Kaizen Principles

 

Leadership – what can we do as individuals

 

Root Cause Analysis Example – How to work a QAR using Kaizen

 

Benefits of Kaizen

 

Quotations relating to Kaizen

 

Double Checks

 

The Five S’s Explained

·        Details – 5S’s Defined

·        Details – The 1st pillar – ‘Sort’

·        Details – The 2nd pillar – ‘Set to Order’

·        Details – The 3rd pillar – ‘Shine’

·        Details – The 4th pillar – ‘Standardize’

·        Details – The 5th pillar – ‘Sustain’

 

Deming’s 14 Points

 

Toyota’s 14 Principles

 

Kaizen Leadership

 

As we continue to examine Kaizen this year, it is important that each and every one of us continually improves his leadership skills.  At every level of our organization there are leaders.  At one point during each day, nearly every one of us becomes a leader (instructor).

 

If we truly want to practice Kaizen, the first thing we have to do is realize that the system we have created as leaders is responsible for 95% of our problems.  Our Associates who do the work are not lazy, slip-shod or irresponsible.  They simply react to what our leadership asks of them.  They really do want to do a good job!  Our systems, machines and cooperation between plants / departments is what is holding them back.

 

So this year let us all try something new.  When we come across a problem let us make the last question we ask (or possibly never ask) WHO DID IT?  Rather let us ask, what in our system went wrong and how can we fix it?

 

If we do this and fix the flaws in our system, 95% of our problems will go away!

 

 

ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS

 

 

When answering the root cause section of a QAR you are analyzing the most important part of the equation.  If you discover the true root cause it is much easier to assign a corrective action and fix the problem PERMANENTLY so that it will never happen again.  This is a very big part of KAIZEN.

 

The most common way to discover the true root cause is to ask the question “Why?” five times.  If you can answer why five times, you will almost always find the source (or root cause) of the problem.

 

An example:

 

The motor on my machine keeps shutting down.

 

Why (#1) – because the fuse keep tripping.

 

Why (#2) does the fuse keep tripping?

            Because it is getting wet.

 

Why (#3) is it getting wet?

            Because water is leaking from above.

 

Why (#4) is water leaking from above?

            Because there is a hole in the ceiling.

 

Why (#5) is there a hole in the ceiling?

            Because the flashing around the air conditioner unit was blown away in a storm.

 

Too often our root cause ends at the first why – in this example we would have replaced the fuse (over and over again) and we would not have fixed the problem permanently.  Instead, by the fifth way, if we replaced and caulked the flashing around the A.C. unit, we would have done the corrective action that addressed the true root cause.  That would be the permanent fix that would end the problem.

 

To make KAIZEN work, the QA department will be scrutinizing our root cause and corrective actions in every QAR going forward.  If you are charged with finding the root cause and corrective action, please follow the 5 whys.  If you require help ask any of the quality managers or Bruce.  We will all be happy to help.  Don’t get discouraged if we reject your QAR and ask for further investigation.  The reason we will be doing this is to put an end to repeating problems.

 

One last note – share every QAR with the Associate who created the problem in the first place.  How can they be part of the solution if they do not know they were part of the problem to begin with?

 

Thank you, the QA Department

 

 

Quotations relating to Kaizen, and Incremental Continuous Improvement

 

After he’d tried 9,999 times to perfect the light bulb and hadn’t succeeded, someone asked (Thomas Edison): “Are you going to have 10,000 failures?”  He answered, “I didn’t fail.  I just discovered another way not to invent the electric light bulb.”

 

                                                            Anthony Robbins

 

 

The first step towards cure is to know what the disease is.                Latin Proverb

 

Don’t find fault, find a remedy.                                             Henry Ford

 

A problem well defined is a problem half-solved.                  Anonymous

 

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.  Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

 

                                                            Bernard Shaw

 

 

If you always think like you always thought, you’ll always do what you’ve always done;

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.

The old ways (We’ve always done it that way) are behind us now and a new day has dawned.  We must change our way of doing and thinking if we are to survive in today’s competitive market.

                                    QUALITY + PRODUCTION = SUCCESS

 

                                                            Ben Highsmith, QA Team Leader, Florida

 

 

Kaizen and Double-Checks

 

When it comes to checking our work, nothing beats doing it right the first time.  Our look at KAIZEN this week is quoted from Deming’s “Out of the Crisis.”

 

Speaking about quality problems, Deming says,

            “Put on four more inspectors.  This is a commonly accepted reaction to a problem in quality – a sure road to more trouble.” 

 

An Inspector told Dr. Deming,

            “A certain critical part here is inspected and signed by five inspectors, or so goes the rule, with five signatures.  What do I do?  If I am Number One, I inspect the item and sign the record.  If I am not Number One, I make the supposition that the first man that signed the record inspected the item, so I just go ahead and sign it.”

 

Deming goes on to say,

            “Incidentally, 200 per cent inspection, as usually carried out, is less reliable than 100 per cent inspection for the simple reason that each inspector depends on the other to do the job.  Divided responsibility means that nobody is responsible.

            My friend David S. Chambers told me about a printing company that proofread everything 11 times.  Why do you think the manager called on Mr. Chambers for help?  You guessed it:  he was plagued with mistakes and complaints from customers.  None of the 11 proofreaders had a job: each one depended on the other 10 to do it.”

 

 

            Let us think about how often we do double and triple checks at Malnove.  Is it effective?  Or should we assign one person to check each item.  Why don’t we try it and see if we improve?

 

 

 

KAIZEN AND THE FIVE S’s

 

Have you recently looked for a tool and could not find it?  Just can’t seem to find that last load on the job from the previous department?  Spent more than ˝ hour looking for a part for your machine?  Can’t find the estimate you need right now?   If so, maybe we should all learn a little more about the Five S’s.  The system innovated in Japan to help clean, organize and reduce lost time and waste.  Read on…

 

The Concept of 5S

5S is a reference to a list of five Japanese words which, translated into English, start with the letter S and are the name of a methodology. This list is a mnemonic for a methodology that is often incorrectly characterized as "standardized cleanup", however it is much more than cleanup. 5S is a philosophy and a way of organizing and managing the workspace and work flow with the intent to improve efficiency by eliminating waste, improving flow and reducing process unreasonableness.

What is 5S?

5S is a method for organizing a workplace, especially a shared workplace (like a shop floor or an office space), and keeping it organized. It's sometimes referred to as a housekeeping methodology, however this characterization can be misleading because organizing a workplace goes beyond housekeeping (see discussion of "Seiton" below).

The key targets of 5S are workplace morale and efficiency. The assertion of 5S is, by assigning everything a location, time is not wasted by looking for things. Additionally, it is quickly obvious when something is missing from its designated location. 5S advocates believe the benefits of this methodology come from deciding what should be kept, where it should be kept, and how it should be stored. This decision making process usually comes from a dialog about standardization which builds a clear understanding, between employees, of how work should be done. It also instils ownership of the process in each employee.

In addition to the above, another key distinction between 5S and "standardized cleanup" is Seiton. Seiton is often misunderstood, perhaps due to efforts to translate into an English word beginning with "S" (such as "sort" or "straighten"). The key concept here is to order items or activities in a manner to promote work flow. For example, tools should be kept at the point of use, workers should not have to repetitively bend to access materials, flow paths can be altered to improve efficiency, etc.

The 5S's are:

Relation to other concepts

5S is used with other Lean concepts such as SMED, TPM, and Just In Time (JIT). The 5S discipline requires clearing out things which are not needed in order to make it easier and faster to obtain the tools and parts that are needed. This is the foundation of SMED, which in turn enables JIT production. The first step in TPM is operator cleanup of machines, a mandate of 5S. Masaaki Imai includes use of the 5S strategy in his book on Kaizen.

 

Implementation

5S in a business context

The 5S methodology has been adopted into a variety of organizations from small business to the largest companies. All implement the 5S's in the hope to improve productivity and performance. Peterson, Jim & Smith, Roland give examples of the uses of 5S in the business context. Such organizations and their achievements include:

Hewlett-Packard Support Center

 

Boise Cascade

Boeing

5S Detail – Defined

This is your personnel quick guide to 5S and the benefits it has to you and your company

 

5S Lean Manufacturing 5S5S is a method to reduce waste and optimise productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace and using visual cues to achieve more consistent operational results. 5S drives a cleaner environment and organises the workplace. It is one of the first Lean activities that companies implement on their Lean adoption. 5S can be much more than this if approached properly.

The 5S pillars:

 

Sort (Seiri)

Set in Order (Seiton)

Shine (Seiso)

Standardise (Seiketsu)

and Sustain (Shitsuke)

 

provide a methodology for organising, cleaning, developing, and sustaining a productive work environment. This lean method enables operators and workers to reduce waste and downtime.

 

 

Why 5S?

 

Eliminate waste that results from uncontrolled processes

Gain control of equipment, tools, material, and inventory

Apply control techniques to eliminate erosion of improvements

Standardise improvements for maintenance

Improve efficiency

?Improve delivery consistency

Improve quality

Improve safety

Improve reliability

Improve the work environment

Improve communications

 

5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace: Sourcebook for 5S Implementation

Where did 5S originate

 

5S originated in book by Hiroyuki Hirano’s “5 Pillars of the visual Workplace”

 

 

5S uses the term “Pillar”.

 

 The 5 Pillars of 5S are there to support a system of improvement in the company

 

The five pillars  are Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardise and Sustain. 5S can be applied to any company as a starting point of improvement activities. Our daily lives at work encompass activities that are effected by 5S and it is important to carry them out in a smooth and efficient way.

 

The pillars

 

Sort means: Removing from the workplace all items that are not needed for the current operations and activities.

 

Set to Order means: Arranging items needed so they are easy to use and labelling them so they are easy to find and store.

 

Shine means: keeping the work place tidy, sweeping floors, cleaning machinery and generally making sure everything stays clean.

 

Standardise means: Adopting a method of working to ensure the first three pillars are maintained.

 

Sustain means: Ensuring and making it a habit that everyone adopts and carries out the correct procedures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resistance to 5S

When 5S is first implemented you will receive resistance. Some of this is due to lack of understanding. Why clean things they will only get dirty again ! We are so busy I don’t have time to clean up, organise and order my workplace. 

 

This resistance can stop a 5S program. It needs to be addressed early on through training and individuals objections overcome.

 

Benefits to Individuals and the Company

 

The benefits to individuals are a better more pleasant workplace, greater job satisfaction and the potential for the individual to effect the way their work is done and carried out.

 

The benefits to the company are higher product quality, better productivity, increased customer satisfaction and continued company growth.

 

 

 

5S Detail – The 1st pillar - ‘Sort’

Sort  “The First Pillar”

 

Sort is to remove items form the work area that are not needed for the current operation. The old saying “When in doubt, throw it out” definitely applies.   When the first pillar is introduced well, improvements in work flow, quality and productivity will be gained.

 

 

Problems avoided

 

  1. The work area doesn’t become crowded and hard to work in

 

  1. Lockers, shelves and cabinets for storage do not butt walls between employees, hampering communications

 

  1. Time is not wasted looking for tools and parts

 

  1. Unnecessary inventory and machinery

 

  1. Unneeded items disrupt the process flow.

 

 

Implementing Sort

Red Tagging

 

It is not easy to identify unneeded items in the work flow.  A system of Red Tagging is used.

 

Red Tagging literally means putting red tags on items in the factory space. The red tag asks the following:

 

 

Red Tag Holding area

 

When in the process of sorting the red tagged items a holding area will be needed for Items that are tagged that need further evaluation. The area acts as a store for items that have an emotional attachment or items that there is a belief may be needed for future use.

 

The items in the store can then be monitored for their use. If they have been there unused for an agreed time people are more willing to let them go.

 

Steps of the Red Tagging Process.

 

 

Completion of Red Tagging

 

When red tagging is completed the factory floor will usually have empty spaces. This empty space can then be used to provide a new layout for the equipment and operations to allow for a better flow.

 

Typical Unneeded items

 

 

 

5S Detail – The 2nd pillar – ‘Set to Order’

Set to order “The second Pillar”

 

Set to Order Means : Arranging items needed so they are easy to use and labelling them so they are easy to find and store.

 

Setting to order eliminates many types of waste:

 

 

When putting “set to Order” in place there is a need to “Standardise”. This means creating a consistent way to carry out tasks and activities.

 

 

Visual controls

 

The workplace needs to be in an orderly manner. This can be achieved using visual controls.  A visual control is any communications device that tells operators at a glance how work should be done.

 

They many include simple instructions or controls that:

 

Implementing set to order:

The first step is finding locations for tools, jigs etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second step is eliminating motion waste

 

Strategies for removing or minimising operator motion waste

 

  1. Keep trunk motion to the minimum
  2. Use the weight of the object to move its self rather than physical power
  3. Avoid zigzag motions
  4. Move in a steady motion
  5. Operate in a comfortable position
  6. Use your feet to operate on and off selectors
  7. Keep material and tools close and in front of you where possible.
  8. Arrange material and tools in the order they are to be used
  9. Use a simple and inexpensive method to feed parts in and out of a cell where possible
  10. Ensure the work can be carried out at a proper standing height
  11. Make items easy to handle
  12. Improve the retrieval of parts
  13. Improve the layout of parts

 

The easier and fewer operations that are required will lead to better quality.

5S mapping

 

This involves the analysis of the current operations, the relationship of jigs, dies, tools and equipment.

 

Using 5S mapping requires the generation of a current and after map.

 

 

 

 

Before                                                                       After

 

 

 

How to create the map

 

  1. Make a floor plan. Showing locations of parts, tools etc
  2. Show the operations and their sequence using arrows. Number the operations
  3. Look at the results. Especially for crossed spaghetti like operations
  4. Make a new map to experiment with a better layout. Less movements, less operations, simpler tool handling
  5. Try various permutations
  6. Implement the new layout
  7. Evaluate the success and revisit if necessary

 

Identifying storage locations

 

Once new locations have been established using the mapping process they need clear identification, what goes where.

 

Signboards can show what goes where and how many.

This can control work area, inventory, equipment, work instructions and cell layouts.

 

 

Painting to identify locations

 

This is used to identify location on floors and walkways.

Dividing lines create indications of the walkways and the work area

Painted areas can be used to indicate the location of inventory, worktables, door opening etc.

 

Some general notes

U shaped cells are generally more effective that straight ones.

Place inventory next to the operation that they are used at.

Walkways should allow for the effective and simple delivery of inventory. Ensure the walkways are wide enough and avoid twists and turns.

 

Outlining Strategy

 

Outlining the location of tools and jigs provides a simple and effective way of showing what is stored where. It also allows you to visualise if any thing is missing

 

 

 

5S Detail – The 3rd pillar - ‘Shine’

Shine the “The third pillar”

This is to keep the work area in a clean state that makes it a more pleasant place to work.

 

Cleaning equipment and maintaining it ensures it is always ready to use.

 

Cleaning also means inspecting tools and items for any possible maintenance work.

 

There are 5 steps to implementing Shine

 

  1. Determine a strategy for implementation and rollout
  2. Determine the assignment of the cleaning tasks
  3. How is it to be done ?
  4. What tools and equipment are needed to shine ?
  5. Implement IT !!

 

Workplace cleanliness is the responsibility of everyone who works in the space.

 

Two major tools of Shine

 

Ensure a schedule and check list is designed and deployed.

 

 

Cleaning and inspection

 

When the shine activities have been adopted and accepted they should be expanded to include INSPECTION.

 

The inspection stages should be introduced in a similar way as cleaning, the cleaning check list should be expanded to include inspection activities as well.

 

 

5S Detail – The 4th pillar - ‘Standardize’

Standardize “The fourth Pillar”

 

This pillar is different from the first three as it acts as a controlling method and not a doing activity.

 

You need to put strict standards in place to ensure the first 3S activities continue and the workplace does not slip back into it’s old state.

 

A failure to truly enforce this pillar will probably result in 5S failure.

 

 

Make the first 3 pillars a daily habit !!!

To achieve this, the following steps can be followed:

 

  1. Assign job responsibilities
  2. Integrate the 3 pillar activities into daily roles
  3. Check that the 3 pillar work is being done

 

Every one must know what they are responsible for, when, where and how to do it !!

 

Tools for making 5S a habit

 

 

5S job cycle chart

This lists the 5S jobs to be done in each area and a frequency for the activity.

 

Check lists

To ensure the 5S activities are being carried out a check list is generated with a weighted score. The list has a previous score indication to provide a visual feedback if a task is slipping

Preventative actions

When problems keep occurring you need to put into place actions to solve them.  Do not simply keep dealing with the symptoms; you need to find the cause.

 

 

When you ask WHY repeatedly you will find the problem.

 

The 5 Whys and 1 how approach

  1. Begin by asking WHY ? until you identify the cause.
  2. For every answer you get, ask WHY ?
  3. You will usually ask why 5 times before you get the true cause.
  4. When you find the real cause ask HOW can we fix it ?

 

“5W1H” approach

 

Preventing

Preventing sorting problems requires you to find out WHY items are accumulating, don’t wait for it to happen and then deal with it.

 

Preventing Setting problems requires you to ensure the procedures do not get broken. If they are WHY ?

 

Preventing Shining problems requires you to find out WHY machines, tools etc are getting dirty.

 

 

 

5S Detail – The 5th pillar – ‘Sustain’

 

Sustain “The fifth pillar”

 

What good are standards and procedures if you do not follow them?

 

Unless you commit to sustain your efforts, all your previous actions will soon fall into disarray.

 

You have a better place to work in, your job is better and communications are easier, don’t let it disappear !!

 

 

Creating the conditions

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tools to support 5S

 

Consider the use of some or all the following tools:

 

 

 

 

5S is simple and cheap to deploy.

Its success is based on your commitment to develop and support it once started.

 

Deming's 14 Points

(Excerpted from Chapter Two of OUT OF THE CRISIS by W. Edwards Deming )

1. Create constancy of purpose toward improvement of product and service, with the aim to become competitive and to stay in business, and to provide jobs.

2. Adopt the new philosophy. We are in a new economic age. Western management must awaken to the challenge, must learn their responsibilities, and take on leadership for change.

3. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. Eliminate the need for inspection on a mass basis by building quality into the product in the first place.

4. End the practice of awarding business on the basis of price tag. Instead, minimize total cost. Move toward a single supplier for any one item, on a long-term relationship of loyalty and trust.

5. Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service, to improve quality and productivity, and thus constantly decrease costs.

6. Institute training on the job.

7. Institute leadership The aim of supervision should be to help people and machines and gadgets to do a better job. Supervision of management is in need of overhaul as well as supervision of production workers.

8. Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company

9. Break down barriers between departments. People in research, design, sales, and production must work as a team, to foresee problems of production and in use that may be encountered with the product or service.

10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets for the work force asking for zero defects and new levels of productivity. Such exhortations only create adversarial relationships, as the bulk of the causes of low quality and low productivity belong to the system and thus lie beyond the power of the work force.

11a. Eliminate work standards (quotas) on the factory floor. Substitute leadership.

b. Eliminate management by objective. Eliminate management by numbers, numerical goals. Substitute leadership.

12a. Remove barriers that rob the hourly worker of his right to joy of workmanship. The responsibility of supervisors must be changed from sheer numbers to quality.

b. Remove barriers that rob people in management and in engineering of their right to joy of workmanship. This means abolishment of the annual merit rating and of management by objective

13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement.

14. Put everybody in the company to work to accomplish the transformation. The transformation is everybody's job.

 

The Toyota Way – The 14 Principles

The Toyota Way has been called "a system designed to provide the tools for people to continually improve their work." The 14 principles of The Toyota Way are organized in four sections: 1) Long-Term Philosophy, 2) The Right Process Will Produce the Right Results, 3) Add Value to the Organization by Developing Your People, and 4) Continuously Solving Root Problems Drives Organizational Learning. The principles are set out and briefly described below:

Section I — Long-Term Philosophy

Principle 1

People need purpose to find motivation and establish goals.

Section II — The Right Process Will Produce the Right Results

Principle 2

Work processes are redesigned to eliminate waste (muda) through the process of continuous improvement — kaizen. The seven types of muda are:

  1. Overproduction
  2. Waiting
  3. Unnecessary transport
  4. Overprocessing
  5. Excess inventory
  6. Unnecessary movement
  7. Defects

Principle 3

A method where a process signals its predecessor that more material is needed. The pull system produces only the required material after the subsequent operation signals a need for it. This process is necessary to reduce overproduction.

 

Principle 4

This helps achieve the goal of minimizing waste (muda), not overburdening people or the equipment (muri), and not creating uneven production levels (mura).

Principle 5

Quality takes precedence (Jidoka). Any employee in the Toyota Production System has the authority to stop the process to signal a quality issue.

Principle 6

Although Toyota has a bureaucratic system, the way that it is implemented allows for continuous improvement (kaizen) from the people affected by that system. It empowers the employee to aid in the growth and improvement of the company.

Principle 7

Included in this principle is the 5S Program - steps that are used to make all work spaces efficient and productive, help people share work stations, reduce time looking for needed tools and improve the work environment.

Principle 8

Technology is pulled by manufacturing, not pushed to manufacturing.

 

Section III — Add Value to the Organization by Developing Your People

Principle 9

Without constant attention, the principles will fade. The principles have to be engrained, it must be the way one thinks. Employees must be educated and trained: they have to maintain a learning organization.

Principle 10

Teams should consist of 4-5 people and numerous management tiers. Success is based on the team, not the individual.

Principle 11

Toyota treats suppliers much like they treat their employees, challenging them to do better and helping them to achieve it. Toyota provides cross functional teams to help suppliers discover and fix problems so that they can become a stronger, better supplier.

Section IV: Continuously Solving Root Problems Drives Organizational Learning

Principle 12

Toyota managers are expected to "go-and-see" operations. Without experiencing the situation firsthand, managers will not have an understanding of how it can be improved. Furthermore, managers use Tadashi Yamashima's (President, Toyota Technical Center (TCC)) ten management principles as a guideline:

  1. Always keep the final target in mind.
  2. Clearly assign tasks to yourself and others.
  3. Think and speak on verified, proven information and data.
  4. Take full advantage of the wisdom and experiences of others to send, gather or discuss information.
  5. Share information with others in a timely fashion.
  6. Always report, inform and consult in a timely manner.
  7. Analyze and understand shortcomings in your capabilities in a measurable way.
  8. Relentlessly strive to conduct kaizen activities.
  9. Think "outside the box," or beyond common sense and standard rules.
  10. Always be mindful of protecting your safety and health.

Principle 13

The following are decision parameters:

  1. Find what is really going on (go-and-see) to test
  2. Determine the underlying cause
  3. Consider a broad range of alternatives
  4. Build consensus on the resolution
  5. Use efficient communication tools

Principle 14

The process of becoming a learning organization involves criticizing every aspect of what one does. The general problem solving technique to determine the root cause of a problem includes:

  1. Initial problem perception
  2. Clarify the problem
  3. Locate area/point of cause
  4. Investigate root cause (5 whys)
  5. Countermeasure
  6. Evaluate
  7. Standardize