Lean

Visual Control

Michele Burch
 Definition of Visual Control
• “Visual control is the type of control that will enable even
persons such as the company president, or other upper-
level executives who know very little about the plant, to
apprehend a certain amount of important information about
the plant (namely, the progress status of the manufacturing
processes, the amount of raw materials and work-in-
progress being held in inventories, the number of defects
being generated, which machines and equipment are out of
production and why, and the like) merely by walking
through the plant and observing it; this, in turn, will allow
these executives to point out problems and make
suggestions concerning how to deal with them.”
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Source: The Factory Management Notebook Series: Case studies in improvement – Visual Control Systems, edited by Esme McTighe, vol. 1, no. 2, Productivity Press, 1991.
 The 5 S’s
• Seiri Organization (Sort)
• Seiton Orderliness (Set in Order)
• Seiso Cleanliness (Shine)
• Seiketsu
Standardized Cleanup
(Standardize)
• Shitsuke Discipline (Sustain)

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 The Five Pillars

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 Benefits to the Worker
• Foster creativity
• Pleasant workplace
• Job satisfaction
• Make work less frustrating
• Clear expectations
• Improved communications

Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
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 The First Pillar - Sort
• Remove unnecessary items
• When in doubt, throw it out.
• Problems reduced
• Communications improved
• Quality and productivity

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 Avoided Problems with Sort
• Crowding
• Communication barriers resulting from storage
areas
• Wasted searching time
• Maintenance costs associated with unnecessary
inventory and machines
• Inventory hiding other problems
• Barriers to flow

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 The Second Pillar – Set in Order
• Follows sort
• Arrange and label needed items
• Eliminates wastes
– Searching
– Difficulty in using items
– Difficult in returning items

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 Implementing Set in Order
• Locate by frequency

• Store frequently by point of use

• Store infrequently away from point of use.

• Store together if used together

• Store in sequence

• Use “just let go” arrangement for tools

• Make storage larger than items

• Jigs, tools, and dies that serve multiple functions

• Function-based storage

• Product-based storage
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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 Eliminating or Reducing Motions
• Principle 1: Start and end each motion with both hands moving at once.
• Principle 2: Both arms should move symmetrically and in opposite directions.
• Principle 3: Keep trunk motions to a minimum.
• Principle 4: Use gravity instead of muscle.
• Principle 5: Avoid zigzagging motions and sudden changes in direction.
• Principle 6: Move with a steady rhythm.
• Principle 7: Maintain a comfortable posture with comfortable motions.
• Principle 8: Use the feet to operate on and off switches for machines where
practical.
• Principle 9: Keep materials and tools close and in front
• Principle 10: Arrange materials and tools in the order of their use.
• Principle 11: Use inexpensive methods for feeding in and sending out
materials.
• Principle 12: Stand at a proper height for the work to be done.
• Principle 13: Make materials and parts easy to pick up.
• Principle 14: Make handles and grips in efficient, easy-to-use shapes and
positions.
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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 Color-coding can be used to show clearly which parts, tools,
jigs, and dies are to be used for which purpose.

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 Outlining

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 Avoided Problems with Set in Order
• Motion Waste

• Searching Waste

• The Waste of Human Energy

• The Waste of Excess Inventory

• The Waste of Defective Products

• The Waste of Unsafe Conditions

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 The Third Pillar - Shine
• Keep it clean
• Purposes:
– Enjoyable workplace
– Good condition – ready to use
• Shine equipment, warehouse items, space
• Standards – daily assignments
• Inspection

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 The Fourth Pillar - Standardize
• Purposes:
– Avoid regression
– Ingrain good daily habits
– Maintain first three pillars
• Step 1: Assignment of responsibilities
• Step 2: Integrate into regular work
• Step 3: Audit and evaluate

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 Unbreakable Standardization
• Preventive Sorting

• Preventive Setting in Order

– Make it difficult to misplace things
– Make it impossible

• Preventive Shine

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 Preventive Setting in Order:
Techniques for Eliminating Tools

• Tool unification

• Tool Substitution

• Method Substitution

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 The Fifth Pillar - Sustain
How do you sustain?
• Awareness

• Time

• Structure

• Rewards and Recognition

• Satisfaction and Excitement

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 Tools & Techniques
• Communications
– Posters
– Storyboards.
– 5s Newsletters
– Improvement Maps
– Pocket Manuals
– Model Department
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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 Management’s Role
• Training
• Team Selection
• Time and Schedules
• Resources/supplies
• Support
• Encouraging Involvement
• Rewards – tangible and intangible

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 Problems Avoided by Sustain
• Unneeded item pile up

• Tools not returned

• Equipment becomes dirty

• Items in walkways

• Dirty machines malfunction

• Low worker’s morale

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Source: 5S for Operators—5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace , by Productivity Press Development Team, Productivity Press, 1996.
 5s Videos

• 5s Video 5s Parody

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