This is the twelfth post in a series taken from a lesson in Pyzdek Institute Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training. Future posts will continue the topic. You can find all of the articles in the series by searching this site for the title.

Standardized Cleanup

Standardized cleanup is used to maintain the 5S activities described so far. The definition is somewhat circular: when the 5S activities of Sort, Set in Order, and Shine are properly maintained, then you have standardized 5S. When 5S has been standardized you avoid backsliding.

Determine Responsibilities

The tools needed for standardized cleanup include the tools already introduced: 5S maps and 5S schedules. In addition you’ll need a new tool: the 5S Cycle Chart (see Figure 14.) To create such a chart you sort the duties into Sort, Set in Order, and Shine categories and use a letter code to identify the cycle period. The resulting 5S Job Cycle Chart can be used as a checklist by the personnel responsible for the various 5S activities.

Figure 14-5S Job Cycle Chart

5S Job Cycle Chart

Integrate Sort, Set in Order, and Shine with the Work Routine

Make these three 5S activities a part of the normal work done in the work cell. This integration will reinforce the idea that 5S isn’t something added on to the work being done, it is an integral part of it. One mechanism for implementing this is “Visual 5S.” As with the visual workplace in general, the purpose of visual 5S is to be able to tell at a glance that 5S activities are being done on an ongoing basis. For example, if Set in Order requires that  tools are kept on a pegboard, then the tool outlines on the pegboard will indicate which tools are currently in use. This means that any blank space observed on the pegboard at the start or end of the shift is an indication of a problem.

Another mechanism is 5-minute 5S. This is similar to the 5-minute shine described earlier, only the scope is the entire 5S program. Don’t get hung-up on the “5-minute” part of this activity, it’s just an easy to remember tag. However, think of it as something you do quickly. You may want to use a visual display to make it easier to track your 5-Minute 5S activities, such as that shown in Figure 15.

Figure 15-5 Minute 5S Signboard

5 Minute 5S Signboard

This is the eleventh post in a series taken from a lesson in Pyzdek Institute Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training. Future posts will continue the topic. You can find all of the articles in the series by searching this site for the title.

Shine

Cleaning Inspection

Shine can be thought of as the Lean Six Sigma version of housekeeping. It involves making sure that dirt, grease, and grime is eliminated from the work place. The goal is to make the workplace a safe and pleasant place to work. Shine also assures that items and equipment will be ready to use when needed. Shine is an ongoing activity, not a once-in-a-while “spring cleaning” type of event.

Cleaning and inspection go hand-in-hand. When you clean an area you automatically inspect the working surfaces, floor, equipment, parts, etc. that you are cleaning. This is a side-benefit of cleaning because it highlights issues and opportunities that would otherwise be overlooked. To get the full benefit from this you will need to incorporate a method for easily reporting any problems discovered.

Shine Steps

Identify the shine targets. What warehouse items (parts, raw materials, subassemblies, etc.,) equipment (machines, tools, worktables, desks and chairs, etc.,) and spaces (floors, work areas, beams, windows, shelves, lights, etc.) will be cleaned?

Assign responsibilities. Use the 5S map to create specific areas that will be assigned to individuals. Set up and post a schedule showing when each area is to be cleaned. Be sure that shine activities take place throughout each day.

Determine the shine methods. Start and end each shift with a shine inspection. Determine what will be cleaned and how it will be cleaned, including the cleaning supplies and equipment needed. Implement the “5-minute shine” drill. You will be surprised at how much can be done in an intense 5-minute effort. Develop standard cleaning procedures that assure that time is spent on actual cleaning rather than on preparation for the task.

Tools. Apply the Set In Order approach to your cleaning tools, thereby making them easy to find and easy to use.

Shine! Now it’s time to get to work on the targets. Have the responsible people follow the shine procedures and, using the proper tools, clean the work area to the required standards.

Deal with issues identified during cleaning. Finally, respond to any problems found during the shine process. When possible, fix things immediately. The standard cleaning procedure should include what steps to take to deal with problems that can’t be fixed at once. To whom should they be reported? What forms, etc. are needed? It is a good idea to attach a tag to any equipment where maintenance has been requested to remind workers and supervisors that maintenance is pending.

The Pyzdek Institute has been notified that Thomas Pyzdek has received the Lean & Six Sigma Leadership Award from the American Quality institute. The award was for:

“Your willingness to inform, share and inspire others in the Lean & Six Sigma Community.”

The Pyzdek Institute was informed of the award by Sermin Vanderbilt, President, The International Lean & Six Sigma Conference on August 8, 2010.

Thomas Pyzdek has written over 50 copyrighted works, including such classics as The Six Sigma Handbook, The Quality Engineering Handbook, and The Handbook for Quality Management. Pyzdek’s work is widely acclaimed for its ability to make the seemingly complex subject of process excellence understandable. Pyzdek is the author of all of the training courses offered by The Pyzdek Institute.

This is the tenth post in a series taken from a lesson in Pyzdek Institute Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training. Future posts will continue the topic. You can find all of the articles in the series by searching this site for the title.

Set in Order

Once the Sort phase has been completed, it is time to set the remaining needed items in order. Items are arranged and labeled so they are easy to find and use when needed. When this is done a great deal of waste is eliminated in production and office activity. For example, it will no longer be necessary to waste time searching for the needed item, nor will it be necessary to return an item because it wasn’t the item you actually needed. You’ll make fewer errors due to using the wrong tool or material or form.

Setting in order revolves around standardization, and, conversely, standardization revolves around setting things in order. The key principle is visual control. For example, Figure 10 makes it clear to the surgical team which instrument goes where by providing drawings and verbal descriptions. In factories, Lean Six Sigma teams often keep things simple by drawing outlines of the tools on simple pegboards, as shown in Figure 11. It is then easier to see which items are currently in use, as well as where a given item needs to go when it is returned. If possible, attach the tool to a retractable cord so it automatically returns to the correct location when released. Color-coding the tools helps reduce errors (Figure 12.)

Figure 10-5S Surgical Instruments Organizer

To further simplify, teams should organize tools so they are presented in the order of use and are easily accessible to operators. Ideally operators will be able to get the needed tool without even looking at the tray or pegboard. This may require providing storage areas with additional space between tools to make it easy to reach them.[1]

As a general set in order rule, frequently used items are located nearer to the work cell than items used less frequently. Items that are seldom used are usually stored in a remote location to reduce clutter.

Figure 11-Pots and Pans Outlined on Pegboard

Figure 12-Engine Assembly Line in Poland with Color-Coded Overhead Tools on Retractable Cords

Locations

The locations where WIP, jigs, tools and other equipment are stored can be determined by evaluating the “5S Map,” such as that shown in Figure 7-Work cell Layout. This is done as follows:

1. Draw the 5S Map on a floor plan, preferably drawn to scale. Indicate the location of WIP, fixtures, tools, etc. on the scale drawing.
2. Draw a spaghetti diagram of the work flow on the 5S map. Identify wasted motion.
3. Create alternative 5S maps which reduce or eliminate wasted motion.
4. Simulate the work flows represented by the various 5S maps and choose the best alternative.
5. Create the new work cell layout, including locating the WIP, tools, fixtures and jigs, etc..

Once the improved layout has been determined, create “signboards” to identify the locations for the various items needed in the work cell. This includes location indicators that show where the various items go, such as marking off floor areas with tape or paint. It also includes item indicators which show the specific items that belong in each location. Finally, you will need amount indicators to specify how many of each item are needed. Signboards are used to identify machine locations, locations for standard procedure displays, storage of equipment when it is not being used, location of WIP and finished goods inventory, racks and spaces within racks for various items, and named work areas.

Floor locations are often shown in places other than the work cell itself. For example, paint (or colored tape) is used to show aisles and aisle direction, door swing space, storage locations, zones which are off-limits for storage, hazardous areas, etc.. Additional information can be conveyed by the use of color-coded paint. For example, red might show off-limit areas, green might show operations areas, and yellow might indicate divider lines.[2] If you use color-coding, be sure that the color uses are standardized.

[1] In the case of the surgical instruments tray, a person normally hands the needed instrument to the surgeon.

[2] Color coding has other uses as well. For example, it can be used to show  which tools are used together, which equipment make up a “set” for producing a particular item, etc.. Be creative and use your imagination to identify how to use simple, visual means of conveying information at a glance.

I’ve reviewed thousands of improvement projects. I’ve lost count of how many project presentations I’ve attended, either for certification purposes or for presentations to leaders. I’ve come to the conclusion that most Green Belts and Black Belts simultaneously present too much information, and not enough information. If I may speak to Green Belts and Black Belts on behalf of leaders and Master Black Belts everywhere, here’s what I’d like to say. What we’re asking is actually very simple, namely how did you apply the Six Sigma process to pursue a real opportunity? In other words, for your project just walk us through the L1 Six Sigma process shown in the figure, and do so in 45 minutes or less. I actually don’t even care if you use a PowerPoint template, or even if you have any slides whatever. I just want to hear a great Six Sigma success story.

This is the ninth post in a series taken from a lesson in Pyzdek Institute Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training. Future posts will continue the topic. You can find all of the articles in the series by searching this site for the title.

How can we keep the workplace safe, clean and organized? (5S)

The standardized approach to work is completely dependent upon maintaining discipline in the workplace. Procedures are useless if they are not maintained and followed. Change is not only inevitable, it is desirable and pursued continuously. When favorable change has been discovered it is made part of the standard.

The workplace itself is the physical manifestation of the standard. It includes the materials, equipment, and tools needed to do the work according to the standard. It does not include anything that is not needed. Just as the work cell is laid out to produce maximum efficiency, the details are also arranged to achieve this goal. The necessary tools are placed where they can be easily and immediately accessed when needed. Strict housekeeping is enforced to assure that clutter is non-existent; clutter is not needed to do the work, so it is to be eliminated. In Lean Six Sigma the system used to create and maintain an efficient, clutter-free and clean workplace is known as “5S.” 5S. 5S is the starting point for Lean deployment. 5S stands for Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. These terms are defined as follows:

• Sort. Clearly distinguish what is necessary to do the job from what is not. Eliminate the unnecessary.
• Set in order. Put needed items in their correct place to allow for easy accessibility and retrieval.
• Shine. Keep the workplace clean and clear of clutter. This promotes safety as well as efficiency.
• Standardized cleanup. Develop an approach to maintaining a clean and orderly work environment that works.
• Sustain. Make a habit of maintaining your workplace.

Sort

Earlier in the training we focused attention on process steps and operations activities that were non-value-added. The same search for waste occurs with 5S during the Sort phase. Sort means that you vigorously search for items in the work place that are not needed to perform the value-added work being done. This is much more difficult than it sounds. People tend to want to hold on to things “just in case” they are needed at a future time. This mentality is an artifact that results from the pre-lean era when unforeseen problems–for example equipment failures, quality defects, bottlenecks, etc.—created such needs. This hoarding behavior results in the accumulation of things that are not needed in the well designed lean work cell. They take up space which is needed for production and they get in the way of smooth movement within the work cell.

Red-Tagging

To deal with the “we may need this later” mentality, and the general uncertainty regarding what is and is not needed, it is best to proceed by placing an item in a holding area before discarding it completely. In Lean Six Sigma this is done by using red-tags. When a red-tag is placed on an item the team is asking three questions:

1. Is this item needed in this work cell?
2. If the answer to #1 is yes, is it needed in this quantity?
3. Does this item need to be located here?

Items that are red-tagged are considered one-by-one and one of the following actions is taken:

• They are left where they are.
• They are moved to another location for storage.
• They are held in a local red-tag holding area for a specified period of time to see if they are needed or not.
• They are disposed of, i.e., thrown away, sold, used elsewhere in the company, or moved to a central red-tag holding area.

If large equipment is red-tagged it should be handled as described above if possible. If the equipment can’t be moved it can remain where it is for a while, but it should be removed when it is determined that it is not needed where it is.

The results of the red-tag effort should be documented to show the value of the effort. It is not uncommon for companies to postpone or scrap plans to add facility space after seeing the amount of floor space freed as a result of the red-tag program. This is the infamous “hidden factory” made visible.

This is the eighth post in a series taken from a lesson in Pyzdek Institute Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training. Future posts will continue the topic. You can find all of the articles in the series by searching this site for the title.

What skills do the people need?

The Lean Six Sigma cell layout requires that workers be multiskilled and able to handle any of the tasks in the work cell. This differs from an operations-based layout where, for example, all drill presses are placed together and a person would only need to know how to operate a drill press. In contrast, a work cell might have drill presses, grinding machines, mills, a deburring station, etc. and all workers need to know how to operate all of this equipment competently.

How can we keep track of cross-training?

It’s a good idea to keep track of which operator has which skill in a work cell, as shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9-Cross Training Chart

An additional advantage to the continuous cell layout is that workers don’t waste time standing around waiting for the machine to finish a task. Instead they load one machine, start it, and move to the next operation in the cell while the machine completes its automatic cycle.

How can we arrange the workplace and assign workers so those working in it can easily help one another?

Yet another efficiency enhancement is that when more than one person is working in the cell the workers can help each other if one of them falls behind. Quality also improves as workers are able to check on each other’s work and often catch quality problems right away. Work cell layout should deliberately take this into account, making it easy for a more experienced worker to help a fellow worker. Worker assignment should also consider this. Try to assign workers so new or slower people have more experienced and faster workers on either side, or immediately after them in the flow.

This is the seventh post in a series taken from a lesson in Pyzdek Institute Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training. Future posts will continue the topic. You can find all of the articles in the series by searching this site for the title.

How many people are needed?

Consider the process described in Figure 3 in an earlier article. The requirement for this process is shown in the figure to be 255 units. The team’s idea for the process was to set it up as shown in Figure 7. The U shape will minimize the distance that people need to move. Figure 8 shows the standard operations routine sheet for the process. This sheet graphically shows a time line for each operation, the manual time, the automated machine time, and the travel time. The total time to complete a full cycle for this process is 113 seconds (see either Figure 8 or Table 2.) Although some machines continue to operate automatically at this time, the operator can return to the beginning of the process and start another cycle. By the time the operator reaches each operation on the next cycle, the machines will have completed their cycle and, due to autonomation (Jikoda) they will have automatically stopped.

This process can be operated by one person. A full day’s production can be produced from this process in 28815 seconds. Since a full work day is 51600 seconds, the worker will have time to perform other duties each day, including 5S (see below.)

Figure 7-Work cell Layout

Figure 8-Standard Operations Routine

Standard Operations Routine Sheet

Table 2-Process Cycle Time Calculation

This is the sixth post in a series taken from a lesson in Pyzdek Institute Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training. Future posts will continue the topic. You can find all of the articles in the series by searching this site for the title.

How should the workplace be arranged?

Cell design is performed in two phases.

• Phase 1: Document the current state. This topic has been covered in several earlier modules. At this point in your Lean Six Sigma project you have already created a lean value stream at the process level. Cell design begins from there.
• Phase 2: Convert to a process-based layout. Cause-and-effect diagrams are a useful tool here. When creating a cause-and-effect diagram you were taught that they can be used to identify the causes of a problem you are trying to solve. Here the problem is one of achieving continuous flow. When creating a cause-and-effect diagram use the “4 Ms” as a starting point: Men (and women,) Methods, Machines, and Materials. How should these elements be combined to achieve maximum flow?

How should we layout the equipment so movement of people and materials is efficient?

Continuous flow work cells are nearly always shaped like either “U” or “C” to minimize walking. The equipment and workstations are arranged close together in the sequence of the work steps. This arrangement reduces walking distance to a minimum and results in the worker being near the start point of the next work cycle when he completes the work cycle. It is different than many traditional operation based work layouts where a worker sits or stands in one position and does a very simple repetitive task all day. The traditional work arrangement leads to psychological issues such as boredom or mental fatigue, as well as physical problems from repetitive stress injuries.

Where will WIP be stored?

Standard stock refers to the materials that are needed to begin work within a process, such as work-in-process inventory (WIP.) The design of the work cell will influence the WIP requirements; conversely, WIP requirements will influence the design of the work cell. Ideally, one piece will start at the beginning of the work cell and progress through each process step without the need to stop. However, there are circumstances that may require additional stock. For example, if part is welded at one step and needs to cool before it can be processed through the next step. Or if there is a need to perform an inspection before the part is placed in a subassembly where it can’t be accessed afterwards. Bottlenecks, by definition, can’t produce enough to meet takt time requirements. The bottleneck problem is sometimes solved by additional WIP to supplement the bottleneck’s output.

How can we rearrange the workplace quickly when we need to make a different item?

As discussed earlier, the equipment used for Lean production tends to be smaller and more mobile. It is usually possible to rearrange the equipment in a work cell quickly so different parts can be made using the same equipment. Work cell design should make this as simple to do as possible. Also consider where equipment, fixtures, WIP and other items will be placed when not needed for the item currently being produced. Storage areas should be nearby and clearly marked so workers know where to store unneeded resources, and where to find them when they are needed again. It should be easy to physically move the equipment and, if necessary, reconnect to power, plumbing, etc..

This is the fifth post in a series taken from a lesson in Pyzdek Institute Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training. Future posts will continue the topic. You can find all of the articles in the series by searching this site for the title.

Which non-value added activities can be eliminated immediately?

Of course, the standard work description, including the work element times, is just a starting point. Constant improvement is expected in the way the work is done and the time it takes to do it. For the long term, consider creating an opportunity map for the work within the cell and pursuing the opportunities over time. It’s a good idea to do this even before the original work cell design is complete. You can use the work element time data you just collected for this purpose. Create a stacked bar chart showing all of the work element in the work cell. One of the bars is for the work elements used currently, the other will show only the work elements that are actually included in the work cell design. In particular, you need to focus on eliminating non-value added work. You may recall from the lesson on opportunity maps that work is considered value added only if all of the following are true:

1. It is done right the first time. Rework does not count as value-added work.
2. The customer is willing to pay for it.
3. It changes the thing being worked on. Moves, inspection, or storage are not value-added.

Figure 6 shows a stacked bar chart of the initial improvements that can be made to the weld + inspect process when changing the design from batch-and-queue to a continuous flow cell. The team focused on non-value work elements, mainly waiting and moving, and made the improvements shown.

Figure 6-Paper Kaizen

Figure 6-Paper Kaizen

How should the workplace be arranged?

Cell design is performed in two phases.

• Phase 1: Document the current state. This topic has been covered in several earlier modules. At this point in your Lean Six Sigma project you have already created a lean value stream at the process level. Cell design begins from there.
• Phase 2: Convert to a process-based layout. Cause-and-effect diagrams are a useful tool here.
  When creating a cause-and-effect diagram you were taught that they can be used to identify the causes of a problem you are trying to solve. Here the problem is one of achieving continuous flow. When creating a cause-and-effect diagram use the “4 Ms” as a starting point: Men (and women,) Methods, Machines, and Materials. How should these elements be combined to achieve maximum flow?

How should we layout the equipment so movement of people and materials is efficient?

Continuous flow work cells are nearly always shaped like either “U” or “C” to minimize walking. The equipment and workstations are arranged close together in the sequence of the work steps. This arrangement reduces walking distance to a minimum and results in the worker being near the start point of the next work cycle when he completes the work cycle. It is different than many traditional operation based work layouts where a worker sits or stands in one position and does a very simple repetitive task all day. The traditional work arrangement leads to psychological issues such as boredom or mental fatigue, as well as physical problems from repetitive stress injuries.

Where will WIP be stored?

Standard stock refers to the materials that are needed to begin work within a process, such as work-in-process inventory (WIP.) The design of the work cell will influence the WIP requirements; conversely, WIP requirements will influence the design of the work cell. Ideally, one piece will start at the beginning of the work cell and progress through each process step without the need to stop. However, there are circumstances that may require additional stock. For example, if part is welded at one step and needs to cool before it can be processed through the next step. Or if there is a need to perform an inspection before the part is placed in a subassembly where it can’t be accessed afterwards. Bottlenecks, by definition, can’t produce enough to meet takt time requirements. The bottleneck problem is sometimes solved by additional WIP to supplement the bottleneck’s output.

How can we rearrange the workplace quickly when we need to make a different item?

As discussed earlier, the equipment used for Lean production tends to be smaller and more mobile. It is usually possible to rearrange the equipment in a work cell quickly so different parts can be made using the same equipment. Work cell design should make this as simple to do as possible. Also consider where equipment, fixtures, WIP and other items will be placed when not needed for the item currently being produced. Storage areas should be nearby and clearly marked so workers know where to store unneeded resources, and where to find them when they are needed again. It should be easy to physically move the equipment and, if necessary, reconnect to power, plumbing, etc..