What Does “5S” Stand for in Lean Manufacturing?
The concept of 5S, or Kaizen, in lean manufacturing stands for five Japanese words that start with the letter “S.” The words are “seiri,” “seiton,” “seiso,” “seiketsu” and “shitsuke,” notes Graphic Products.
The elements of 5S have been adapted to English as “sort,” “set in order,” “shine,” “standardize” and “sustain,” states Six Sigma Daily. Implementing the process involves reducing clutter, organizing the work area, cleaning the work space, streamlining and standardizing the new work processes to maximize worker efficiency and adding regular training and communication with workers in order to sustain new procedures. A lean manufacturing process that implements 5S can be expected to increase profits and worker efficiency along with customer service and safety.
