This document provides an introduction to point of use storage (POUS) and visuals as tools in lean manufacturing. It defines POUS as storing materials at the work area where they are used, with the goal of moving materials only once from receipt to the point of use. Benefits of POUS include reducing waste from transporting and sorting materials, simplifying inventory tracking, and decreasing injury risks and damage from unnecessary movement. Guidelines are provided for determining where and how long to store different types of materials. Visuals are defined as simple signals that immediately convey a situation, and examples show how color-coded floor tape and tool shadow boards can serve as effective visuals.

1. POINT OF USE STORAGE: POUS
Lean Manufacturing
A Brief Introduction To Point Of
Use Storage and Visuals:

2. POINT OF USE STORAGE:
Aka. POUS

3. Lean Manufacturing
Waste Elimination Tool Box
Quick Changeover
Standardized Work Batch Reduction Teams
Quality at Source
5S SystemVisual Plant Layout
POUS
Cellular/FlowPull/Kanban TPM
Continuous Improvement
Value
Stream
Mapping

4. Point Of Use Storage
Acronym = POUS
Defined As: “Materials
Are Stored At The Work
Area They Are Used”

5. POUS GOAL
“MOVE THE MATERIAL JUST ONCE.
FROM SHIPPING TRUCK TO
WHERE IT IS USED AND
STORE IT IN THE STRIKE ZONE”

6. Kinds of Wastes That POUS Can
Reduce or Eliminate

7. WHAT DOES POUS DO FOR US?
•Reduces Non-Value-Added Sorting
Costs and Transporting of Materials Cost
•Gives The Sense Of A Beginning and
End To The Work
•Allows Easier Identification Of Quality
Issues & Faster Correction
•Helps Simplify Physical Inventory
Tracking, Storage, Cycle Counts, &
Handling

8. WHAT DOES POUS DO FOR US?
•Decreases the amount of inventory
needed = Cost Savings.
•The Less You Move Materials = Reduced
Injury Risk
•The Less You Move Materials = Reduced
Risk of Damage = Reduces Repairs &
Rework = Improved Quality

9. If the Work Has to Move From One Station to Another
Or If the Materials Cannot Be Stored Where Work is
Done ... Use A Rolling Point of Use Storage
Rolling
Point of Use
Storage

10. Category: Action:
Used once a day or more Keep: Either carry with
you or keep at work
station / place of use
Used about once per
week
Keep: Close to work
station / place of use
Used about once per
month
Keep: Store in
warehouse or at
supplier’s location
Seldom Used Return to supplier for credit:
Sell:
Give away:
Throw away.
Recycle:
If you must keep – keep in warehouse.
Not used/no longer used in area Move to proper location / area
Use Unknown Find out where used and move to that
location
Obsolete Sell:
Give away:
Recycle:
Throw Away:
Defective Return to Supplier for Credit:
Rework to OK condition:
Recycle;
Scrap: Recycle:
Throw away:
Trash Throw Away:
Guidelines For Keeping Materials In Work Areas And What to Do With Unneeded
Stuff: The First 3 Items Are All About Point of Use Storage

11. Some Points To Consider
•If You Can’t Move An Item Just Once, Find Ways
To Minimize The Number Of Moves.
•Use Of Dedicated Locations For Specific
Materials Identified With Tape , Painted Shadow,
Labels, Signs, Or Photos.
•Suppliers May Help By Changes In Packaging
Shape, Size, Quantity, Etc.
•Consider The Best Common Storage Location For
Shared Items
•Receive /Unload As Close To The Storage & Use
Area As Possible.
•If The Item Is Pulled And Used By Hand...Store It
In The Strike Zone!

12. Not Sure If An Area Needs or Can Support POUS?
• Make A Sketch Of The Area You Are Considering
and Do A Spaghetti Diagram.
•You May Want To Take Some Current State / Before
Pictures As Well.
• Collectively Determine If POUS Would Improve The
Area.... 5S It & Do it.

13. “VISUALS”

14. Lean Manufacturing
Waste Elimination Tool Box
Quick Changeover
Standardized Work Batch Reduction Teams
Quality at Source
5S SystemVisual Plant Layout
POUS
Cellular/FlowPull/Kanban TPM
Continuous Improvement
Value
Stream
Mapping

15. VISUAL
•Defined: A Simple Signal That Provides
An Immediate Understanding Of A
Situation, Condition, Or Requirement.
•Works Best When They Are Efficient,
Self-Regulating, and Understood By All
Associates.
•Prevent Problems From Being Hidden.

16. VISUAL
•We Have All Experienced Good Instruction
And Bad.
•Text Only Instructions with “weasel words”
Such As MAY or SHOULD or IF/THEN
Statements Can Be Confusing.
•Written Instructions With Visuals Or All
Visual Instructions Work The Best.
•A Visual Signal Is An Instruction !

17. IS THIS SIGN A SIMPLE SIGNAL THAT PROVIDES
AN IMMEDIATE UNDERSTANDING OF A SITUATION,
CONDITION OR REQUIREMENT?

18. YES: THIS SIGNAGE IS A SIMPLE SIGNAL.
YES: IT IS A VISUAL. IT PROVIDES IMMEDIATE UNDERSTANDING.

19. Red and Octagon Shape Means “Stop”
White and Rectangle Shape Means “Speed Limit”
Yellow and Diamond Shape Means “Caution”
Road Signs Are “ Visuals”
Did You Know That The Shape & Color Are A Big
Part of Road Sign Visuals?

20. Use Different Color Floor Marking Tape
As A “Visual” For Location of Items:
RED = SCRAP BLUE= OUTGOING
GREEN= INCOMING WHITE = EQUIPMENT

21. •Floor Marking Tape “Visual
•Tool Shadow Board “Visual”.

22. The End of This Introduction To POUS and Visuals
But There Is No End To The Improvement: It Is Continuous.