Introduction to the 5s methodology

5s are a set of fundamental principles in Lean Manufacturing that refer to five Japanese terms beginning with the letter "S" and represent specific steps to create an orderly, efficient and safe work environment that will facilitate productivity and quality.

This methodology emerged in the 1960s at Toyota with the aim of having cleaner, tidier and more organized workplaces, in order to achieve greater productivity. The implementation of the 5s should always be the starting point for the implementation of Lean Manufacturing in organizations.

First Stage of the 5s: Seiri - Classification

The objective of this first stage is to remove everything that is not used in the daily work.

Only the tools and components necessary for production should be present at the workstation.

Second Stage of the 5s: Seiton - Order

In this second stage, it could be summarized as follows, "a specific place for everything, and everything in its place".

A space should be designated for each tool/tool/component needed and labeled in a correct way. The way to designate these places should be based on economy of movement, in order to have the most efficient cycle time possible.

Third Stage of the 5s: Seiso - Cleanliness

The third stage will deal with the issue of cleanliness in the workplace. The purpose of having a clean workstation is not only related to an aesthetic or hygienic issue, but it will make problems much more visually obvious. If we imagine a completely messy and dirty workstation with oil stains, it is very likely that if there is a new oil leak, it will be much less obvious than if we really had a completely clean workstation.

There should always be cleaning tools close to the workstation to ensure cleanliness. It is also good to "repaint" the workstations from time to time to give a feeling of cleanliness and quality. The sources of soiling should be studied in order to apply TPM, for example, to eliminate or mitigate them.

Fourth Stage of the 5s: Seiketsu - Standardization

In this stage, standards are created that allow the maintenance of the 3 previous phases over time.

Through procedures and training, it should be the operators who follow these standards for the maintenance of the 5s.

An example of standardization would be:

1. Creation of the 5s standard
2. The operators at the end of the shift should leave everything according to this standard.
3. The operators of the next shift, at the beginning of the shift, should fill out a checklist comparing it with the 5s standard.

Fifth Stage of the 5s: Shitsuke - Discipline

This is the most difficult stage, which consists of maintaining the order and cleanliness achieved in the previous stages. This can be achieved with the following steps:

1. Creation of a team to follow up the 5s (it could be the continuous improvement team).
2. Creation of 5s status indicators in each area of the factory.
3. Reporting of these indicators to management.
4. Support from management in case of not meeting the objectives.