  Then we straighten everything up and rearrange stuff to clean things out and make it easier to find items that we use. 

This year as I was preparing to lead the 5 S cleanup the decision was made to cleanup our Intranet instead.  We got rid of so much over the last few years and hadn’t really accumulated much since our last cleanup.  However, our Intranet is about 5 or 6 years old and instead of cleaning old files off as they were no longer needed and keeping the architecture up to date as we went along, new links and pages were added instead.

If you ask the CEO to find a document on the Intranet he won’t be able to.  He tells me all the time that it’s confusing and that it takes too many clicks to find anything.  How in the world do you start sorting through the Intranet?  I started by making a list of every page and document that we had on there.  We have over 500 items on our Intranet, I had no idea.  Some of those items were duplicates where the same document was added into two different sections.  At least I knew what I needed to sort through.  It just goes to show that when you don’t pay attention to something, it can get totally out of hand as everyone keeps adding things that are not necessary.

The next thing I did was to ask everyone what documents they actually use from our Intranet.  For the most part, there were four documents that most people use.  The rest are either once in a while or they are not used at all.  That was an eye opener, why do we have so many documents available if no one ever even looks at them. 

Now it is time to straighten everything up.  Those items that are used will need to be grouped with like items so that within three clicks you can find any document on our Intranet.  I also need to come up with better category names so that by looking at it you will know what is included, rather than generic terms like “Forms”.

So I’m off to get these items straightened up.  Hopefully the next stage in this process will be easy.

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Implementing Lean Manufacturing

Thursday, January 21st, 2010 by Clark

How far can you take lean manufacturing practices before you cross the line of what makes sense economically versus doing what a pure lean implementation tells you that you should be doing?

We have all heard the statement, “You were too close to the forest to see the trees.”  I think at times, in our eagerness to adopt lean manufacturing principles and practices we find ourselves “Too close to lean that we sometimes can’t see what makes sense.”

To illustrate this situation let me tell you about a company that was faced with a similar situation.

The company was a major player in the medical products/device manufacturing industry.  They had adopted a lean philosophy plant wide and had been following lean practices for about 5 years.  They had seen fantastic results as they broke down traditional methods and practices and followed the lean manufacturing principles to a “tee”.

They had done a superb job of connecting their processes in their various value streams and had managers of each area that believed in lean but were having a difficult time understanding how to decide what was right for their next efforts along the path of continuous improvement and lean implementation.

They were trying to achieve a single part flow into a low volume, high variety type of job shop assembly area.  They had established supermarkets for each the components that were required by each value stream.  In their hopes to fully connect the component manufacturing with the component demand in the value stream cells they were contemplating bringing some fabrication equipment into several of the value stream cells to reduce supermarket inventories of certain critical parts and to perhaps better connect the process.

The fabricated parts required multiple machine center resources to complete.  Many issues related to safety, cleanliness and process flow also needed to be considered.  The existing fabrication center was set up in a “U” shaped cell and actually ran very well.   Additionally, the existing fabrication cell supplied component and services to several other value streams within the plant.  After much contemplation and study, the group agreed that bringing the fabrication cell into the assembly areas would be a big mistake.

What came out of this study is that you can actually find better ways of fully connecting the processes in the overall manufacturing operations without actually having to physically locate all associated production tasks in the same cell.  With a little work and thought, the supermarket inventory levels were dropped, the communication of TAKT time demands were better established across the lines of fabrication and assembly, and the customer began to realize immediate benefits of better connecting their processes.

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5 S Process in an Assembly Shop

Thursday, December 10th, 2009 by ksmith

Recently we talked about the 5 S process developed from the Toyota Production System.  Some believe that the 5 S process can only be implemented in a manufacturing environment and do not see the benefits of using this process to improve their work environment.  Here at Setpoint we have our design engineers in an office environment and our assembly technicians in a shop environment with both areas using the 5 S process. 

We made a video and put it out on YouTube to walk through our shop and show how the 5 S Process can be implemented in an assembly environment where we build one machine and ship it, then build a completely different machine.

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Sustain - the Fifth “S” of the 5 S System

Thursday, November 12th, 2009 by Ken

After the first four S’s from the Toyota Production Systems improvement process have been implemented, the most important work begins.  If you have gone to all the work of setting up the system you must sustain or even improve on it to keep the system working properly.  Things change and you need to be flexible.  If something is not working the way you would like change it and keep changing it until you are satisfied. 

For instance, you should be able to tell at a glance if all the tools are in they place or if your hardware is running low, you may have to walk around and check some key spots each night to make sure the system is being used properly.

We are all very quick to form habits and by repeating these steps over and over it will be no time at all and your employees will be telling you when parts are low or things are not where they belong.

The 5 S System may seem like a lot of work at first and it is, but the benefits far out weigh your initial investment.

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Standardize- The Fourth “S” of the 5 S System

Thursday, November 5th, 2009 by Malorie

Now that the first three 5S’s (Sort, Straighten, and Shine) have been implemented, the next step is to concentrate on standardizing best practices in your work environment, also known as the Japanese term Seiketsu. This involves creating a consistent approach for carrying out tasks and procedures amongst all employees and departments. Orderliness is the core of standardization.

If the first three steps have been followed correctly then standardization should fall right into place with the help of all involved.  Standardization receives the most success when everyone knows their role and rules of their area and therefore can be involved in the development of these standardized rules because they are valuable for the information they deal with on a day to day basis. In the end, everyone should know exactly what their job responsibilities are and they should know exactly how to perform as well.

This process works very well at Setpoint because we work in a very fast paced and schedule driven environment where we usually can’t afford to lose a day when someone has an unforeseen absence. Therefore by following the 5 S system there is usually someone able to step in and pick up right where the last person left off without having to ask a thousand questions and wasting time looking for parts or tools.

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SHINE - the Third “S” of the 5 S System

Thursday, October 29th, 2009 by John

Following Sort and Straighten in the Toyota Production System 5 S System is Shine.  Shine is going through and cleaning up the work area.  At the end of the day each person needs to clean up their workstation, sweep the floors, clean off their desk, and return tools to their proper place.  This should be incorporated into every day routines.

When you take the time to “shine”, you are preparing for the future. Today’s workplace is full 0f inconsistencies and infractions.  There needs to be order and organization desperately.   Without the shine chaos starts to take control. 

So when you use it be sure to clean it by puting it back away every day so as to make everybody’s everyday tasks easier to complete.  That will make the world turn smoother than it did before.

To catch up on the series, here are links to the other posts:

Overview of the 5 S System

Sort - the First “S” of the 5 S System

Straighten - the Second “S” of the 5 S System

Standardize- the Fourth “S” of the 5 S System

Sustain - the Fifth “S” of the 5 S System

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STRAIGHTEN - The Second “S” of the 5 S System

Monday, October 26th, 2009 by Bryan

The first principal of the 5S system, Sort, is where you take and identify those items that are needed for you to accomplish your work.  Those necessary items are what we will now focus on.  Straighten, or Setting in Order, is the second principal of the 5S system.  In order for you to have an efficient work place, you need to have the correct tools and supplies close at hand and you need to be able to quickly find them.  Everything must have its place, and be in its place.

Looking at the desks in our building, mine has to be the most disorganized.  When I am done with a book or an item it is pushed out of they way rather than placed back where it belongs.  It’s a good thing the engineers are moved around so my desk gets cleaned up once in a while.  I’m forced into compliance, although I’m no where near as bad as someone who worked here several years ago.  On the other hand, my garage at home…  let’s just say that sometimes it takes more time to find the tools that I need for a project than it does to complete the project.  This principal of 5S is all about making your work area more efficient.  Setting up work stations or areas for work and having the correct tools and supplies in those areas are keys to becoming more efficient in the tasks that you do.

In the area that you have to work set aside areas for the storage of supplies and tools.  Keep the tools that you need more often closer to hand than those that you use less frequently.  Set aside a place for them and label it.  Shadow boards or cut outs in foam in your tool box are good examples of this.  Doing this allows you to quickly find the tool that you need.  It also allows you to know at a glance if you are missing any tools needed for the job at hand.  Totes or bins can be labeled and placed in the areas that are needed.  If you are working on an assembly line only have the tools and supplies that you need in your area.  Arrange them in a fashion that facilitates the work flow.  Minimize the clutter. Put tools in their designated place after they are used.  Keep a clean and organized work area.

By organizing and cleaning your area, you can maximize your efficiency and increase your work flow.   Greater efficiency and more work done makes for happy people.  For me this means more time to do an extra item on the honey-do list at home.  And this does make the Boss happy.

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SORT - The first “S” of the 5 S System

Monday, October 19th, 2009 by Bob

In using the Toyota Production System to improve your organization you need to integrate the 5 S processes from your desk to the production floor. The first “S” is to sort out what is and is not needed to do the required work in the work area.

Sorting the things you need to do your job on your desk, in receiving, in the production area, on the assembly floor, and any work area helps you work more efficiently and less prone to misplaced parts and tools. What do you sort? What do you need to do the job or task including tools, parts, and paperwork? If you don’t need it to do your job, it shouldn’t be in your workspace. Not only do you need to sort out what you need, but evaluating the proper quantities of each is also very important. One way to determine what you should have at your workspace is to use the 24-48 hour rule. If you are not going to need it in the next 24-48 hours, it doesn’t need to be in your workspace.

Here at Setpoint, we sort just about everything that comes in the doors, including our engineers. When parts are received a label is attached and the part is placed in a subassembly tote and the tote is placed on the projects rack. When there are enough parts for assembly to begin, the rack is moved to a specific assembly area designated to that project. The assemblers can go grab a tote and take it to their work area to begin assembly. When the assembler needs screws, wire, air hose, or a tool he can go to that rack or cabinet where everything is sorted by type and size. He takes only what he needs and continues working. When he reaches a stopping point or completes the assembly, everything is placed back in the tote and back on the rack. He then grabs the next subassembly tote and begins the build process again. At the end of the day everything is put back in its place, including totes, tools, and paperwork so it is ready to go the next day.

This sorting process has allowed us to be very efficient at building our projects. Any one assembler can go to any project and determine what can and needs to be worked on. We know where to find any tool, wire, hose, or fastener without searching the shop floor. I have worked at other companies where this sorting was “sort of” used (pun intended), and it makes for a long day when you are searching for the part or tool you need because it was not returned to its sorted place.

As I mentioned before, not only do we sort the products coming in our door, but we sort our engineers as well. Depending on our current projects, our engineers get sorted into different teams to utilize their talents and experiences. Yes, this means moving our computers and our stuff from one area to another. I have been sorted at least five times in just over three years. Sometimes this can be a pain, but this sorting helps the team’s communication and makes the design process much more efficient. It also gives us a chance to sort out the accumulation of stuff from our workstation and place it in the proper place–the garbage.

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Overview of the 5 S System

Thursday, October 8th, 2009 by ksmith

As a part of the Toyota Production System, Toyota developed a system to analyze an organization’s business and manufacturing processes and remove all non value added event or processes that are present.  There are five steps and the Japanese terms all start with S – Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu & Shitsuke.  Translating the terms into English keeping with the “S” theme, the 5 S’s become Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize and Sustain.  This process can be implemented in many organizations, whether manufacturing or service oriented the 5 S process works.

Sort is going through the items on your desk, on your website, on your production floor, in your shop, wherever you are, and pulling out those things that are duplicates, not used or not important.  If you haven’t used it in a year, you probably don’t need it. 

Straighten is putting the things that you do need in order at a work station. The goal is being efficient so your work flow is smooth.  Are your tools easy to reach when you’re working on a project, do they have a place marked for them to be stored?

Shine is going through and cleaning up the work area.  At the end of the day clean up your work station, sweep the floors, and return tools (pens, documents, power tools) to their proper place.  This should be incorporated into every day routines.

Standardize is having everyone in the company follow the same processes and procedures.  When implementing the changes from sorting, straightening, and shining, these changes need to be accepted and followed by all employees to gain the most benefit.  It can also be using the same brand of tool so that they can be interchangeable and easily replaced as they wear out.

Sustain is the last step, what good is all the hard work you’ve done if two weeks later you go back to an unsorted work station.  Another part of sustaining is reviewing the changes you have made to ensure they are still working and are actually providing you a benefit in efficiencies, quality and cost of your operations. 

The 5 S’s are a process that can be utilized over and over again.  It can be used at a workstation in a manufacturing company as easily as it can be at a restaurant or engineering company.  Here at Setpoint, not only do our shop guys go through the 5 S process, but the engineers and the management team does as well. 

In the following weeks we will take an in-depth look at each of the five steps.  We have also filmed two videos focusing on the 5 S’s, one looking at a production facilities uses with their machinery and the other focuses on a shop environment where they continually build different products and ship them out.

Here is the series:

Sort - the First “S” of the 5 S System

Straighten - the Second “S” of the 5 S System

Sort - the Third “S” of the 5 S System

Standardize- The Fourth “S” of the 5 S System

Sustain - The Fifth “S” of the 5 S System

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Toyota Production System (TPS) - How it Influences Design

Thursday, August 27th, 2009 by Nate

You have probably heard a lot about Lean Manufacturing systems like the Toyota Production System and how it can transform a manufacturing plant by eliminating waste, but you may not know that the principals of the Toyota Production System can also apply to the design process.

One of the first steps in the Toyota Production System is to define what adds value for the customer. During the design we try to completely define what the customer wants. What problems are they trying to solve? What needs are they looking for the machine or product to fulfil? By fully defining the scope of the project, you will end up with a set of expectations that are agreed upon so you know what to design and the customer knows what they can expect to receive. This will help eliminate the “Takes What It Takes” (TWIT) attitude that can lead to overages on time and materials.

The next step is to design for manufacturing. Here at Setpoint, we are always looking for ways to make our machines better, faster, stronger, and less expensive both for us and for our customers. We do this by trying to eliminate complicated parts and assemblies, incorporating features like Poke-Yokes (error proofing) and Single Minute Exchange of Dies tooling, and learning from the best practices from past projects.

One of the final steps in the design process is the Post Project Review. This meeting brings together all of the parties involved with the project to reflect upon the things that went right and the things that didn’t go exactly to plan. It includes the design team, project management, purchasing/receiving, electrical and mechanical assembly, the programmers, accounting, and the CEO. These meetings help us to capture all of the “lessons learned” from the project and use that knowledge on the next projects. Reflecting on past projects is a core value of the Toyota Production System and allows Setpoint to build on our successes and prevent us from repeating our mistakes.

At the heart of it, the Toyota Production System is a method to speed up processes, reduce waste, and improve quality. Applying these principles to the design process, allows you to improve quality, become more efficient and provide exactly what the customer is looking for. Happy Designing!

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