Introduction

Today's manufacturing companies live in a cyclical market, with ever-increasing customer demands and increasing product changes. Successful companies respond to this in two ways: they innovate their products and keep their manufacturing extremely flexible.
World-class manufacturing rests on three fundamental pillars – Total Quality Management (TQM), Lean Manufacturing and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) – but the cornerstone of all three is the same: 5S.

5S originated in Japan in the 1960s, but I discovered at Tamrock and later at Sandvik that its effectiveness is not dependent on culture and has not been eroded by time – on the contrary, in today’s complex world, it is needed even more. According to our practical experience, when processes were organized in the spirit of Seiri, Seitoni, Seiso, Seiketsu and Shitsuke , we were able to shorten lead times from weeks to days and cut costs by double-digit percentages. The then MET (now the Finnish Technology Industries Federation) asked us to prepare a 5S pocketbook, and we were the first to apply the method in Finland at that time. The method became a key tool for supplier development and the backbone of our own production – the foundation on which we built our practical Kaizen program. The work continues, now adapted to the needs of modern production and digitalization.

The goal of this blog is to show that 5S is the foundation for all development, on which systems that improve production efficiency are built, such as Lean production, Gemba house, TPM process, Quality Improvement processes, Standardization, Kaizen operations and much more.

Unfortunately, in many companies, 5S has been reduced to a “cleanliness campaign”. A shiny floor will not reduce setup times or prevent errors unless there is a rigorous standardization and daily monitoring behind it. 5S is the starting point for efficiency and continuous improvement, not a light version of Lean. When its logic is understood, the paths to Lean systems, Gemba houses, TPM processes, quality improvement projects and even strategic cost management open up.

5S benefits and consequences

Nothing superfluous or unnecessary in the work cell, a spotlessly clean workplace, waste and anomalies are immediately identifiable by anyone, paperwork is minimized and simplified, workstations are arranged so that anyone can easily reach the tools they need, cabinet doors are removed and all contents are opened, organized and labeled, anyone can retrieve information or equipment in 30 seconds or less, parts and other supplies are stored in a way that allows for automatic reordering of parts after reaching a certain level (kan ban), standard operating procedures are easily understood and visually clear, the flow of goods and deviations from standards are visible at a glance.

The above results are not just theory or advertising figures – they are based on real experiences from several Finnish industrial companies where 5S and Kaizen were systematically implemented. Quality has improved by up to 90%, productivity has increased by 15–20%, and work-in-progress has been reduced by 50–80%. Alongside these, well-being at work has also improved: absenteeism has decreased and the working atmosphere has clearly improved. These latter two effects in particular emerge when the deeper, human side of Kaizen is also taken into account in the development – something I discuss in more detail in my blog posts The Deepest Essence of Kaizen is Respect for Humanity and ZEN and the Art of Understanding – Kaizen Steps 5–10 . These discuss how an understanding and inclusive culture is not a side story – but an important part of why 5S and Kaizen work.

In the manufacture of niche products with long life cycles – such as special machinery – layout changes are rare, but productivity is constantly improved by improving work methods. This leads to updates to work standards and requires regular renewal of 5S activities.

Typically, changes also occur when component suppliers change or parts are replaced with new versions, which directly affects assembly work and requires systematic 5S activities to prevent errors.

In addition, the responsibility for spare parts production can extend up to 20 years, which requires continuous order, traceability, and readiness of the work environment – things without which long-term product support is not possible.

Implementing 5S requires a plan for how to do it. Figure 1 shows the implementation stages of the 5S process, which also include the start-up phase and the implementation of visual control as separate sections.

Figure 1. 5S overall system

In phase 1 of the process , Initiation , the project area to which 5S will be applied is defined and an analysis of the existing situation before the change is made. In addition, the area is photographed so that the initial situation can be compared with the improvement achieved. A good method for implementing 5S in production is the 10-step method ( ZEN and the skill of understanding article ). Phase 1 also includes establishing an implementation team, creating an implementation plan, creating a communication plan, and creating a 5S training plan.

Step 2: 1S Separate (Seiri) “Separate the necessary from the unnecessary and discard the rest”

The SEPARATE phase can be thought of as corresponding to the basic idea of the JIT philosophy that we only need what is necessary, in the amount that is necessary and only when we really need it. SEPARATE means that we remove all such items from the workplace (on the floor or in the office) that we do not need to perform the production or office task at hand. This applies to all production, large-scale production or one-off production, everywhere where people do their work.

When SEPARATING, only the essential is left, if there is any doubt whether to keep or remove, then always remove. This principle is key in the entire 5S method.

The red tag method is a simple tool for identifying potential waste in a factory, assessing its usefulness and enabling its proper disposal. In practice, it means placing a red tag on each item whose usefulness is being assessed. The red tag example in Figure 2 shows the different use categories used in the assessment and the corresponding storage measures .

Figure 2. Red note with contents for decisions and attachment

To implement an effective red tag campaign, a special red tag collection area must be created. This area is located near the production area, but away from that area, and all red tag items that are not sure of their necessity are brought to it. This is called a local red tag collection area . 

 

PHASES OF THE PATCHING OPERATION

1. Project start

·        Assembling a lap group

·        Organizing necessary purchases

·        Timing and resource allocation for patching

·        Defining the goods picking area

·        Plan for items to be removed

2. Identifying goals

·        Identification of goods to be valued

·        Defining the physical area where the patching operation will be performed

3. Setting the scoring criteria
(Based on next month's production targets)

·        Suitability of the item for the job at hand

·        Frequency of use of the item in work tasks

·        The amount needed to complete the job

See Figure 2: different criteria options

4. Making notes
(Notes are designed according to the company's needs)

·        Product category

·        Product name

·        Quantity and unit

·        Reason for the slap

·        Lapping day

·        Date moved to temporary area

·        Implementer

·        Recommended action

·        Final placement

·        Investment decision

·        Seal of approval

5. Placing notes on objects

·        Label all questionable items

·        If you are not sure, the label should still be placed

6. Evaluation of the items to be patched
(Using the criteria defined in section 3)

·        Keep things in place

·        Transport to another location in the area

·        Store outside the area

·        Store in the collection area

·        Remove item

7. Documenting the results

·        The need for documentation varies from company to company.
E.g.: movement, material use, quantities, equipment, tools, inventory, products

·        Develop a system for recording and tracking goods

·        The purpose is to measure continuous improvement and achievable savings
→ With the help of the Red Label campaign

Figure 3. Example of a warehouse shelf label

STEP 3: 2S, Simplify, Seiton. “Arrange the remaining items on your workstation so that they can be easily found”

 

2S, Simplify, is done after the first phase. However, it is worth doing the separation together with the Simplify phase. All necessary items are organized in the workplace so that everything needed for production is stored in a way that is easy to find when needed. With each item are marked in their places, Picture 4. When each item has an address, name and maximum quantity, this eliminates unnecessary searching and retrieving.

 

Figure 5. Tools organized (example)

 

Completing the 2S phase leads to standardization of both the production cell and the work methods, it is the basis of all standardization.  After the best possible layout has been found, the storage locations must be identified so that anyone can identify which item is in which storage location and what quantity there should be. The questions are What, Where and How Much .

The marking strategy utilizes various visual markings to identify what, where, and how much stuff is in each place.  The main identification methods are:

·       Location tags that tell where items are placed

·       Item identifiers that tell you what items are in a particular location

·       Quantity tags that tell how much stuff is in a particular location

Visual markings are used to identify: 1. Names and work areas, 2. Inventory locations, 3. Equipment inventory locations, 4. Standard operating procedures, 5. Machine layouts (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Visual marking (example)

STEP 4: 3S Clean, Stand. “Keep machines and work environment neat and clean”

 

I once asked a cleaner how he felt about the work he did, and he replied, “I don’t just clean places, I also do my part to care for people’s well-being.” That was a great insight, he was able to see the broader meaning of his work .

The same thing applies to 5S, it is not just about keeping places clean and tidy, but also about the comprehensive maintenance of machines and equipment. This is called TPM (Total Productive Maintenance). It is a systematic approach to the maintenance of production equipment, the aim of which is to maximize the availability, efficiency and reliability of the equipment by minimizing downtime, defects and waste. 5S is therefore the cornerstone of TPM. I will write more about this later.

The steps of the cleaning operation are: Determine the cleaning objectives, determine those responsible for the cleaning, determine the cleaning methods, acquire the necessary tools, and carry out the cleaning.

The 3S cleaning sub-disciplines help build an excellent workplace to perform daily tasks.

1. Autonomous Maintenance
Self-motivated maintenance is one of the key pillars of TPM , and its goal is to give operators the authority and responsibility for the basic maintenance, cleanliness and orderliness of their own machine or equipment and their work environment.

In practice, this means that the users of the device (e.g. production workers or machine operators) take care of daily, simple maintenance tasks , such as:
• cleaning
• lubrication
• inspections
• minor adjustments
• early detection of defects

The goal is:
• improves the condition and reliability of equipment
• increase employee ownership and responsibility for equipment
• frees up maintenance experts for more demanding tasks
• prevent defects from occurring in the first place – not just fix them afterwards

Advantages:
• improving occupational safety
• reduction in the need for repairs
• facilitates inspections and forecasting
• enables early detection of small defects and leaks

2. Planned Maintenance

Planned maintenance means that equipment maintenance and repairs are carried out in a predictable and scheduled manner, correcting potential sources of problems before the machine breaks down.

The goal is:
• reduces unexpected defects and production downtime
• ensure systematic and timely maintenance

Planned maintenance includes three areas:

Planned maintenance includes three areas:
• Preventive Maintenance

o Based on time, operating hours, production volumes or other metrics
o E.g. lubrication once a week, belt replacement after 1000 hours of operation

• Condition-Based Maintenance

o Based on device health monitoring (e.g. sensors, measurements)
o Maintenance is carried out when the first signs of wear or failure are detected
o For example, vibration measurement reveals a bearing fault → the bearing can be replaced before it breaks

• Scheduled Corrective Maintenance

o When a defect is detected, its repair is planned and scheduled in a controlled manner
o Differs from urgent repair, where the response is immediate to a breakdown

The effects of planned maintenance in 5S operations:
• Devices become more predictable and usable
• Improves overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
• Enables continuous improvement over the long term without unexpected downtime

"Perform maintenance and repairs in a controlled manner before a crisis occurs."

3S: Clean – the third pillar of 5S
When done correctly, this step keeps the premises clean and tidy, and the equipment and machinery in working order, minimizing downtime.
If cleanliness and order are not maintained:

• employee morale declines
• occupational safety is compromised
• Product quality suffers

It is important to remember that the cleanliness and orderliness of the workplace is the responsibility of everyone who works there.

Figure 6. 

In the next article, I will look at measuring Cleaning and Checking, i.e. how well you have succeeded in the 1S-3S measures, this means the 4S pillar Standardize, which means consistently performing the first three pillars in an established manner, Figure 6, and the 5S pillar Maintain self-discipline to maintain a high level of cleanliness and order.

Pentti Enlund

MexLink Oy