Thread by @francisbaumont

Indoor #verticalfarming is complex

There's a lot of trial and error, requiring manpower + capital

Labour efficiency is key to thriving. Farms can report a whopping 100% improvement over several years

How?

Let's breakdown the 5S that can kickstart lean transformation 👇 1/

整理 (Sort):

Separate needed tools, parts, and instructions from unneeded materials. Remove the unneeded ones.

Everything you keep has a cost, even if it's not obvious. Every time you wash, step over, stash or even think about an item - that's a cost.

Action: Red-tag area
2/

Red-tag area:

It's not easy to identify unneeded items. We like to cling to what we have.

Tag an item every time you wonder:
• Is the item needed?
• How many do I need?
• Does it need to be located here?

Move these items to a 'red-tag room'. Relocate, reduce or discard.
3/

整頓 (Set in order):

Arrange and identify parts and tools for ease of use.

Every tool needs a home.

The tool should ALWAYS be in the hands of the worker, or in its place.

Store tools:
• Where used most
• Where they can be seen
• According to the frequency of use
4/

Action: Organise tools so that a 9-year-old can find them.

Use hooks and magnets to hang tools at eye level and within reach.

For job-specific tools, invest in mobile tool carts and tool belts so tools are always within arms reach.
5/

清楚 (Shine):

A bright clean workspace helps you see waste.

Cleaning helps:
• Motivate workers to KEEP it clean
• See what needs doing
• Prevent contamination

Action:
- Light up your farm to help you spot dirt
- Paint your floor with epoxy paint to make mopping easier.
6/

清潔 (Standardise):

Conduct the above daily.

The task should be performed the same, no matter who or when.

This means keep it simple stupid (KISS).

Actions:
• Restore the farm to default every day
• Visualise it rather than write/speak it (photos, labels, whiteboards)
7/

躾 (Sustain):

Setting up the 5S pillars is one thing, sustaining it is another!

Overcleaning can be a form of waste.

The goal is not aesthetics, it's creating flow and making the farm lighter and more efficient.

Action: Conduct regular audits to help instil discipline.
8/

Every week, make a worker go around the facility with a clipboard to give a numerical rating based on cleanliness.

Make it a goal to get a higher rating each week.

Rewards are given to the cleanest spaces.

Quick audits will prevent waste creeping in.
9/

5S unclogs the pipes of your farm primed for labour efficiency improvements.

Now that farming can embrace precise levels of control indoors we can apply manufacturing concepts.

Check out more lean principles applied to vertical farming here:
sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
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You can also check out The Lean Farm by Ben Hartman, which provides inspiration for my work.
chelseagreen.com/product/the-le…
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