To implement 6S run a structured implementation event across the target work area:

1.Sort (Seiri) - Clear the Clutter:Hold a 1-day Red Tag event.

• Audit the area: Walk through with frontline staff and flag every item not needed for daily tasks with a visible Red Tag.
  
  

• Move tagged items: Relocate red-tagged tools, excess materials, obsolete stock, or duplicate digital files to a designated quarantine holding zone.
  
  

• Dispose or reassign: Items unused after 14–30 days are discarded, recycled, sold, or moved to long-term storage.
  
  

2.Set in Order (Seiton) - Design Layout and Access:A designated place for everything.

• Map frequency of use: Keep high-frequency tools within immediate arm's reach (primary zone); move low-frequency equipment to outer storage.
  
  

• Apply visual controls: Use shadow boards for hand tools, demarcate floor zones (walkways, staging, storage) with colored tape, and clearly label every shelf and bin.
  
  

• Organize digital assets: Establish uniform folder structures, standardized file-naming protocols, and single-source document links.
  
  

3.Shine (Seiso) - Clean and Inspect:Cleaning serves as early fault detection.

• Deep clean: Thoroughly wash workstations, machinery, storage racks, and tools.
  
  

• Inspect while cleaning: Look for root causes of dirt—oil leaks, loose wiring, air leaks, or structural wear—and fix them at the source.
  
  

• Set daily clean routines: Allocate 5–10 minutes at the end of every shift for operators to reset their work areas to baseline condition.
  
  

4.Standardize (Seiketsu) - Lock in Best Practices:Make the new setup obvious and repeatable.

• Create Visual SOPs: Post 1-page visual work instructions with photos showing exactly what the station looks like when reset correctly.
  
  

• Define color-coding standards: Standardize tape colors (e.g., yellow for walkways, red for quarantine, green for finished goods).
  
  

• Assign station ownership: Designate specific team members to own and maintain distinct zones.
  
  

5.Sustain (Shitsuke) - Build the Habit:Prevent regression through regular audits.

• Weekly/Monthly 5S+Safety Audits: Conduct 10-minute scored audits using a standardized checklist.
  
  

• Publish audit scoreboards: Post audit results visibly on team communication boards to track trends over time.
  
  

• Integrate into daily huddles: Spend 2 minutes in morning stand-ups discussing 6S issues, missing tools, or improvement ideas.
  
  

6.Safety (The 6th S) - Eliminate Hazards:Embedded across all five steps.

• Ergonomics: Eliminate awkward reaches, heavy bending, and poor screen angles identified during the Sort and Set phases.
  
  

• PPE & Emergency Gear: Ensure fire extinguishers, first aid kits, emergency stops, and PPE stations remain unblocked and clearly marked.
  
  

• Trip & Chemical Controls: Secure loose cords, maintain dry non-slip walkways, and ensure SDS (Safety Data Sheets) are posted near hazardous materials.
  
  

Tips for a Successful Rollout

• Start with a Pilot Area: Pick one high-visibility, messy workspace to complete first. Use its before-and-after transformation to build momentum across the rest of the business.

• Involve the Operators: Never organize an area for frontline staff without their direct input; people support what they help design.

• Take "Before and After" Photos: Visual proof provides the strongest evidence of efficiency gains and boosts team morale.

TPM Pillar

Focus & Objectives

Practical Actions

1. Autonomous Maintenance (Jishu Hozen)

Empowers machine operators to perform basic daily maintenance rather than waiting for dedicated technicians.

• Daily cleaning, lubricating, and inspecting.

• Tightening loose fittings.

• Spotting early equipment deterioration before failure.

2. Planned Maintenance

Schedules proactive maintenance activities based on historical run-time, failure rates, and wear patterns.

• Periodic parts replacement.

• Predictive vibration/thermal analysis.

• Reducing unplanned emergency downtimes.

3. Focused Improvement (Kobetsu Kaizen)

Uses cross-functional teams to target and eliminate recurring, specific equipment losses.

• Root-cause analysis on recurring jams/faults.

• Small group problem-solving cycles.

• Cycle-time optimization.

4. Quality Maintenance

Ensures equipment is calibrated and maintained to prevent product defects at the source.

• Mistake-proofing (Poka-Yoke) integration.

• Measuring tolerances against component wear.

• Verifying precision parameters before runs.

5. Early Equipment Management

Uses practical operator and maintenance feedback to design new machines that are easier to service and operate.

• Shorter setup and commissioning times.

• Ergonomic and service-friendly machine layouts.

• High reliability from Day 1 of install.

6. Training & Education

Closes knowledge gaps for both operators (basic mechanics) and technicians (advanced diagnostics).

• Standard multi-skill training matrices.

• One-Point Lessons (OPLs) on specific tasks.

• Cross-skilling operators into basic repairs.

7. Safety, Health & Environment

Eliminates health and safety hazards to ensure an accident-free, clean workplace.

• Installing protective interlocks/guards.

• Ergonomic assessments on machine interaction.

• Environmental emission and leak control.

8. TPM in Administration

Applies Lean maintenance and flow concepts to backend procurement, logistics, and data processing.

• Ensuring spare parts are ordered just-in-time.

• Streamlining work-order processing.

• Eliminating administrative project delays.

Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) is a Lean methodology developed by Shigeo Shingo that reduces equipment setup and changeover times to single digits—meaning less than 10 minutes (under 1 single digit of minutes).

By shrinking changeover times, businesses can run smaller batch sizes, respond rapidly to customer demand, and drastically cut down both Inventory and Waiting wastes.

Core Concept: Internal vs. External Setup

The entire SMED system relies on separating all changeover activities into two distinct categories:

• Internal Setup (Machine Stopped): Actions that can only be performed while the machine is shut down (e.g., swapping the physical die/blade, unbolting tooling, connecting fluid lines).

• External Setup (Machine Running): Actions that can be performed before or after the machine stops (e.g., retrieving the next tool, pre-heating dies, staging raw materials, prepping paperwork).

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The 4-Step SMED Implementation Process

1.Step 1: Document the Process:Observe and baseline the current changeover.

• Video-record the entire changeover from the last good part of Product A to the first good part of Product B.

• Break the process down into discrete, timed steps with a cross-functional team (operators, maintenance, engineers).

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2.Step 2: Separate Internal and External Elements:The easiest 30–50% reduction in downtime.

• Identify every task currently done while the machine is stopped that could be done while it is still running.

• Move all preparation, tool fetching, material staging, and pre-heating to External time before stopping the machine.

3.Step 3: Convert Internal Elements to External:Shift remaining downtime into runtime.

• Re-engineer steps to happen before the stop: pre-heat dies outside the machine, use duplicate tool cartridges loaded offline, or use pre-aligned locator pins instead of manual adjustments.

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4.Step 4: Streamline All Elements:Optimize the remaining tasks.

• Eliminate manual bolting using quick-release clamps, pneumatic locks, or standardized U-slots (the "one-turn" rule).

• Standardize tool heights and bolt sizes so zero tool swaps or adjustments are needed.

• Implement parallel operations (like a Formula 1 pit crew with clear division of roles).