5S Management Drives Aluminum Beverage Can Production Workshop To Become A Lean Production Benchmark with Target-Oriented Strategies

Stepping into the Jinzhou aluminum beverage can production workshop, intelligent production lines operate in an orderly manner, material zones are clearly labeled, and the floors are spotless. This transformation in the production environment stems from the workshop's comprehensive implementation of the 5S management model, guided by clear objectives.

"We have set five core goals: achieving a 20% improvement in production efficiency, a 15% reduction in product defect rates, a 30% decrease in equipment failure rates, a 10% reduction in material waste, and fostering a lean production culture with full employee participation through 5S management," explained the workshop supervisor.

In the Sort (Seiri) phase, the workshop aimed to "free up space and eliminate waste." By removing over 20 idle pieces of equipment and more than 50 tons of redundant materials, the effective working area of the workshop increased by 18%, and the efficiency of logistics channels significantly improved. The previous issue of slow forklift traffic due to material accumulation was resolved, reducing production material turnaround time by nearly 30 minutes and directly boosting production efficiency.

The Set in Order (Seiton) phase focused on "precise positioning and quick access." The workshop introduced an intelligent warehouse management system, establishing electronic archives for over 200 types of materials such as aluminum sheets and pull-ring components, and installing QR code labels on-site.

For Shine (Seiso), the workshop centered on "zero equipment hazards and zero environmental corners." A three-level equipment maintenance system was established, with in-depth cleaning and lubrication of core equipment such as high-speed presses and can-making machines, and equipment health records were created. Over the past three months, the number of sudden equipment failures has significantly decreased, with the failure rate dropping by 20% year-on-year—exceeding the targeted  reduction—and effectively ensuring production continuity.

In the Standardize (Seiketsu) phase, the achievements of the first three phases were solidified into the 5S Management Standardization Manual, defining 12 zones and 87 inspection criteria, and establishing a "daily inspection, weekly evaluation, monthly assessment" mechanism. By linking these to employee performance, the workshop's environmental compliance rate increased from 72% at the start of implementation to 95%, laying the foundation for stable product quality. Currently, the appearance defect rate of beverage cans, such as scratches and stains, has dropped to 0.8%, a more significant reduction than the target of 15%.

For Sustain (Shitsuke), the workshop launched activities such as "5S Bright Ideas" competitions and skills contests, incorporating 5S management into compulsory training for new employees. Now, over 90% of employees can proactively identify and rectify on-site issues, forming a cultural atmosphere of "everyone participates, continuous improvement," which injects endogenous momentum into achieving long-term management goals.

"In the next phase, we will integrate digital tools to advance 5S management and further optimize production processes to ensure that objectives are met on time and with high quality," the workshop supervisor stated. This target-driven 5S management practice is injecting strong momentum into the aluminum beverage can production workshop's journey toward intelligent and lean production.