Workplace organisation and improved process flow
South West Metal Finishing Case Study 2
Comments...
“5S is not simply about having a good tidy up or painting an area. It is about really thinking through those items that are needed to undertake the process and then having them arranged in an effective and highly visible way that promotes efficient, safe and high quality working practices. Good 5S practice is both impressive to observe and highly effective in terms of process optimisation.”
Trevor Chilton, LEAD Coach at SWMF.
South West Metal Finishing (SWMF) embraces Workplace Organisation and Improved Process Flow
As an integral part of it’s continuous improvement programme, South West Metal Finishing, with the support of Lean Education And Development, have engaged it’s workforce in workplace organisation (5S) and process improvement projects. These projects, suggested by the local teams, have embraced change across both Operational and Office areas. The results have been dramatic and the overall benefits include improvements to product flow, health and safety, productivity and lead time performance. Customers, who include many of the major aerospace brands, are now delighted to visibly see the commitment to improvement and the effects it is having on company performance.
There were 7 operationally based projects covering the Tin Bellows Area, Chemical Stores, Goods In, Maintenance, Final Inspection, Flash Hard Chrome and Jigging Area. All areas undertook the 5S activity. Component storage and mechanical aids were removed off the floor and labelled locations on shelves and benches were introduced. Several long standing quality issues where addressed at root cause during
the overall improvement process.
The office based staff were very much involved in the programme after the initial perception that “it was only useful for production staff”. There were 3 office based projects covering pricing & quoting, job cards and data cards. All areas undertook the 5S activity and de-cluttered the work place, removing old files and cabinets that contained out of date material. Using visual management systems, areas were labelled and identified so that items could be found at a glance and easily identifiable. Kanbans were put in place to ensure stock levels of items were maintained at optimum levels.
The Problems and Resolution
Office Based Transactional Projects – Process Flow Analysis
Operational Projects – 5S
Chemical Store
BEFORE
Chemical Stores was cluttered. There was no labelling of the chemical location and the areas were not in a prime location.
AFTER
5S Activity used to sort unused and out of date chemicals. Area was cleaned and swept allowing floor markings and shelf locations to be clearly marked. The Quarantine Area was relocated, releasing prime floor space for fast moving chemical storage.
Section 3 Jigging Area
BEFORE
Section 3 Jigging Area was cluttered with obstacles creating in-efficiencies in this small enclosed area.
AFTER
5S Activity was used to sort unwanted items. The area was then re-planned and cleaned. Floor and shelf markings were then added to ensure control and effectiveness.
Quality Final Inspection
BEFORE
Final Inspection had processing delays resulting in late deliveries to customers.
AFTER
Process Flow Analysis and 5S actions were implemented. Process Flow indicated Inspector had to wait for batched documentation to be printed off by colleague. Method changed to allow documentation to printed individually by Inspector and not batched.
Hard Chrome
BEFORE
Flash Hard Chrome had long standing Quality problems resulting in failed delivery targets.
AFTER
Using the expertise and involvement of customer, supplier and internal staff, analytical techniques were employed to identify the root cause and implement the preferred solution. Clear identification of key materials was achieved using 5S methods.
Maintenance
Maintenance lacked standard reporting systems. This resulted in delays and increased downtime due to Maintenance staff arriving at a breakdown with in-correct tools to resolve the issue.
New Standard Operating Procedures were introduced for fault and breakdown reporting. These incorporated the use of mobile phones and section boards to expedite communications. 5S Activity took place in the Maintenance section to clearly identify tools and spares.
Goods Inward
The Goods In Area was not separated from dispatch. Items were not easily identified and there was no clear process for collecting items from goods in and moving them to production areas. The area was very untidy.
5S Activity and Visual Management Systems were used to define separate Goods In and Dispatch areas. Shelves were clearly labelled and individually marked trolleys were implemented to collect specific families of items and take them to designated and marked production areas. This avoided the possibility of mixing materials.
