The concepts of Lean Manufacturing are being taught at the Kent State University Tuscarawas Campus located in New Philadelphia, Ohio. On December 22, 2008, an enthusiastic group of students from local companies completed a training session titled; "5S: Preparing the Workplace for Continual Improvement." The class was facilitated by John Novak of Kent State University, Tuscarawas Campus. He is also the President of KAVON International, Inc. and a Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt.
The course started out with a description of a process including the four key components (inputs, activities, outputs, and measures). The process was used as the model to describe all of the activities that organizations perform in order to fulfill their customer’s requirements. The process was also positioned as the core for continual improvement activities.
The next topic covered the identification and selection of projects and how to link them to the strategic objectives of the organization. Coupled with projects was a discussion of the teams assembled to complete the project. The various teams roles were defined and their importance to the attainment of the project objectives.
Since the 5S methodologies are at the foundation of Lean, the concept of waste was discussed, along with the “Seven Deadly Wastes”, as defined by James Womak in the book “Lean Thinking”:
- Over production
- Waiting
- Motion
- Transport
- Over processing
- Inventory
- Errors
The five pillars of 5S were introduced and described as one of the first steps taken when undertaking a lean project. Each of the following pillars were first defined and explained:
- Sort (Seiri)
- Set In Order (Seiton)
- Shine (Seiso)
- Standardize (Seiketsu)
- Sustain (Shitsuke)
Lastly, implementation techniques were reviewed along with a set of forms for managing the process. The Red Tag Strategy and Signboard Strategy were discussed at length.
The above pictured students should be congratulated as new change agents within their sponsoring companies.br>
The Kent State University Tuscarawas Office of Workforce Development is your full-service workforce development partner, with the expertise and experience to help you meet your company’s training and development needs. Virtually every day, our trainers and consultants – all with real-world experience – are helping transform workplace cultures, redesign processes, improve quality and reduce costs. Our professional team will work with you to develop training solutions and other services that meet your specific needs and impact your bottom line. Whether conducted at our facilities or at your business location, our training and consulting services always meet the highest quality and affordability standards.
