Aichi (Aichi Prefecture)
5S and metal.
Product and screw storage
5S (Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu, Shitsuke, Shitsuke). Widely known as an excellent motto for environmental maintenance, this term has spread not only in Japan but also globally. We, too, have been focusing on "5S activities" to improve the environment of our factories and warehouses (packing work spaces, product storage areas, etc.). Nevertheless, these activities, which had been getting squeezed by daily operations, were strengthened at once when we had some free time after the Corona disaster. We have made significant progress in the past few months. These efforts have had effects that go beyond mere environmental improvement. For example, the visualization and organization of the 5S activities have proven to be uniquely effective in the construction measures using the same materials, which are necessary to prevent electrolytic corrosion caused by different materials. Furthermore, the risk of mixing dissimilar materials has been greatly reduced due to the drastic reduction in the ordering of unnecessary parts and materials, leading to shorter inspection times and other tangible benefits.
Intrinsic Effects of Visualization
Although "visualization" is easy to understand in a nutshell, we have come to realize the difficulty of realizing 5S and at the same time the enormity of its effects. At the same time, the process to realize the 5S has the effect of generating ideas within the company. For example, by visualizing parts and materials, we can naturally reduce the time spent searching for them. Secondly, it has saved us from ordering extra parts and materials, and we now know how much inventory we have of the same parts and materials, which used to be scattered throughout the company. Staff members who have experienced this effect are coming up with ideas for the next one, and the next one, and the next one. It may sound like an obvious thing to say, but this was a scene that was difficult to realize. The reason why it is so easy for all people to actively participate in this project, from front-line staff, sales support staff, finance staff, and management staff, is because they can see the effects that are created in areas that they had not noticed before, even if they are simple. It has been 10 years since we obtained ISO certification, and in that time we have come to understand the same things as knowledge, but now we are responding to the fact that we have come to the part where we can embody them with practice in the future. We will continue to strive to constantly improve our corporate quality.
