Value Stream Mapping

REDUCE COST AND LEAD TIME, IMPROVE QUALITY, AND INCREASE YOUR MANUFACTURING ELASTICITY.

Value Stream Analysis or Mapping (VSM) is an analytical technique used to document, analyze, and improve the flow of information or materials required to produce a product or service for a customer. 

It’s an appropriate process for businesses seeking to reduce cost and lead time, improve quality, and increase manufacturing elasticity

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BENEFITS INCLUDE:

  • Identifies Wastes
  • Makes Processes Efficient
  • Aligns Cross-Functional Teams for Greater Buy-In
  • Provides Center Point for Conversation on Future Growth

Impact Washington’s value stream mapping training equips manufacturers with the skills and tools necessary to study the business and manufacturing processes, develop measurable targets, and select priority areas for improvement.

OUR APPROACH:

Value Stream Analysis or Mapping will require a cross-functional management and supervisor team of up to 10 people to study the business and manufacturing processes, develop measurable targets, and select priority areas for improvement. They should be committed to the team for the whole duration of the VSM workshop.

Value stream mapping training covers the following areas:

  • People travel
  • Information travel
  • Workplace Organization (5S, Visual Controls, POUS)
  • Changeover time
  • Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
  • Work-In-Process (WIP) Inventory
  • Lot size
  • Just-In-Time
  • Pull Systems and Kanban
  • Flow
  • Throughput time
  • Value-Added vs. Non-Value-Added Time
  • Standard Work

The mapping process for each division will consist of two stages. The first stage identifies the current state, including capabilities, constraints, and material flow. Stage two consists of identifying resources, efforts, and strategies to move from the current state to an improved future state.

Current State VSM: Current state mapping identifies all activities (both value-added and non-value-added) currently required to transform raw materials into finished goods. In most cases, it relies on a Push System based on scheduling and forecasts. Current State VSM:

  • Analyzes current situation
  • Helps visualize flow
  • Shows a linkage between material flow and information flow
  • Identifies “waste” or non-value-added activities
  • Forms the basis of a future implementation plan (Future State VSM)

In value stream mapping, the existing production process is observed and mapped. The current state VSM shows graphically how long it currently takes something to get completed using existing techniques on the day that the observation took place. Everything contributing to the overall time in the process is classified as either value-added or non-value-added time.

After the development of the current state VSM, decisions on how to proceed with process improvements are based on the value derived from achieving the future state.

Future State VSM: Future state VSM describes how the facility should operate to reduce or eliminate the identified waste and create flow based on a Pull System. Pull System is a method of controlling the flow of resources by replacing only what has been consumed by customers or a downstream process (demand).