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03/27/2006 06:01 PM
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As I have mentioned B4, I am just staring the journey.Starting with 5S.I want to get tool boards up and going but, have acouple of "Problems." Staff don't want the tools on boards because they will be stolen/borrowed and then won't have any. Management don't want tool boards for same reason,or they want them locked and if a tool goes missing it becomes the resposibility of the operator to replace the missing tool. This is working against the tool board and encouraging hiding tools.
Any one have any good compromises?
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03/30/2006 02:26 AM
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Hi Bob,
We had the exact same problem at a company that I worked at previously. The solution was surprisingly simple and effective, the tools (where possible) were chained next to the macines. The chains were long enough for the operators to comfortably reach the machine and perform change-overs or any other task required.
While this isn't the ideal solution it did get the tools out on the shop floor.
It's also worth noting that this idea came from the shop floor (where most good ideas come from).
People need to remember that the people on the machines are the experts.
Hope this goes some way to helping you.
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03/30/2006 08:29 AM
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Our lesson learned: The goal of the 5S process is to eliminate waste, not put tools on tool boards. We went through the exercise of putting all of our small tools on tool boards when we did our first 5S sweep.
After running it for about a year, we found that the tools needed to travel with the operator to the various work stations. Even having a tool board where it was most commonly used didn't eliminate the waste of acquiring the tool.
Sticking to the lean principle of eliminating the waste of motion, we found that some tools indeed needed to be in a "personal tool box" to eliminate the waste. So my advice in your situation is to follow the principle, not the practice. Eliminate the waste comes first, not the practice of having everything on tool boards.
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03/30/2006 09:43 AM
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Bob,
My employer had the same concern when we started doing this ourselves. We spoke with the Lean leader at another company, and his advice was:
1. The better visibility acutally improves tool control.
2. You will lose some, but eventually the thieves have taken what they want.
This attitude was primarily driven by our head accountant, who had the same concerns about inventory and required that everything be under lock and key to prevent theft.
This guy eventually left, and then we were able to make changes. Since moving inventory to Point of Use and tools onto shadow boards, we don't really lose many tools or inventory. Any losses are more than made up for with increased productivity.
95% of your people are trustworthy and want what is best for the organization. Design your system around the 95%, not the 5%. The few you can't trust must be sent packing as soon as they show themselves for what they are.
See if you can find some examples in your area where others have already made the change, and take your feet draggers there to see and hear for themselves.
Good Luck!
Blake
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03/30/2006 06:00 PM
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I had the same issue at first, very few tools have gone missing and the value compare the wasted time lost to production of an employee searching for tools or getting part way thru and having to stop and look for tools does not compare.
Any expensive tools can still be locked away but keep the common cheaper ones on the board.
A wrench costs $15 a sign stating Is your job worth the price of the wrench can also be a deterent.
Lastly I've seen vertical tool stands that had clear plexiglass locking lid.
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03/31/2006 10:14 AM
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"I want to get tool boards going...". That's your solution and the management and workers are giving you reasons why that isn't a good idea. Have you done any training to help them understand the principles of 5S and how they could benefit? Then you can solicit their suggestions. If you've built up some trust, you'll get some ideas. We recently had an over-zealous intern conduct a surprise 5S audit of the customer service department and it caused an uproar and lots of negativity. Department workers didn't have any knowledge of 5S and felt they were blind-sided. A good intention required lots of damage control. A little planning and preparation goes a long way toward avoiding potential roadblocks down the road.
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03/31/2006 03:36 PM
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I've seen cabinets used that have a see through door (glass or plexi-glass) that can still be locked but can still be reviewed visually.
However, tools walking away points to a larger behavioral or cultural problem. Designing a better "mousetrap" is not the answer, people will find a way to circumvent it. Operators need to realize the benefit of tools on hand when needed. Until that happens you will fight with it!
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04/04/2006 03:48 PM
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Thanks to All for your input
It is appreciated and will come in handy, it obviously is not an uncommon problem
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04/04/2006 04:38 PM
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Thanks to All for your input
It is appreciated and will come in handy, it obviously is not an uncommon problem and I will work through it
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04/18/2006 03:03 PM
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I am new to this so please bear with me.
Detering the stealing seems to me to be the best approach. Visible and or the knowledge of hidden cameras keeps honest people honest and makes not so honest people reconsider the risks. Has anyone ever tried installing cameras to monitor the shop activities.
I would think that a daily review of the tool boards by the shop manager would would minimize the need to review the tapes until something is missing.
Swift action to remove any culprits would then be a strong deterrent to future would be thieves.
Our shop has a problem with lack of effort unless someone is watching. I am ready to put some real and some fake cameras in just to "encourage" everyone to stay busy. Seems to me I could also use the footage to catch problems after our toold are out on boards or at POU.
Bill
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04/26/2006 01:38 PM
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Hi Bill,
I found 3 interested things in your article.
1. Dealing with Symtoms not Root Cause. Should find out the RC first and take actions to eradicte RC.
2. Wasting Mgr's time to review tapes. I consider it as a rework. Use Mgr as a good source to find out the RC and motivate mgr and staff to contribute to the problem solving process
3. Applying Push instead of Pull on how to prevent stealing. I bet your staff will sooner or later find out the location of fake/real camera. Keeping staff busy is not your goal. They may be busy doing non-value-added activities. Your goal should be on efficiency and productivity improvements. Try not to focus on HR resources, but the products/materials that deliver to your customers, and at the end, you should solve the HR problem.
I know it is easier said than done. Try to hire a consultant and link his performance with improvemetns. It's not your money as long as you pay him from the money that you save from the projects. Hope it helps.
Eddie
Author, Lean Six Sigma Handbook
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05/02/2006 03:37 AM
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Bob,
We can review you questions :
1/ >
- The tool board is counter-mesure to what problem ?
- Why do you need tools ? Don't you have counter-mesure to the need of tools ?
- Are you going to use tools less than 5 feet away from the board ?
2/ >
- Your staff seems to need tools. So they should be able to answer the fomer questions.
- If people have time to spend for searching and borrowing tools away from their workbench, there also must be a problem elsewhere!
3/ >
- Is a locked tool easier to use ? Is it removing waste or adding some more ?
4/ >
- Isn't the toolboard adding some costs / waste ?
Again, if people have time to hide / search for tools, there must be a problem.
5/ >
- A compromise, may it be good, is not a counter-mesure to a problem!
- So, you have to make staff define clearly what the real problem is, and make them test and implement their counter-mesure.
- Lean is not a "solution". Ohno didn't ask for solutions. He asked his people to define the problem, choose a counter-mesure, to try it, and to improve it.
He had so much respect for people he didn't want the workers time to be loosed in scrap, non value activities, chasing, etc.
Your best friend will be this question : "what is the real problem ?"
Emmanuel
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05/24/2006 06:59 AM
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what is the best way to present tools to the operator we have a large takt time and therefore a cirtain amount iof tools is there a company that specialises in trolleys with storage - taking into account visual factory
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