The customer
The company in question specialises in the design and production of industrial cleaning machines, such as sweepers, scrubbers and escalator cleaning devices. The core business consists of providing innovative, efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for cleaning industrial floors, warehouses, logistics centres and other professional environments.
The customer’s need
The company found problems with the organisation of equipment on one of its assembly lines. These problems included an excess of unused tools, difficulties in quickly identifying the required tools, unproductive time spent searching for tools, and a sub-optimal arrangement of equipment on the workbench. The need was to optimise space, improve operational efficiency and standardise the layout of equipment to promote greater productivity and sustainability.
Solution provided
To address these issues, the company implemented the Japanese 5S methodology, focusing on separation, order, cleanliness, standardisation and discipline.
The main actions included:
Seiri (Separation)
Overhaul and removal of superfluous equipment, reducing the number of tools from 942 to 534 and leaving space only for essential tools.
Seiton (Order)
Detailed mapping and cataloguing of tools to strategically position them according to their function and frequency of use.
Seiso e Seiketsu (Cleaning and Standardisation)
Design of an internally customised tool bench, optimised for efficiency and accessibility. Standards were defined to keep the bench organised and replicable on other lines.
Shitsuke (Discipline)
Implementation of daily practices to maintain order and standards, accompanied by regular audits to monitor compliance.
The solution included make-or-buy analysis, opting for an in-house workbench design to achieve a customised, high quality product.
Benefits obtained
By adopting the 5S methodology, the company has achieved:
- Increased operational efficiency: reduced tool search time and optimised workflow.
- Increased operational efficiency: reduced tool search time and optimised workflow.
- Replicable standardisation: creation of a layout and procedures that can be applied to several assembly lines.
- Sustainability of the solution: promotion of a corporate culture geared towards discipline and continuous improvement, with shared responsibility among operators.
- Cost saving: cheaper in-house solution than buying pre-fabricated benches, without compromising on quality.
Results
-6%
Cycle Time
-43%
Tools used
-10%
Space used