The 5C system in production: description, features, principles and reviews. "5C" system in production: description, features, principles and reviews 5C standard in production

Metals and metal products 29.10.2023
Metals and metal products

The 5S system is one of the key tools of lean manufacturing, aimed at increasing safety, efficiency and productivity in the workplace (workspace). Due to its simplicity and efficiency, it is often the initial step in improving a production system. At the same time, the implementation of this methodology creates a new production culture that allows for qualitative changes in the organization.

The name of the method comes from 5 steps, each of which begins with “C”. Since the system was invented in Japan, the original names read something like this: Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, Shitsuke. Later, 5 stages of implementation were translated into English: Sort, Straighten, Sweep, Standardize, Self-discipline, and Russian. One of the Russian translation options: Sorting, Self-organization, Radiance, Standardization, Improvement. Due to the presence of Russian translation of the stages, the name of the system can be found both in Latin (5S) and in the Russian version (5C).

It is noteworthy that a similar system - CANDO (Clearing, Arrangement, Neatness, Discipline, Organization), which appeared in the USA much earlier than 5S, is less known and widespread these days. According to some sources, CANDO is one of the lean manufacturing principles that the founder of the Toyota Production System borrowed during a visit to the Ford plant.

First step of system 5S – Sort

At this stage, all activities come down to identifying the tools necessary for the job and removing all unnecessary, faulty or unused items. Why is this being done? To increase safety in the workplace, standardize the work performed - accordingly, increase productivity and quality.

Lean practitioners call this step the most difficult, since recognizing that items that have been on hand for a long time are no longer needed is not so easy for most people. Psychologically, this requires abandoning the usual order, formed over years of work, and accepting the new, unknown, often imposed from the outside.

In order to overcome resistance at this stage, three techniques are most often used:

  1. Provide training in the principles of lean manufacturing and the 5S system.
  2. Involve employees in the process of implementing the 5S system at their immediate workplaces.
  3. They create a “Red Tag Area” - quarantine for items that are not used in the workplace on a daily basis, but for one reason or another cannot be removed immediately.

Second step of system 5S – Self-organization or systematization

As lean manufacturing practitioners say: “everything has its place, and everything is in its place.” This stage is aimed at the most rational placement of items necessary for work in the workspace. The more often an item is used, the closer and more accessible it should be located. The rarer it is, the greater the chances of finding it outside the workplace, for example, in a closet or on a common stand.

Why is this being done? Again, safety, productivity and quality. A conveniently located item will ensure workplace ergonomics and intended use. Those tools that are used less frequently should be placed in the shared field, which will significantly reduce their required number.

The main techniques of this stage of the 5C system are various visualization options: marking, zoning, outlining, the “shadow” method, etc.

Third step of system 5S – Shine or keep clean

This stage is aimed at creating conditions for maintaining the cleanliness of the workspace. Of course, this involves tidying up and cleaning. But the third step of implementing the 5C system does not end there. It is necessary to identify sources of pollution - understand the causes and develop an action plan to eliminate them.

Also at this stage, cleaning schedules and standards are developed (who, how often and with what?), as well as the necessary equipment for these purposes is provided.

Fourth step of system 5S – Standardization

Standardization involves measures to consolidate and maintain achieved results. For these purposes, organizational standards are being developed that, in a concise and visualized form, establish rules regarding the arrangement, visualization, cleaning, zoning and other parameters of workplaces.

In addition, this stage involves the creation of a system of control mechanisms, most often 5C audits. Why is this being done? To prevent the system from gradually “sliding down” to its original state.

Fifth step of system 5S – Improvement

What is the easiest way to ensure that your results are retained? Only by continuously improving the workspace through the efforts of all employees: every employee, every day, everywhere!

At this stage the following applies:

  • Ensure that staff are informed about the status of the 5S system deployment process, audit results, identified problems, etc.
  • Provide integration of the 5S system and the system for submitting proposals for improvements.
  • Provide integration of the 5S audit system and employee bonuses.

The 5s system is a comprehensive methodology for improving the production process by optimizing five interconnected stages, assembled as a complete system in Japan at the end of the 20th century. The name of each stage in Japanese begins with the letter “s”.

But in the Russian language, analogues corresponding to these names are selected for the letter “s”, so the literature often uses the adapted “Russian” name of the lean production method - System 5C, where:

  • 1C – Sort – Seiri (Seiri).
  • 2C – Keep order – Seiton (Seiton).
  • 3C – Keep it clean – Seisō (Seiso).
  • 4C – Standardize – Seiketsu (Seiketsu).
  • 5C – Improve (or Self-discipline) – Shitsuke.

There is also an adaptation for the English language, where the name of each stage begins with the English letter “s”: Sorting, Set in Order, Sweeping, Standardizing, Sustaining the discipline.

Emergence and system principles

The number one task of implementing such a system is to ensure the stability of production processes. To do this, all activities in each phase:

  • must be well optimized at the level of primary operations,
  • the format must be unified and equally understandable to every employee at his site, so that when the contractor changes, the system does not have to be rebuilt,
  • the procedure should be not only formal, but also ideological and substantive in nature, changing the attitude of employees to their activities.

The first to combine simple but important principles together was Taishi Ono, the founder of the production processes of the auto giant Toyota. The 5s system turned out to be very “Japanese” in spirit, becoming the embodiment of samurai values ​​and traditional Japanese minimalism: discipline, order, cleanliness, almost ritual rules and the pursuit of ideals on the path to constant improvement. Thus, the 5cs of lean manufacturing are part of a general culture, the rules of which are transferred to the production culture.

These rules seem, at first glance, obvious, and the system that unites them seems speculative. It would seem, why introduce something that is expected by default in any production? Everyone already understands that:

  • the workplace must be clean,
  • tools must be in their places,
  • components and materials – to be “at hand”, but not to interfere.

Often these rules are perceived as a kind of abstraction - ideal ideas about an ideal process that are desirable, but not necessary, to be implemented. It is not surprising, therefore, that for the practical implementation of 5s, paid manuals are issued, and specialized trainings and consultations are conducted for management personnel. The established order of things actively resists innovation, no matter how obviously correct it may be.

But, despite the resistance and the “psychological factor”, it is necessary to apply the rules, since in practice this allows you to beat competitors, reduce production costs of materials and time, improve working conditions and the professional interest of workers. The economic effect of introducing 5s is noticeable in itself, but, in addition, the introduction of lean manufacturing can be considered as a necessary preparatory stage for the subsequent implementation of the 6 Sigma methodology in production.

Five stages of lean manufacturing

The five components of the methodology themselves, in turn, consist of several practical “steps”. In the list of actions, the first item is always “Staff training”, and the last item is “Fixing the result obtained using a test, photography or control check.” Monitoring the implementation is as necessary as launching the system.

S No. 1 – sorting. Task C1 is the separation of mandatory tools, materials and documents in order to get rid of unnecessary ones:

  • Step 1. Dividing what is present on the table (workplace) into 3 parts:
  • always necessary
  • sometimes necessary - unclaimed at the moment, but regularly used in a broader localization of the process,
  • completely unnecessary - waste, containers, extra tools, foreign objects.
  • Step 2. Marking unnecessary items with a red tag.
  • Step 3. Removing red-tagged items from the work area.

At this stage, you need to make marking tags (tags) that everyone can understand (among other things, they contain the information that management plans to track in the future). This is especially important when a clear understanding of the division between sufficient and necessary elements has not yet been formed. To clarify this issue, at the first stage, sorting criteria are first identified (with subsequent adjustments to them, if necessary). In addition, things that have already been put into the “sump” should not linger there - they also need to find a permanent place.

S No. 2 – maintaining order (rational arrangement). Organizing the remaining items and putting them in their places in accordance with the conditions. In addition to complying with safety requirements, things must be located to ensure:

  • accessibility so that it is easy to take and return,
  • clarity, so that it is easy to find - to see if an object is in its intended place,
  • security.

The decision to determine “convenience” and ergonomics is made by the one who directly works at this place, and not by a person (supervisor) from the outside. If the work process is carried out in two or three shifts, then newly arrived workers must be informed of the changes.

If verbal information is not enough, marking is done using chalk, tape, or a marker. For clarity, a check sheet is used against which the new layout is checked. If new shelving is required to ensure ergonomics, sketches of such equipment are made during this stage.

Space in the equipment should also be provided for items that will ensure the implementation of the third stage - cleaning.

S No. 3 – ensuring cleanliness. Cleaning is carried out according to a schedule and according to the scheme. That is, a “place map” is created on which areas of responsibility are assigned to employees. The transition point is the handover of the shift (the area is put in order before the replacement arrives). If there are no shifts, 10 minutes before work and 10 minutes during lunch are allotted for cleaning.

Before the start of the stage, workers are provided with everything necessary for cleaning (brushes, cleaning chemicals, rags), since none of this is available at the right time. In the future, all these accessories should be stored in an accessible place and replenished according to a schedule that is calculated empirically based on data from a practical experiment or average monthly consumption.

Cleaning the room and work area is greatly facilitated by good lighting and accessibility to contaminated areas. Eliminating unnecessary causes of pollution also contributes to cleanliness. For example, in the office, in these cases, a ban on “coffee” at the desk is introduced.

S No. 4 – standardization. There is a joke in life: “If you have created a mess that you can easily navigate, then it is no longer a mess, but an individual (personal) order.” In private life, this may be true, but the Lean 5s system does not allow such interpretations. Written rules apply to everyone. It is important to issue them in the form of “job descriptions” or other documents, which then make it possible to “ask” the performer and, if necessary, apply a system of punishments.

If the work process involves a multi-stage combination, universal symbols, signs, color coding, diagrams, templates are often used, which are introduced to all performers. Visualization in these cases becomes an important tool for bringing to a single standard.

S No. 5 – improvement and development. The goal of this stage is for the previous four to become a habit and become the basis for improving the lean production system. For this:

  • change the motivation system, supporting the initiative financially and emotionally,
  • explain and promote, showing improvement charts, giving positive examples,
  • carry out multi-stage control using checklists,
  • monitor all changes and current problems to correct processes,
  • calculate the economic effect and demonstrate it as visual evidence of the benefits of innovation.

Since a significant part of optimization processes can provoke resistance from the team, in enterprises with a developed hierarchy and divisions in the implementation of processes, one can rely on personal connections and professional techniques of managers of small structural units - heads of workshops, departments, foremen. They know better “in what language” to explain the new rules to their subordinates so that this does not cause negativity or manifestations of formalism.

Each system stage, with an overly formal or, conversely, careless attitude, can produce a negative effect instead of a positive optimizing effect. Among the most common practical mistakes are the following:

An example of system implementation in practice

As an example, we can consider the actual practice of switching to the 5s system in the MIR research and production association in 2004. The company was engaged in the creation of automated accounting systems for energy resources, management of energy facilities and production of measuring instruments.

Before the start of implementation, department heads attended an educational seminar, and the information received at it was transmitted “up the chain” to subordinates. At the same time, a control and monitoring commission was created from among managers to check the implementation of 5s twice a month.

To smooth out the rough edges during adaptation, the company’s employees were allowed not to change or present their places of personal use for inspection. Otherwise, all 5 stages were completed in accordance with the recommendations. During the events the following was done:

  • the so-called “Golden Rule” was introduced, establishing the employee’s responsibility in two areas: for his work and for the collective result,
  • a common computerized structure with a single folder tree has been created,
  • Gradually, effective solutions and suggestions from employees began to be collected.

However, despite the preliminary preparation, the implementation of the system lasted for six months, the reason for which was the human factor - employee resistance to change. Many deliberately refused systemic changes, citing the fact that their workplace was already ergonomically designed. It took six months to overcome the inertia of thinking: clarification, counseling, testing.

Since 2006, productivity and product quality have improved by 16% due to the promotion of 5s alone. Consequently:

  • there was a reduction in time for document flow (documents were no longer “lost” and were instantly available both in electronic and physical form),
  • discipline has increased and the percentage of defective products has decreased,
  • emergency downtime was reduced (their elimination took less time),
  • the overall emotional climate in the team has improved (employees have stopped trying to figure out who is to blame for problems and for what reason).

Understanding the importance of the psychological mood of the staff and to consolidate the results, we began to award the best employees and departments on a quarterly basis for meeting the requirements of the 5s system.

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Introduction

The article is devoted to the features of the implementation of the 5C system in the Russian Federation. It reveals the basis of this system and identifies the effects obtained at the stages of its implementation. The article analyzes the problems of using the 5C system in Russian enterprises, and also proposes measures to eliminate errors in the implementation of this system. Key words: workplace organization, 5C map, sorting, systematization, rational placement, standardization of rules, red labels, unnecessary things

Currently, the desire of enterprises to produce increasingly sophisticated products and at the same time spend as little money as possible on them is becoming particularly relevant. This desire is also interconnected with such a component as competition. It is rapidly gaining momentum, more and more enterprises are entering the market with their innovative ideas, in order to keep up, organizations need to introduce various new methods into the activities of their companies or introduce already proven ones and transform them to their environment. The Japanese experience in organizing workplaces in enterprises is unique; it contributes to both increased productivity and improved product quality. That is why we should especially focus on the Japanese workplace organization system, which is called the “5C System”. Its essential feature is the possibility of using this method under conditions of strict budget constraints. The 5C System is based on five stages, the constant implementation of which allowed Japanese enterprises to quickly raise their country's economy to a high level, and companies using it to receive increased profits, while the number of defects was significantly reduced, and worker productivity increased. The stages in the method under consideration include: 1) sorting; 2) places for everything; 3) keeping it clean; 4) standardization; 5) self-discipline/improvement. Let's look at these main stages in more detail.

Stages of 5C implementation

First stage “Sorting”

Sorting means clearing your workspace of everything that is not needed for ongoing production or office operations. When performing the sorting stage, one of the main components is to determine those parts and items that will subsequently be needed when completing the order and getting rid of unnecessary things. Note that by sorting, employees not only get rid of those products that are definitely not needed, but also those about which there are certain doubts. The main importance of sorting is the efficient use of resources. The advantages of correctly performing this stage are as follows: – the appearance of additional space for storing the necessary parts and tools; – reducing the cost of transporting unnecessary parts that might require some kind of container; – reducing the time spent searching for the required things, which also helps maintain a favorable environment; – the necessary things will always be in working order, and their breakdown will be detected much faster; – labor productivity increases.

It should be noted that at this stage, one of the main difficulties is identifying unnecessary or simply superfluous items in a given period of time. The most effective way to identify potentially redundant items and analyze their usefulness is called the “red tag company.” Its essence lies in the fact that those items that are clearly necessary and do not raise any doubts in this aspect are assessed immediately. If the item raises any doubts, then a red label is hung on it.

For the effective functioning of the “red label company”, it is also necessary to carry out documentation; it is individual for each company. An example would be keeping a log book or storing all information on an organization's computer system. These results and their analysis will make it possible to clearly see the improvements that the introduction of “red labels” has led to. Let us dwell in more detail on possible problems that may arise at the first stage of 5C implementation:

a) shelves and other types of premises where unnecessary items were stored divided the work space, which subsequently caused inconvenience for the interaction of workers; b) searching for various parts began to take more time; c) maintaining unnecessary things brings high costs; d) a lot of rubbish accumulates, which in turn affects work in general and others. If during sorting one or more of the problems presented above were identified, then it is necessary to carry out this stage of the method again, identifying the reasons that gave rise to these problems.

Stage two: “A place for everything”

After successful completion of the first stage at the enterprise implementing the system in question, it is worth moving on to the second, which is called “their place for everything.” Its essence is that objects are arranged in such a way that they can be easily used, and the marking is such that any worker can quickly find the thing he needs, spending a minimum of time. Most often, time loss occurs when: moving, lack of safety precautions, searching for items, from excess supplies, when working with low-quality products. This allows us to conclude that the main feature of this stage is the reduction of time for workers to search for the desired item, which will subsequently affect work productivity. The choice of the best location for various tools is based on the calculation of the minimum movement for picking up and using the item, which reduces waste. Wastes are transactions that require time and resources, but do not add value to the product or service to the consumer. Therefore, a convenient arrangement of things allows you to reduce wasted time; for this, enterprises often use a 5C card. The essence of the 5C map is that it is a mechanism that helps to assess the current location of various devices, things necessary for work, and choose the most rational location for these items. It can be divided into 2 parts. For a clear example, we present a 5C map with markings of machine operations before using the 5C system, which is shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 5C map with marking of machine operations before using the 5C system

As can be seen in Fig. 1, the first part of the map includes the location of objects that was before the implementation of this map. Now let’s look at the map after the introduction of 5 S, which is presented in Fig. 2.

Rice. 2 Map 5C with new markings of machine operations

In Fig. 2 shows that the new markup structured the stages of the cycle of machine operations, thereby reducing the time for their execution and increasing productivity. So, we can conclude that the second stage of the 5C system will reduce the time required to complete operations, introduce strict consistency, which will avoid chaos in the workplace, thereby increasing productivity.

The third stage “Keeping it clean”

Let's move on to the third stage, which is called keeping it clean. It should be used only after the second has been implemented, since they are closely interrelated. The essence of systematic cleaning is to constantly maintain cleanliness, both in the workplace and individual things in particular. Let us note the advantages of this stage: – the emergence of employee satisfaction with his workplace; – complete readiness of the items needed to complete the work; – increased workplace safety; – the likelihood of marriage is reduced; – constant technical inspection increases operating time without equipment breakdowns. Systematic cleaning of the workplace is the responsibility of all employees who work there. A certain time is allocated for its implementation, appointed by management. After cleaning has entered a systematic phase, equipment testing should also be implemented. To do this, you should determine the object to which this action will be directed (for example, a cutting machine), then the employees who will be directly involved in this, then you should prepare the tools for cleaning, and finally introduce a systematic implementation of it. So, summing up the results of the third stage, it should be noted that the purpose of cleaning is to keep everything that is used or can be used to perform the assigned production tasks clean and in excellent working order. This stage is aimed at systematizing not only keeping the workplace clean, but also at systematically checking equipment, which improves workplace safety, equipment operating time, and also reduces the amount of defects produced.

Fourth stage “Standardization”

Let's consider the next stage - standardization, the essence of which is to organize a unified approach that will be understandable to all employees and will be easy to use. For successful standardization it is necessary that constant sorting, self-organization and systematic cleaning be included. It should be noted that for each workplace it is necessary to have working standards; work instructions are visual, understandable, and facilitate both the work and training of new employees. In addition, you should make sure that the instructions are located directly at the workplace, that is, where the work is performed, so that if necessary, the employee can always refer to them. All instructions should be written in such a way that they are executable. Thus, the fourth stage includes several steps, such as defining responsibilities for the implementation of the first three stages of the 5C system, the next step is to implement the developed strategy in the work schedule of employees without compromising the work they perform, and the last stage is to monitor execution . This stage allows you to establish the work of the previous stages and at the same time monitor any violations or lags.

Fifth stage “Self-discipline/improvement”

The fifth stage of the 5C system is called self-discipline/improvement. Unlike the first four, the results here are not so obvious and cannot be measured. The desire of employees to improve can only be encouraged by creating conditions for the pursuit of this. An example of the conditions for stimulating this stage can be: employees’ understanding of the need and effectiveness of implementing the 5C system, allocating time to think about and implement plans that help implement 5C, encouragement from management. In table 1 shows the effects obtained at the stages of 5C implementation:

Table 1. Types of effects when implementing the 5C system

Problems when implementing the 5C system

Currently, it can be argued that this concept of organizing workplaces is being successfully implemented in many countries of the world, but it is rarely used in Russian enterprises, especially in the Penza region. One of the main reasons for the refusal of Russian enterprises to implement the 5C system is the incorrect interpretation and implementation of this concept by managers or staff; let’s look at their main mistakes. Thus, at the first stage of implementing the 5C system method, the following problems may arise: – low priority set by managers at enterprises; – implementation control is in the wrong hands; – inefficiency due to the direction of the enterprise; – unclear understanding of the operation of the 5C system and its benefits; – individual implementation errors. Let us dwell in detail on each of these problems separately. Firstly, it is a low priority for managers. The manager must always understand that his behavior is measured, and his attitude to the matter is analyzed by lower-level employees, because if the boss does not see any need for this implementation or is disinterested in it, then the employees will treat it the same way. In addition, at present, the introduction of foreign experience is becoming a fashion, often done just for show, so some managers do not even consider it necessary to take these courses themselves, and there will be little effectiveness from the fact that only employees take them. To implement the stages of the 5C system, it is necessary to allocate time for their implementation, but sometimes managers neglect this. Secondly, when implementing the 5C system, one should not forget about the systematic control of all stages, but when distributing and assigning this responsibility, it is necessary to remember such points as whether this employee has the authority to carry out this activity and the resources to implement control in a timely manner, because Bureaucratic delays even within a medium-sized enterprise can be very lengthy. The third main problem for enterprises is that not all areas of activity will have the same result, for example, for organizations working in the metallurgical field, the effectiveness of the 5C system will be very insignificant, since for its high functioning it is enough to maintain the equipment in working condition , and other components will have a slight effect on the overall performance as a whole. A unclear understanding of the operation of the 5C system and its benefits lies in the reluctance of employees to switch to this model; many reasons can be named, but the main one is that not enough attention was paid to educating staff about this model, its advantages for each individual employee and the entire enterprise in in general. Individual implementation errors include more specific problems. For example, by exaggerating the stage of getting rid of unnecessary things, workers are forced to get rid of almost all items that are in the workplace, thereby, as it were, maintaining the illusion of putting things in order, but in fact, it becomes inconvenient to work without small details, which subsequently affects the attitude as a whole to the 5C system. In order for this system to really work in Russian companies that are starting to implement it, you need to understand that the main thing is the desire of employees and especially management to use it for production efficiency, and not just for show.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we will highlight the main measures to eliminate errors in the implementation of the 5C system at Russian enterprises: 1) the manager should show his personal interest in the implementation of this system; 2) at meetings it is necessary to analyze the progress of implementing the system at the enterprise; 3) identifying employees who have made the most improvements to this system and encouraging them; 4) control the education of new employees of the enterprise related to the implementation of the 5C system; 5) an employee at the enterprise, realizing that with such an organization his workplace will be more convenient and safe, will strive to improve this system, showing initiative and bringing it to employees and managers; 6) an employee or several employees who are entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring the implementation of this method should approach this task with full responsibility, identify those problems that significantly reduce the effectiveness of implementation, and also bring their analysis to management, for example, by sending them the results by email mail. Analysis of the 5C system allows us to assert that its effective implementation at Russian enterprises is possible, because the most important thing in this system is the desire and understanding of all employees of various ranks of the benefits that this system can bring specifically for them and for the entire enterprise as a whole. At the same time, you should never stop at the achieved results, always strive for improvement and systematization.

Literature:

1. Hiroyuki H. 5 S for workers: how to improve your workplace. – M.: Institute of Comprehensive Strategic Research, 2006. P. 32. 2. Tapping D., Dunn E. Lean office. Eliminate wastage of time and money. - M.: Alpina Publisher, 2012 3. Rastimeshin V. E., Kupriyanova T. M. Streamlining / 5 S - a system of establishing order, cleanliness and strengthening discipline with the participation of all personnel

Participant contribution:

Rogozik Denis Viktorovich


5C is a management philosophy with which effective production begins and without which it simply cannot exist.

5C is in second place after mapping in terms of popularity of use in TECHNONICOL. We started implementing 5C in the Company about 10 years ago and continue to this day. This tool helps achieve customer satisfaction, cost leadership, safety, and high productivity. Problems are not visible until the workplace is organized. Cleaning and tidying your work area helps uncover problems, and identifying problems is the first step to improvement. 5C are five words starting with the letter “s”:

Step 1 - “sorting” - clearly dividing things into necessary and unnecessary and getting rid of the latter.

Step 2 - “maintaining order” (neatness) - organizing the storage of necessary things, which allows you to quickly and easily find and use them.

Step 4 - “standardization” (maintaining order) - following the established procedures of the first three steps.

Step 5 - “improvement” or “self-discipline” (formation of habit) - improvement, maintenance of results achieved previously.

Figure 1. Organization of the workspace according to the 5C principle

Main goals of 5C:

  1. Ensuring cleanliness in the workplace.
  2. Saving time, mainly on finding what you need for work.
  3. Ensuring safe work, reducing the number of accidents.
  4. Increasing the level of product quality, reducing the number of defects.
  5. Creating a comfortable psychological climate, stimulating the desire to work.
  6. Elimination of all types of losses.
  7. Increasing labor productivity (which in turn leads to an increase in the profit of the enterprise and, accordingly, an increase in the income level of workers).

Step 1 "1C"

Sorting involves:

  1. Separation of all items in the operating area into necessary and unnecessary.
  2. Removing unnecessary items from the operating area.

To remove unnecessary items from the operational area at the initial stage of implementation, we used the so-called “red tag campaign”, when a red tag (flag) is attached or hung on each item that is a candidate for removal. All employees of the department where the sorting took place were involved in this process, and as a result, items were identified that:

  • must be immediately removed, thrown away, or disposed of;
  • should be moved to a more suitable storage location;
  • must be left and their places must be created and designated for them.

For items with red flags, a “quarantine zone” was organized, which was sorted through once a month. Items that remained in the quarantine zone for more than 30 days were either moved to a permanent storage location, usually in a warehouse area, or sold, and sometimes disposed of.

The red label can be a regular red sticker with the date on which the item was moved to the quarantine zone, or it can be more complex in form: with information about the unit, the reasons for moving to the quarantine zone, those responsible, etc. An example of a red label in Figure 2.

Figure 2. “Quarantine zone” with items placed in it with red flags

Step 2 "2C"

It is not enough to put everything in its place once; this order must always be observed by everyone. When walking around workplaces at the initial stage of implementing 5C, many problems arose with returning tools and equipment to their place. Some time passed until the optimal location for items in the operating area was selected, which allowed any employee to easily use, quickly find and return documentation, tools, materials, and components to their place. When marking the place where items were stored, we tried to use principles that would make it possible, at the first glance at any place, to immediately determine what should be there, the number of items and their shelf life. For these purposes, different visualization methods were used:

1. Outlining objects - drawing the outline of an object on the surface where the object should be stored

Figure 3. Quality table, production of mineral insulation, Ryazan

Figure 4. Outlining objects on the quality table, production of mineral insulation, Ryazan


Figure 5. Stand with tools, metalworking area, Yurga


Figure 6. Stand with tools (vertical placement and storage of tools), production site, Khabarovsk


Figure 7. Table with tools (horizontal placement and storage of tools), production site, Khabarovsk

2. Color marking, in which different types of tools and devices correspond to different colors


Figure 8. Photo of centrifuge connectors with a mating part that matches the color, production of mineral insulation, Ryazan

Figure 9. Color marking of pipelines at the binder preparation site, Khabarovsk

3. Marking with paint to highlight storage areas on the floor and/or aisles

Figure 10. Designation of saw storage locations in the production workshop, Ryazan

Figure 11. Metalworking area, production of mineral insulation, Zainsk

Figure 12. Open storage area, production of mineral insulation, Ryazan

Figure 13. Spare parts warehouse, mineral insulation production, Yurga

Paint marking is also used to mark dividing lines between work areas or transport passages.


Figure 14. Workshop for the production of mineral insulation, Ryazan

Step 3 "3C"

There is a saying: “clean is not where they sweep, but where they don’t litter.” Of course, keeping clean involves cleaning workplaces, making equipment and the workplace tidy enough for inspection, but the main thing was to create conditions under which the formation of dirt and dust was reduced to the minimum acceptable amount. This process continues to this day; many proposals have been submitted on this topic to improve equipment or the workplace.

It would seem that everyone understands the benefits of cleaning:

  • a clean workplace that is pleasant to work in (which improves the employee’s emotional state and makes the workplace more attractive);
  • constant readiness for work of everything that may be required to perform production tasks;
  • ensuring the safety of work (for example, spilled machine oil and puddles on the floor can lead to injury);
  • ensuring the operability of the equipment (there is no risk of dust and dirt getting into the operating mechanisms);
  • absence of marriage.

However, the transition from belief to action, especially in older plants with a 50-year history, has not been easy. In all departments, cleanliness checks are carried out in accordance with predetermined cleanliness criteria (cleanliness in the office and in the production workshop are not the same thing), which are indicated in the checklist. The checklist for a number of areas describes in detail the content and procedure for cleaning work, and there are photographs of the places where they were carried out:

To facilitate periodic inspection, checklists are attached near the relevant equipment to quickly check for correct completion and correct any deficiencies identified.

There is another simple tool for monitoring the standard of cleanliness of the workplace - this is a photograph of the workplace as it should be. Below is an example.

Figure 15. Cleanliness standard, mineral insulation production, Ryazan

Step 4 "4C"

Standardization is the creation of a unified approach to performing tasks and procedures. The main purpose of this stage is to prevent deviation from the continuous implementation of the first three stages. To standardize means to develop a checklist that is understandable and easy for everyone to use. Below is an example of the tabular part of a checklist for a production department and office.

Checklist for production department

Office Checklist

Fulfillment of 5C requirements is part of the professional certification of workers and engineers and has long become a general cultural norm - from the director’s office to production and auxiliary premises.

Figure 16. Workplace standard in the industrial zone of Ryazan

Figure 17. Board 5C in a finished product warehouse, mineral insulation production, Khabarovsk

Figure 18. Standard of the workplace of the chief power engineer, production of mineral insulation, Khabarovsk

Figure 19. Workplace safety standard, mineral insulation production, Chelyabinsk

Step 5 "5C"

The fifth stage is improvement or self-discipline, maintaining the results achieved previously. The stability of the 5C system does not depend on how well the procedures of the first four stages are implemented, but on whether the first four stages will be supported by the fifth.

Unlike the first four “Cs,” improvement cannot be implemented as a technique; the results of improvement cannot be measured, but conditions can be created that will encourage employees to further activities within the 5C system. The TECHNONICOL Company uses various tools for this: 5C slogans, 5C posters, information boards “Was” - “BECAME”, 5S mailings, visits to departments where 5S is being implemented, etc.


Figure 20. Posters 5C, production of mineral insulation, Cherkassy


Figure 21. Fragment of the information board 5C “WAS” - “BECAME”, Ryazan

Figure 22. Securing personal responsibility at the finished product warehouse, Zainsk

Demonstrate that by applying 5S principles it is possible to reduce search time by several times. In this case numbers.

Formulation of the problem

On a sheet of white A4 paper there will be numbers from 1 to 80 of different sizes.

You need to find and cross each number in ascending order from 1 to 50. That is. found the number 1 - crossed it out, found the number 2 - crossed it out, etc. up to number 50.

The game consists of 4 rounds.

Each round is given 30 seconds to complete.

Before each round, each participant is given an A4 sheet with numbers depicted. See below. The participant must NOT see the drawing before the start of the round.

After each round, the results of the round are summed up (the number of crossed out numbers in 30 seconds) and after that the next improvement is made according to the 5S system.

1S - Sorting,
2S - Maintaining order,
3S – Cleanliness (not modeled),
4 S – Standardization,
5S – Improvement (not modeled).

Description of rounds

Round #1. Search before application 5S.
On the A4 sheet, numbers from 1 to 80 are arranged in a chaotic order. There is no sorting or marking.

Round #2. 1S - Sorting.
Numbers from 51 to 80 have been removed. The remaining numbers from 1 to 50 are arranged in a chaotic order.

Round #3. 2S - Tidying up
The sheet is divided into 9 equal squares. Numbers from 1 to 50 are arranged sequentially from left to right, from top to bottom. Those. number 1 - in the upper left square, 2 - in the upper middle, 3 - in the upper right, 4 - in the middle left, etc.

Round #4. 4S - Standardization
A table of 10 x 5 lines is drawn on the sheet.
Each number from 1 to 50 is located in its own square.

After the end of each round, the presenter collects data on the results and approximately determines the minimum, average and maximum number of numbers that the participants managed to mark. The results after each round are recorded in the graph.

The game was created based on materials from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

In our company you can go through.

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