5S method : Housekeeping

The 5S implemented by Factory Systems guarantee you concrete, lasting results.

The 5S method, which takes its name from the first letter of each of the five operations, is a Japanese management technique derived from the Toyota Production System (TPS). It is based on 5 simple principles:

1. Seiri :  sort means eliminating anything that is unnecessary for the equipment to work properly.
2. Seiton :  straightening is the best way of eliminating pointless searching and having all the material necessary for functional production according to the principle: “a place for everything and everything in its place.”
3. Seiso :  shining means keeping everything so clean that it shines.
   In a clean environment, any leak or other abnormality can be detected faster.
   Working in a clean environment improves motivation and safety. This is a prerequisite for quality maintenance.
4. Seiketsu :  standardizing means respecting the previous 3S.
   The 3S are actions to take; so that cleanliness and elimination of the causes of untidiness become the norm, it is essential to write them down as ordinary rules, as standards.
   Seiketsu helps to overcome the natural tendency to slovenliness and a return to old habits.
5. Shitsuke : sustain after a period of 3 to 6 months (depending on the size and complexity of the workshop), the time has come to evaluate the situation by means of an in-depth audit. The audit is based on a very precise questionnaire, which assesses the previous 4S, and which leads, if successful – to the site being certified.

For optimal monitoring of your 5S, auditing is a critical phase that occurs early in the process (pre-audit), throughout the implementation to measure progress and final phase to validate results and certify the area.

Factory Systems has developed a simple and user-friendly 5S audit software specially designed to closely monitor the implementation of a 5S approach in your company. It will serve as an objective measurement tool from the initial situation to a 5S certification.
Based on real-life examples, it will be a valuable tool in your continuous improvement process.

Main features :

1. Registration of basic information: name of company, area to be audited, auditor, contacts, etc.
2. Parameter setting of the area to be audited.  The 5S software will guide you in order to define the various parameters relating to the zone to be studied : factory or laboratory or store…; type of manufacturing or storage or other…; nature of the products, surface of the zone; etc.
3. Performing of the findings : a finding is a field observation that is not in line with the prescriptions of the 5S method, the latter being included in lists of findings available in the 5S software.
   1. The photographic observations which record any concrete situation allowing to clearly visualize the deviations from the 5S prescriptions.
   2. Written statements that relate facts, events, situations that cannot be described by photos. Note that photos taken in the previous case can also be enriched with comments.
4. Registration of each finding in one of the 4S : seiri-seiton-seiso-seiketsu. It is possible to record an observation in several S. Each recorded finding will lose points, depending on the criteria used for the parameterization (the larger the zone, the more complex, the more dirty it is, the less the weight of a finding will be important).
5. Verification (review) of the 4 lists of findings (one per S) with the possibility of forcing certain scores or completing sections left unrecorded.
6. Display of the intermediate results of the audit and of course the final results. The labeling will be given when 80% of the points will be obtained in the 4S (seiri-seiton-seiso-Seiketsu).
7. Automatic creation of two reports
   1. The audit report that displays all the scores obtained, distributed for each of the S
   2. The photo reports which allows to visualize all the anomalies and is often very useful for the display on board in company.