TwinBin Kanban System at 5S Supply
June 19, 2013
How to Organize Inventory, Control Costs, and Reduce Waste with the TwinBin Kanban System
5S Supply now offers the unique and award winning TwinBin 2-bin Kanban System
As many of you know kanban is a Japanese term that typically is related to a signal of when to produce (make) or withdraw (move) items in a manufacturing setting. Nowadays, Kanban Systems are used in office areas, hospitals and other industries wanting better control of their processes and inventory. 5S Supply has partnered with Hurst Green Plastics, Ltd from the United Kingdom to provide their award winning TwinBin and FlagBin Systems.
How it Works
Employees pull parts from the lower bin as needed. When the bin is empty, a pull of the divider drops the correct quantity of replenishment parts into the bin. This also visually triggers replenishment of parts in the top bin. The top bin is then restocked and the pull system continues to provide the right product in the right quantities! The clear front plastic bins allow operators to easily see exactly what parts are needed and the current quantity. The bins can be color coded and labeled to make the system even more visual and simple to operate.
Benefits of using TwinBin and FlagBin
- Inventory Control – up to 82% of stock reduction has been recorded
- Traceability – offers opportunity for 100% traceability even for small components
- Less Waste – every part issued and accounted for
- No Environmental Contamination – parts are retained in a closed bin
- No Stock Cross-Contamination
- Reduces Line Stoppages
- Rapid Payback on Investment
Other TwinBin Options include:
- An upper Locking Bar (in three colors: Red, Blue and Grey) to help prevent people from pulling components from the top bin.
- Color-coded Bin Labels (in five colors: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Clear) to make it simpler to find what is needed
- Plastic Mounting Bolts (2 per bin required) used with the TwinBin Racking System
TwinBin Kanban System
TwinBin Racking Systems
There are two Racking Systems sizes to choose from:
- .75m (2.46 ft.) wide x 1.9m high (6.23 ft.) – holds 50 TwinBin – Singles (25 per side)
- 1.5m (4.92 ft.) wide x 1.9m high (6.23 ft.) - holds 100 TwinBin – Singles (50 per side)
Other Racking Options:
- Racking Headers – angled headers to prevent anyone from stacking things on top and to label specific racks for parts or components
- Collection Trays – used on the bottom of the rack if parts fall they can be easily contained (2 per set)
- Castors – make your Racking System mobile to two swivel wheels and two locking wheels
Since these items are shipped form the U.K., 5S Supply uses a Request for Quote form to customize solutions.
For more information visit our website: TwinBin Kanban System or call us at 888 4 LEAN 5S (888-453-2657).
5S Supply Now Offers QuikBoards
June 12, 2013
QuikBoards are perfect for Product and 5S Scheduling
QuikBoards are perfect for creating a customized solution for production scheduling or 5S activities. The Scheduling and 5S boards have optional pre-printed magnet sets. All the boards are magnetic and dry-erase for maximum usability.
“While working on countless production smoothing or 5S kaizens, I always had to develop a whiteboard from scratch to roll out the new production schedule or 5S assignments. It usually took several hours away from the improvement activity cutting tape strips and sticking labels on magnets. QuikBoards allow kaizen team members to focus their time working on process improvements and very quickly assemble a customized schedule/assignment board that matches their process requirements.” – Scott Morrison, Inventor, QuikBoards
Production Scheduling Boards - Versatile board can be used to evenly schedule 8-hour, 12-hour, 16-hour, and 24-hour time blocks over one, two, or three weeks. The 36″ x 48″ schedule board has room for posting 8-1/2″ x 11″ charts.
The Scheduling Boards come in three different sizes:
- 24″ H x 18″ W
- 36″ H x 24″ W
- 48″ H x 36″ W
Schedule Board Magnet Sets - Magnets for posting 24-hour Standard and Military times, seven day weeks, changeover time blocks, and a variety of subjects (set-ups, raw materials, finished goods, etc.).
5S Activity Board - Board can be used to evenly schedule 5S assignments over shifts, days, and weeks. This is the way to help Sustain a 5S system!
5S Board: 24″ H x 18″ W
5S Board Magnet Sets - Magnets for posting shifts, days, weeks, and a variety of tasks (sort, set in order, shine, standardize, sustain, inspect, mop, etc.).
Stop by 5S Supply to see these and other great products for your Lean implementation.
Shingo Conference 2013 Synopsis – Part II
May 24, 2013
Here are some of my thoughts while attending a dinner with guest of honor Mr. Hiromitsu Hayashida, former Toyota Manager and trainer.
Tony Manos and Hiromitsu Hayashida
Fireside Chat
Another highlight and something unique to the Shingo Prize International Conference is the ability to attend a “Fireside Chat” (for a fee) with practitioners of the Toyota Production System. I had the honor to spend an evening with Hiromitsu Hayashida. Through a translator, Tyler, we had a wonderful evening of questions and answers, storytelling and insights from someone who had lived TPS and had an effect on future Toyota leaders. Here are a few quick stories that I thought I would share.
Pull the cord
Mr. Hayashida talked about work at the Toyota-GM joint venture at the NUMMI plant in California. He said it took over a year to get the American workers comfortable to pull the andon cord when there was a problem or issue.
The principles of “Quality at the Source” and “No defects Passed Forward” are still difficult for many organizations to embrace. I remember years ago telling a production manager “We don’t need 800 parts per hour, we need 800 GOOD parts per hour.” We need to continue to instill the notion that it is okay to stop a process to make it better (instead of continuing with a bad process).
Coaching
When I asked Mr. Hayashida what would be his advice if we wanted to train managers that haven’t spent a lot of time coaching to be coaches (Toyota starts the coaching training before they become managers), he said “That is a tough question.” He paused and thought about it and stated that there needs to be a specific training plan for these managers.
As more organizations pursue operational excellence they will have to find a way to have management become more of coaches and mentors. This may be difficult for people that have already been in management rolls without the specific coaching/mentoring, people development.
Kaizen – Operators move with production line
Mr. Hayashida thought that the toughest job at the first Lexus plant was the assembly operator. They had to walk along the moving conveyor with the car while doing their task in less than the takt time. Nobody wanted to do this tough job. Mr. Hayashida and his team focused on this to improve things for the operator. Someone on the team spoke up and said “Why don’t we put the operator on the conveyor so they can move along with the car?” What a breakthrough; this is a very common method of car assembly today, but the original idea had to come from somewhere.
I appreciate the time Mr. Hayashida spent with us and the wisdom and insights that he shared.
Shingo Conference 2013 Synopsis – Part I
May 22, 2013
I wanted to share some thoughts from the recent 25th Annual International Shingo Conference in Provo, Utah.
LEAD
I was lucky enough to attend Bob Miller’s eye-opening LEAD workshop. This session is perfect for leaders who want to understand what’s missing in their long-term success – a balance of results and behaviors. It also made me realize the difference between values and behaviors. Many organizations have written down their values (you may see them on posters on the walls in the office or boardroom), but how people interpret values is different. I remember in one of Bob’s previous presentations where he shows a cartoon with a cop and robbers. The robbers have tattoos on their arms that say “teamwork, integrity, focus”; they are showing their values. The funny part is the policeman has a notepad while interviewing the little old lady that was robbed and on the back of his notepad it says “teamwork, integrity, focus.” The police and the robbers both have the same values; it is their behaviors that are different. We need to align a company’s ideal behaviors along with ideal results. To help illustrate the point that the lean tools would only get us so far he showed a partially finished bridge. In the Lean world we were so focused on teaching the tools that we didn’t complete the bridge. We need to add systems and principles to the tools. The session also emphasizes that a leader’s job is to spend 80% of his or her time on the “why” of the behaviors in three ways: leader to leader, leader to manager and leader to associate. Explaining, communicating, teaching, coaching, and modeling the ideal behaviors to help elicit the ideal results.
For more information click here>> Shingo LEAD
Five Easy 5S & Lean Things to do On Earth Day 2013
April 22, 2013
Here’s a quick list of things related to 5S and Lean that you can easily do to celebrate Earth Day and make your workplace (and our planet) better.
Go to your 5S Red Tag Holding Area and see if there is something there that can be recycled. Maybe there is something that you could re-purpose or use in your work area. This will save your organization money from having to buy a new item and you extended the life of an item you already have.- Organize some consumable items in your work area. Determine the best location for them. Consider using Point-of-Use-Storage (or a Kanban System – like Kanban Indicator Bins); this will help reduce motion
and transportation waste. Determine how many you actually need and who replenishes hem. This alone may help you reduce the unnecessary inventory you carry and reduce the waste of inventory or storage. - Put a “Shine” on your workplace. Clean and inspect your work area – this not only will make your spot seem nicer and more pleasant to be in, it can also help improve the air quality, reduce allergens and germs.
- Create Standards for a task in your work area. Work with your team to determine the best way to get a task done and then standardize it. This will help you be more efficient and effective plus everyone will do it the same way so it makes it more consistent and easier to train new people.
Keep 5S going by sustaining your efforts. Consider using our exclusive 5S Sustain Campaign Board. You can assign 5S related tasks to team members each week to keep 5S forefront in their minds while help to continuously improve your work space.
Remember to Reduce-Reuse-Recycle! 5S and Lean are a great way to help.
Stainless Steel Tool Carts From 5S Supply
April 18, 2013
5S Supply is pleased to announce that it now carries Stainless Steel Tool Carts from Triton Products.
Stainless Steel Tool Cart
These Stainless Steel Mobile Tool Carts are perfect for tool organization in:
- clean rooms
- medical applications
- food grade environments
- harsh environments
- specialty locations such as show rooms
- many other applications
Made with 18 gauge brushed 304 Stainless Steel with an anodized aluminum frame makes it impervious to cleaning solutions and it won’t rust or corrode. It comes equipped with 3 inch neoprene castors — two locking castors, two fixed castors and a handle to make it easy to move around. It is only 21-1/2 inches wide and will fit through doors. The overall unit is 36-3/4 inch L x 39-1/4 inch H x 21-1/4 inch W with a tool storage area of 18 square feet. The 4-1/2 foot bottom shelf and top tray add extra storage. The A-frame design allows items to be placed on both sides of the cart and it can easily accommodate up to 650 lbs.
Combine the Stainless Steel LocBoard with the Stainless Steel LocHooks for a customized tool storage solution. The Stainless Steel LocHooks stay put with the two-and-four-point locking system. Four locking posts with two screws ensure that the hooks will not come out, but are easy to re-arrange if needed. Some assembly required.
The Stainless Steel Tool Cart comes with an optional 63 piece LocHook set (60 assorted LocHooks and 3 LocBins) or you can select your own combination of Stainless Steel LocHooks, bins and shelves.
Check out this video
Office Waste – Useless Reports
March 18, 2013
Recently, while teaching a workshop one of the participants mentioned how at his (I’ll call him Les – to protect the innocent or guilty?) company they had many useless reports. Les even gave an example of writing in his report “Is anyone reading this?” and of course no one responded. Les asked his bosses if they could discontinue creating this useless report. The response was unquestionably “no”. One time, while performing an AIB audit Les had to go through an access in the ceiling to do an inspection. As he put it “someone took a picture of my big fat as*” going through the hatch. So this time he put that picture in the report to see if anyone would notice. Not a single response.
Maybe you can help me answer these questions:
- Why does management require so many useless reports?
- Do they know how much time is wasted creating these reports? Do they know how much time is wasted reading these reports? Do they know how much misinformation, inaccurate or incomplete information is in the reports? And worse, what poor decisions are made because of these reports?
- What do they do with the information when they get it?
- Do they use this as any sort of “Check” in Plan-Do-Check-Act?
- Is this just a CYA (cover your as*) move?
- If management really wants to know what’s going on, why don’t they just go to gemba (the place where the action occurs)?
I guess my questions are rhetorical; I think we already know the answers.
Now, having said all that, there may actually be some good and helpful reports; like good A3s.
For fun, if you have some other examples of useless reports, feel free to share them with us. – Tony
