Implementation of ‘5 s’ technique in a manufacturing organization a case study

IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
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Volume: 04 Issue: 01 | Jan-2015, Available @ http://www.ijret.org 136
IMPLEMENTATION OF ‘5S’ TECHNIQUE IN A MANUFACTURING
ORGANIZATION: A CASE STUDY
Shraddha P. Deshpande1
, Vipul V. Damle2
, Merang L. Patel3,
Akshay B. Kholamkar4
1
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, GES’s R H. Sapat College of Engineering, Nasik,
Maharashtra, India
2
B. E. Mech.(student), Mechanical Engineering Department, GES’s R H. Sapat College Of Engineering , Nasik,
Maharashtra, India
3
B. E. Mech.(student), Mechanical Engineering Department, GES’s R H. Sapat College Of Engineering ,Nasik,
Maharashtra, India
4
B. E. Mech.(student), Mechanical Engineering Department, GES’s R H. Sapat College Of Engineering ,Nasik,
Maharashtra, India
Abstract
The paper represents an application of ‘5S’ technology in one of the MNC Samsonite South Asia Pvt. Ltd., Gonde-Dumala,
Maharashtra which is the leading manufacturer of the luggage bags in the world. ‘5S’ in simple terms is a Japanese technique
consisting of five ‘S’ terms namely Seiri (sorting), Seiton (set in order), Seiso (shine), Seiketsu (standardize) and Shitsuke (sustain)
having a deep sense for managing the work place. The aim of the implementation of ‘5S’ in the organization is to enhance the
productivity, safety, efficiency through effective workplace management. The need for the implementation of ‘5S’ in the
organization came into existence due to unorganized work-stations, uncomfortable working environment and the excessive wastes
in the company. Hence to get rid-off of the above factors, there was an urgent need for the successive implementation of ‘5S’ in
the organization. The effective following on ‘5S’ in the organization by the various official staff and workman’s strengthens the
work ethic between them resulting in the motivation towards teamwork. The successive implementation of ‘5S’ transformed the
organization drastically, right from the working conditions to the employees working satisfaction.
Keywords: 5S, Workplace Management
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1. INTRODUCTION
Every organization aims for profit. In today’s global market
of decreasing profit margins, the profit made from the waste
as well as through proper workplace management is
mandatory. Thus it is directly related to the competition of
the particular organization with the competitor. Hence the
profit from the waste and through the proper workplace
management can be made only when there will be a
stringent implementation of some workplace management
technique and that technique is ‘5S’ concept.
Also the Samsonite South Asia, Gonde aims for building it
to a world-class level organization. Thus organization
adopted the concept of ‘5S’ for enhancing the profit, class of
the company, working conditions, etc. and implemented the
‘5S’ technique successfully. Also the organization have
various departments such as assembly, stores, injection
moulding, maintenance and tool room, administration where
the implementation of ‘5S’ would result in a huge
enhancement in productivity, proper workplace condition,
increased profits and motivation to employees.
1.1 What Is ‘5S’?
‘5S’ is one of the Japanese techniques which was introduced
by Takashi Osada in the early 1980s [8]. It is basically a
workplace management methodology which helps for
improving working environment, human capabilities and
thereby productivity [8]. The word ‘5S’ represents the 5
discipline for maintaining visual workplace. ‘5S’ is
workplace management to minimize the loss of time and
unnecessary movements as well. It comprises 5 principles in
making the organization highly efficient and effective those
are:-
Seiri: - (sorting)
1. Perform sorting activity at your workplace i.e. into
wanted and unwanted things.
2. Remove all the unwanted things that are at your
workplace.
3. Only keep those things that you need.
Seiton: - (set in order)
1. Decide place for everything that you need.
2. Give proper identification to it for ease of search.
3. Keep everything at its defined place after use.
4. Make sure every time that everything is at its place.
Seiso: - (shine)
1. Always keep cleanliness at your workplace.
2. Keep the tools always clean after its use.
3. Areas should be properly marked or painted.

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Seiketsu: - (standardize)
1. Define standard method/way of doing the work i.e.
prepare standard operating procedure (SOP).
2. Do the work in that method/way only.
3. Maintain the discipline in your work [5].
Shitsuke: - (sustain)
1. Maintain consistency in the method of doing work
[3].
2. Stick to the ‘5S’ rules for proper workplace
management.
3. Encourage the participation of all, for consistency in
‘5S’ activities.
4. Perform ‘5S’ activities periodically.
1.2 Organization Introduction
Samsonite South Asia Pvt. Ltd., Nasik (India) inaugurated in
1998. The luggage industry started with metal luggage and
then with soft luggage. In last two decades plastic luggage
by Samsonite became popular due to their various excellent
properties. Plastic luggage can be made by plastic injection
moulding and sheet forming.
Samsonite group is specialized in all travel solutions and
making all the products related to the journey. The products
are manufacture at various locations depending upon the
availability of skilled labours and logistics benefit.
2. PROBLEM STATEMENT
The following problems occurred before implementation of
‘5S’ in the organization:
1. Improper utilization of storage space for raw material,
bins and finished products.
2. Wastage of time in searching the raw material due to
non-permanent location for storage of raw material.
3. Low productivity due to the time wastage in
searching for tools, materials due to improper
workplace management.
4. Presence of unwanted materials at the workplace
which affects the moral of the worker while working.
5. Useful storage space being acquired by the unwanted
materials.
6. More time and cost required for the inventory process
of unwanted stored materials in raw material stores.
7. No well defined space for storing the unwanted or
rejected material.
8. Unequal participation of officers and workers in
workplace management due to non standardization.
3. METHODOLOGY
The following method was adopted to implement ‘5S’:
1. To create awareness among the employees for the
implementation of ‘5S’, various awareness programs
and presentations were undertaken by the various
experts in the organization. Also the official staff
visited the leading organization’s in which ‘5S’ had
already being implemented successfully.
2. As the organization consist of various departments it
was difficult and impossible to imply directly the ‘5S’
technique in the organization. Hence the organization
was simplified into various zones consisting of
specific departments along with it, the zone leaders
and sub-zone leaders were also appointed. The
organization was simplified as:
Table -1: Simplification of Organization
ZONE SUB-ZONES
1.Periphery
1.Parking & Main Gate
2.Gate House
3.Garden & Periphery Road
4.IMD Pantry
2.Old Admin/New
Admin
1.Old Admin
2. New Admin
3.Bonded Store
Room (BSR) /
Raw Material
(RM) Stores
1.BSR
2.RM Stores
3.Old RM Stores
4.Carton Storage Area
4.Main Assembly
1.Poly-Propelene & Curve Line
2.Curve Line
3.Quality Audit (QA)
4.Basement 1
5.Injection
Moulding
Department (IMD)
1. 1200 T A Machine
2. 1200 T B Machine
3. 400 T Machine
4. ILLIG-A Machine
5. ILLIG-B Machine
6. U200 Machine
7. Welex Machine
8. Amut Machine
9. Laser Machine
10. Press Former A Machine
11. Press Former B Machine
12. Press Former C Machine
13. Router & Drilling Machine
14. Re-Grinder R1
15. Re-Grinder R2
16. Re-Grinder R3
17. IMD Office & Shell
6. Tool Room &
Maintenance
1. Low Tension (LT) Room,
Diesel Generator(DG) Room &
Substation
2.Cooling Towers & Pump
House
3.IMD Chillers
4.Extruder Chiller

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5.Maintenance Area
6.IMD Panels
7.Assembly/Office Panels
8.Pressure Forming Panels
9.Frame/Soft Panels
10.Lathe Machine
11.Milling Machine
12.Spoting Machine
13.Grinding Machine
14.Cutting Machine & Raw
Material
15.Working Area
16.Basket Repair
17.Tool Room Basement
18.Oil Yard
7. Development
1.Development Model Shop &
Front Passage
2. Development Office, Meeting
Room, Sample Room
3.Softside Model Shop & Store
4.Inward QA & Sorting Area
5.RM Store & Rejection Area
6. Development Basement
Assembly Line
7.Canteen
3. Now as the organization was simplified into
different zones, the ‘1S’ activity was undertaken by
the respective zones under the guidance of
respective zone leaders.
4. After the implementation of ‘1S’ in various zones,
the audit was conducted by the apex team of the
organization. Then the queries raised from the audit
by the apex team were taken into consideration by
the respective zones and the corrective measures
were taken on it.
Fig -1: Organization structure
5. After that, the presentation session was conducted
on ‘1S’ for the whole staff along with the workers
and at last, the best three zones were awarded based
on the performance of respective zones.
6. Similarly the rest ‘4S’ were implemented one after
the other successfully.
4. ACTUAL IMPLIMENTATION OF ‘5S’ IN THE
SIMPLIFIED ZONES
4.1 Seiri (Sorting-1S)
Sorting aims for removing all the unwanted materials from
the workplace. After sorting the unwanted materials from
the workplace, they are placed in the red tag area and the
details of it are noted down on the red tag card (as shown in
Fig -2). The materials noted down on the red tag card are
then moved to scrap yard or located properly or rectified or
segregated or returned to the supplier based on the decision
of apex team and zone leader [3].
Fig -2: Red tag card

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4.1.1 Injection Moulding Department (Zone 5):
Before
After
Fig -3: Injection moulding 400T machine area
Unwanted frames placed below the electrical panel are
removed.
Before
Fig -4: Grinding room
Rejected shells are removed.
Before
After
Fig -5: Injection moulding dept. office
Lots of usable and unusable material acquiring office area

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4.1.2 Tool Room & Maintenance (Zone 6):
Before
After
Fig -5: Tool room area
All the machine parts and material sorted and unwanted
parts moved to scrap yard.
Fig -6: Rack
Rack space being acquired by unusable fixtures and dies.
4.1.3 Main Assembly (Zone 4):
Before
After
Fig -7: Outside of assembly office
The unwanted material placed on table in the passage way is
replaced by the red tag area.
Before

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After
Fig -8: Emergency door
Emergency door way covered by the shell carton.
Before
After
Fig -9: Empty passage of assembly
All the materials that occupied the passage way is sorted and
moved to scrap yard which provided cleared passage way.
4.1.4 BSR/RM Stores (Zone 3):
Before
After
Fig -10: Gangway of RM stores
Material in the passage of gangway is sorted properly which
provided well defined gangway.
4.2 Seiton (Set In Order-2S):
Set in order aims at “place for everything and everything in
its place” [2]. After sorting, the specific location is defined
for the useful material and located in the predefined order.
4.2.1 Injection Moulding Department (Zone 5):
Fig -11: Proper place for moulds

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Injection moulds stored properly in allocated area with
proper labeling.
Fig -12: Vacuum and pressure forming moulds rack
Pressure vacuum forming moulds stored properly in
allocated rack with proper labeling.
Fig -13: Shadow board
Shadow boards for hand tools prepared by the zone
members from the rejected poly-propylene sheets which
made them easily visible.
Before
After
Fig -14: Vacuum forming machine area
Proper location and identity defined to dustbin, first piece
sample and sheets required for shell production.
Before After
Fig -15: Welex machine
Proper wiring of machine is done.
Before

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Fig -16: Welex machine area
Well defined gangway.
4.2.2 Tool Room & Maintenance (Zone 6):
Fig -18: Tool room & maintenance machine area
Proper space is allotted for lathe, milling and grinding
machine.
Before
After
Fig -17: Tool room & maintenance dept.
Proper location and space defined for racks, mould area,
machines.
Fig -20: Rack for parts under maintenance
Proper place and identification defined to the machine parts
under maintenance.
Before

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After
Fig -19: Fastener drawer
All the fasteners in the drawer were allocated separate space
to reduce the time in searching for them.
4.2.3 Main Assembly (Zone 4):
Fig -21: Office drawer
Shadow boards prepare by zone members from the rejected
poly-propylene sheet for the appliances like hot gun,
soldering gun etc. for easy finding.
Fig -22: Office drawer
Shadow boards prepare by zone members from the rejected
poly-propylene sheet for the hand tools like hammer, pliers,
cutter etc. for easy finding.
Fig -23: Fan location & identity
Proper location for the fan with specific identity (fan
number)
Fig -24: Finished goods pallet and dustbin location
Proper space is allotted for finished goods pallet and
dustbin.
4.2.4 BSR/RM Stores (Zone 3):
Fig -25: RM stores rack

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Proper place and identification given for raw material
storage in the racks
Proper place and identification given for raw material carats
in the storage racks
Fixed location and identification given for storage of master
batch and well defined gangway can be observed.
4.3 Seiso (Shine-3S):
Shine aims for keeping cleanliness at workplaces,
workstations, offices, stores, outlet, passage ways,
gangways, etc. in the organization.
Before
After
Fig -28: Grinding room
Cleaned workplace at the grinding room
Before
After
Fig -29: RM stores gangway

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Cleaned and properly marked gangway.
Before
After
Fig -30: Inside area of cutting machine
Proper cleaning at the excess shell portion cutting machine
Before
After
Fig -31: Pallet trucks
Pallet trucks are painted for the purpose of good look
(i.e. shine).
4.4 Seiketsu (Standardize):
To strictly follow the first ‘3S’ in the daily routine, the 4th
‘S’ i.e. Standardize is used. Standardize aims for preparation
of standard methods to continue to follow the first ‘3S’
effectively in the organization [2].
Thus to standardize, following activities were taken into
consideration:
 We have prepared the standard operating
procedures (i.e. SOP’s) for machines as well as for
assembly of luggage bag for workers in English
and in their local language also. This is just to
avoid mistakes which leads to rejection of final
product.
 We have maintained a red tag register in which we
kept record of all the red tags for our reference. In
daily routine, if workers notice unwanted thing at
the workplace then a red tag is paste on it and
decisions (to scrap or else) is taken. We used to
collect that tags after every 8 days, then after 15
days, then after 1 month and maintained the record
of it. Thus from the record we found out that the
number of red tags decreased day by day (i.e.
unwanted things vanished from the workplace).
 We have made standard operating procedures for
photocopy machine because previously 15-20
pages were being wasted on each photocopy
machine per day.
 We also defined the standard way of
stacking/storing of the material which saves the
cost of storage.
 We also made the habit to conduct ‘5S’ meetings
and maintained the attendance record of each
member.

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4.5 Shitsuke (Sustain):
Sustain aims for maintaining the implemented ‘5S’ system
effectively. Thus in short, sustain defines the discipline for
employees to strictly follow the implemented ‘5S’ in the
organization to obtained the required result [2].
For sustaining the ‘5S’ technique effectively and to strictly
adhere to it in the organization, internal audits as well as
surprise audits are conducted periodically.
5. RESULT
1. Productivity increased due to well defined space and
systematic arrangement at the workplace
2. Time saving in searching for tools, raw material
required for production due to standard storage
system with proper identification. As a result of
saving in time, productivity increased.
3. Tremendous cost required for the inventory of
unwanted material is drastically reduced.
4. Availability of more space for raw material storage,
bin storage and finished goods storage. Also clear and
well defined gangway for movement is achieved.
5. Morale of the workers increased due to proper
workplace management.
6. Equal participation of officers, staff and workers
motivates them.
6. CONCLUSION
The paper aims for demonstrating the detailed
implementation of ‘5S’ in the organization which resulted
in:
 Proper workplace management for better use of
working area.
 Time saving in searching for tools and materials due
to proper location and identification.
 Huge cost saving from waste and unwanted materials.
 Increased morale of the workers due to enhancement
of working environment.
It is relatively a simple technique which can be easily
applied in any organization and the results of it are rapidly
visible.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
With deep sense of gratitude we would like to thanks to all
the people who have lit our path with their kind guidance.
We are very grateful to these intellectuals who did their best
to help during the case study.
It is our proud privilege to express deep sense of gratitude to
Mr. Milnd Vaidya, Assistant Director and ‘5S’ co-ordinator
of Samsonite South Asia Pvt. Ltd., Gonde-Dumala, Nasik
for his valuable guidance and kind permission for the
completion of the case study. We are also thankful to the
whole organization.
And lastly we thanks to our H.O.D and staff of Mechanical
Department for their timely suggestion.
REFERENCES
[1] K. Ramesh, V. R. Muruganantham, N. R.
Arunkumar, (2014) “5S Implementation Studies In
Biomass Processing Unit”, International Journal of
Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and
Technology, Vol. 3 special issue 4.
[2] S. B. Khedkar, R. D. Thakre, Y. V. Mahantare, Ravi
Gondne, (2012) “Study of Implementing 5S
Techniques in Plastic Moulding”, International
Journal of Modern Engineering Research, Vol. 2.
Pp-3653-3656.
[3] J. Michalska, D. Szewieczek, (2007) “The 5S
Methodology As a Tool For Improving The
Organization”, Journal of Achievement in Material
And Manufacturing Engineering, Vol. 24, issue 2.
[4] P. M. Rojasra, M. N. Qureshi, (2013), “Performance
Improvement Through 5S in Small Scale Industry-
A case study”, International journal of Modern
Engineering Research, Vol. 3, pp-1654-1660.
[5] Shahryar Sorooshian, Maysam Salimi, Shanthi
Bavani, Hasti Aminattaheri, (2012), “Case Report-
Experience of 5S Implementation”, Journal of
Applied Science Research, 8(7) 3855-3859.
[6] Lingareddy et al. , “5S As a Tool And Strategy For
Improvising The Workplace”, International Journal
of Advanced Engineering Technology”.
[7] Arash Ghodrati, Norzima Zulkifli,(2013), “The
Impact of 5S Implementation on Industrial
Organizations”, International Journal of Business
and Management Invention, Vol. 2, Issue 3, pp-43-
49.
[8] Mohd Nizam Ab Rahman et al., (2010),
“Imlementation of 5S practices in The
Manufacturing Companies: A case study”, American
Journal of Applied Science 7(8): 1182-1189.
[9] Noni Hartika Binti Juhari et al. , (2011), “Human
Resource Management”, Elixir Hum. Res. Mgmt
39(2011) 4836-4847.
BIOGRAPHIES
Mrs. Shraddha P. Deshpande, Assistant
Professor (Mech. Dept.) B.E (Mech.),
M.E. (Production), PhD (Pursuing from
S.V.N.I.T).
Vipul Vijay Damle, Pursuing Final Year
in Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering
degree from GES’s R.H.S.C.O.E, Nasik,
under the affiliation of University of
Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Merang Lalit Patel, Pursuing Final Year in
Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering
degree from GES’s R.H.S.C.O.E, Nasik,
under the affiliation of University of Pune,
Maharashtra, India.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
Akshay Bhaskar Kholamkar, Pursuing
Final Year in Bachelor of Mechanical
Engineering degree from GES’s
R.H.S.C.O.E, Nasik, under the affiliation
of University of Pune, Maharashtra, India.

Implementation of ‘5 s’ technique in a manufacturing organization a case study

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