Ron Collins
Tennessee Associated Electric
Management Services Committee Member
Editor’s Note: This is the second in the “5+1 S Series” of articles written by EASA’s Management Services Committee to provide “lean service” resources to members. The traditional “5S” program covers these goals: sort, straighten, shine, standardize and sustain. We’ve added safety to make it the “5+1 S Series.”
Last month, Paul Idziak, a fellow member of the Management Services Committee, explained the sort activity and how to use it to determine needed and unneeded items in your service center. This month, I’ll cover the second S: Straighten.
Straighten activity
The first step is to clearly mark the designated work area allowing enough space to safely perform the repair procedure/activity of that station. Make sure all unnecessary items are eliminated.
Then, prioritize tools and equipment based on frequency of use. Once prioritized, designate a location for the frequently used tools and supplies to be stored close to the operator or technician. The most frequently used tools should be the closest. One of the biggest wastes of time is having to search extensively for the right tools.
A commonly used method to shorten the search time is to create a shadow board for essential tools
A commonly used method to shorten the search time is to create a shadow board for essential tools. See Figure 1. It provides a quick visual reference for locating the tools and speeds the return after they’re used.
But all tools are needed eventually, so it’s important to place ones that aren’t used as much in a convenient, visible location that’s easy to access.
Inventoried parts should be centrally located and bins properly labeled. The label should include the part number, part description, storage location and the recommended minimum and maximum quantities. This will prevent running out of those items.
Non-stock items needed for a specific job should be stored in designated and well-known locations. Items should be clearly marked to identify them so the person performing the repair spends minimum time gathering parts.
A properly straightened and organized work area allows the operator or technician to quickly review and verify that all the parts and tools are close at hand to efficiently perform the repair.
Next month: Focus on shine
Once you complete this step to improve service center efficiency, you’re ready to move to the next “S” goal: Shine. It will be covered in next month’s article.
Related Reference and Training Materials
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