24 common tools and 10 key points of 6S management!

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　　6S management refers to six elements: Sorting (SEIRI), Straightening (SEITON), Cleaning (SEISO), Standardizing (SEIKETSU), Training (SHITSUKE), and Safety (SECURITY); since all of them start with the letter “S”, they are collectively called 6S. 　　24 Tools for Implementing 6S Management 1 Focus on key areas and tackle them one by one: Pushing forward 6S initiatives is a major undertaking; if efforts to carry it out are abandoned halfway or are insufficient, it often leads to negative consequences. It is best to start with small units as pilot projects. By creating model individuals or units, confidence in the feasibility of such initiatives can be built, while doubts about their viability can be dispelled. With successful small units, expand to various levels thereafter ； 　　2 　Inspections: At the pre-, mid-, and post-promotion stages, company managers and department heads organize irregular inspections of the entire factory, identifying issues on-site and promptly listing them as items that need improvement ； 　　3 　 Cockroach detection method: Cockroaches prefer dark, damp, and dirty environments; identifying the places where they appear is the focus of 6S initiatives ； 　　4 　 Use the facility-focused approach: Public toilets are perceived as dirty and smelly. If 6S is implemented starting with toilets to reshape them into civilized facilities, then 6S will achieve twice the results with half the effort ； 　　5 　 Catching cicadas in the sky: Ordinary people don’t look up while walking, and the ceiling also represents a blind spot; permanent measures should be taken to address the uncivilized behavior in the air ； 　　6 　 Carpet search: Since looking up is important, try looking down as well – it can also become one of the key aspects of 6S. For example, floor cleanliness, faulty pipelines, rags left in disarray, messy storage of containers, products scattered on the floor, and so on ； 　　7 　 Expanding space laws: People tend to be nostalgic; in their personal drawers, in the corners of storage areas, among piles of miscellaneous items… there are often things that they’re reluctant to throw away. It’s like those jars and bottles that old women keep for a long time – they really spoil the appearance of those areas ； 　　8 　Post-work inspection method: In a company that promotes 6S, after work, walking around the empty workshops allows one to see the true \"realities\" of the activities aimed at implementing 6S. Are the materials and parts returned to their proper places after use? Work is done – have you made preparations for tomorrow? 　　9 　　The mouse’s way of finding food: As is typical of mice, walking along the walls in search of food often leads to unexpected discoveries. By removing piled-up items or moving cabinets, one can find many things – dust, hair, miscellaneous debris, etc. It’s quite shocking; this is a way to eliminate the sources of mess ； 　　10 　 Fixed-point photography method: People who care about their appearance always use mirrors to tidy up their looks. Therefore, \"looking in a mirror\" is used to understand one’s own strengths and weaknesses. Using photography to replace the function of a mirror is what is known as the \"fixed-location photography method\" – it involves using a camera with a time-display function at the same location to take pictures of the situation before and after improvements, and then displaying these pictures for the person responsible and others to evaluate together; it is a very practical approach ； 　　11 Division of labor and cooperation: After 6S is implemented in terms of factory area planning, responsibilities are assigned to various departments; further on, these responsibilities are broken down to individual employees. Responsibility areas and items within each department are outlined in detail, along with standards and incentives, so that all employees can work together on 6S activities ； 　　12 　　Kanban, visual management: The purpose of kanban is to enable anyone to see anything, at any time, and in any location, so as to understand what needs to be done How to do it? What are the requirements? Rather than just putting up a signboard in a narrow sense. For example: (Department Staff Management Board), which clearly records the whereabouts of staff members. Kanban is a typical form of visual management. Visual management also includes \"color management\"; for example, new employees are given identification cards of different colors to remind everyone to take care of them... etc ； 　　13 Tool board: Based on the characteristics or shape of the tools, they are placed on a board for easy access. Once taken, they can be seen at a glance and put back conveniently at any time, which **facilitates work for those on site, saves time, and improves efficiency** ； 　　14 Competition Activities: Use competition activities to motivate everyone to develop competitiveness and creativity, thereby enhancing team spirit ； 　　15 　Cultural and promotional activities: poster creation, selection of slogans, 6S-themed events, presentations of achievements, as well as the use of media such as pictures and cartoons – all these methods can help to make 6S initiatives more engaging and inspiring, thereby achieving unexpected practical results ； 　　16 　Manufacturing award flags: In 6S competition events, flags that symbolize honor are used for the winning teams to display, in order to inspire and enhance the competitive atmosphere of the event ； 　　17 Utilize the ‘Improvement Form’: This form is referred to as a ‘reminding sheet’ in the training materials; it serves as a tool for giving reminders. It is important to emphasize its role as a reminder. When using this ‘reminding sheet’, its ‘legal validity’ must not be compromised. At the same time, efforts should be made to reduce the resistance of those who are subject to penalties, so that the sheet can be used at any time to facilitate immediate corrections ； 　　18 Target posting method: In order to achieve improvement goals at all times and overcome the inertia of those responsible for maintaining 6S standards, the 6S committee should set a target for the number of target sheets these individuals must create each week, so that the efforts do not stop halfway, and so that the 6S initiatives can proceed vigorously and develop further ； 　　19 Greening Adoption Law: A company’s efforts to promote greenery are very important; they not only improve the environment but also create a peaceful and comfortable working environment for employees. However, maintaining plants requires high levels of skill, as well as patience and care. While it is good to use professionals, it incurs an additional regular expense and raises costs. By adopting a system where employees take responsibility for certain tasks, not only are costs saved, but it also helps to cultivate the sense of responsibility among those who take on these duties; moreover, it fosters a spirit of ownership among everyone in the factory ； 　　20 　　Sequential penalties for poor performance: There is a common mindset among organizations: \"If employees don’t perform well, it is the fault of their supervisors for failing to guide them properly.\" The number of sheets marked with stickers is used to convert points deducted into monetary fines, thereby reminding supervisors of their responsibility to provide oversight; of course, the fine amount for each point deducted should not be too high, as it is merely intended as a reminder and to strengthen supervisors’ authority in oversight ； 　　21 　　Prize-based quiz: Take advantage of various employee gathering occasions and use drawing methods to select employees who must answer a question for which an answer has already been provided. Those who get it wrong must stand up and read the correct answer aloud 2 to 3 times ； If the answer is correct, it is recorded and a symbolic prize is given depending on the occasion. The purpose of these guidelines is to exert slight pressure on employees to carefully understand the contents of the environmental standards and pay attention to 6S activities; of course, the scope of the questions should be explained and announced in advance ； 　　22 　Care about me: Staff turnover and the arrival of new employees can lead to a decline in quality as a result of insufficient time for training; design different identification cards for new employees ； (1) Let colleagues know that one is a \"newcomer\" so that they can help the person adhere to the 6S standards. (2) Help the \"newcomer\" understand that the probation period is a time for learning ； Mistakes can be made due to lack of knowledge or familiarity, but once the trial period is over, the rules must be followed ； 　　23 Key promotion method: Sustaining 6S initiatives requires perseverance; after a certain period, higher standards should be set and new goals established. It is necessary to focus on the main issues associated with implementing 6S, and to develop plans and take actions in a targeted manner ； 　　24 Meeting Minutes: The committee responsible for implementing 6S carries out its duties on a voluntary basis; therefore, to recognize the achievements of those who are involved in this process as well as to keep track of the implementation of these activities, it is absolutely essential to keep detailed \"meeting minutes\" for each meeting. The content should include: resolution items, absence records, person in charge of execution, person in charge of inspection, completion results, completion date, defect report records, etc. For more important meeting schedules, the statements made by *the participants should be recorded, along with the resolutions of the meeting, and communicated to those who were not present at the meeting as well as relevant parties. If necessary, these details should be displayed in greater detail on the “6S Activity Board”. 　　Ten key points of sorting in 6S management Point 1: 6S management – Determine the storage location based on frequency of use 1. Keep items that are used frequently close at hand, and those that are used less often further away; decide on the storage location and position according to the frequency of use. 　　2. Know what items there are, where they are, and how many there are. 　　3. Be able to find the items needed immediately when required. 　　Point 2: 6S Management – Marking positions and defining areas 　　1. Passage lines 　　2. Zebra crossing lines 　　3. Stop lines 　　4. Parking lines 　　5. Barriers 　　Point 3: 6S Management – Adjusting positions for one-way flow 　　1. Flow in accordance with the sequence of processes 　　2. Carry out key processes first 　　3. Avoid back-and-forth or indirect transportation 　　4. First in, first out 　　Point 4: 6S Management – Fixed-location management 　　1. Fixed locations: Keep boxes, cabinets, frames, tables, and chairs in their fixed positions 　　2. Defined positions: Fix the locations of transport containers, workpieces, and materials 　　3. Controlled quantities: Store items in exactly the specified amounts 　　4. Designated spots: Assign specific locations for items on shelves and in boxes/cabinets 　　Point 5: 6S Management – Tracking of movements 　　1. Manage movements so that items are easily retrieved and returned to their proper places. 　　2. Draw it according to the original size and shape; once identified, it can be placed back in its proper position. 　　3. Mark the locations of the turnover boxes so that the ‘exit’ and ‘entry’ points are clearly visible. 4. Use hooks, racks, or holders for cleaning tools to enable easy restoration of their original positions after use. 　　Point 6: 6S Management – Positioning System 　　Arrange items in groups of five. 　　Inventory items are numbered based on four levels: warehouse, shelf, layer, and position, or area, site, pile, and spot ； Try to arrange the supplies in groups of five, both in terms of quantity and arrangement ； Punctured ones are in pairs of five, those with legs are in bundles of five. It can be retrieved by number, allowing quick identification of the quantity. 　　Point 7: 6S Management – Color Coding Visual clarity and transparency: Main pathways: Dark red Waste area: Bright red Transportation facilities: Orange-yellow Lifting equipment: Yellow and black stripes Water pipes: Black rings Gas pipes: Medium-yellow rings Steam pipes: Bright red rings Heating pipes: Silver-gray rings Point 8: 6S Management – Easy access to tools and materials 1. Simplification: Improve tools so that ‘unskilled workers’ can perform tasks just like skilled craftsmen. 　　2. Making keys by hand requires high skill, while anyone can do it quickly and well using a shaping machine. 　　3. Counting the small screws by hand is slow and inaccurate; using a counter allows for fast and accurate counting. 　　Point 9: 6S Management – Kanban Management Ensure that everyone can immediately understand what to do. 1. Public information: Job responsibilities, staffing, safety procedures. 2. Operational information: Process flows, delivery deadlines, production progress. 3. Equipment-related information: Layout plans, inspection requirements, maintenance schedules. 4. Quality-related information: Quality statistics, handling of defects, finished product grades. 5. Miscellaneous information: Tracking of items’ whereabouts, notices and announcements, recreational activities. Point 10: 6S Management – Signage Management and Visual Management 1. Signage: Indicating the status and location of department staff. 2. Alerts: Guidelines, warnings, and audio signals. 3. Transparency: Clear indication of levels such as oil or water levels