Value Stream Mapping
In many of the lean manufacturing implementation, companies have pushed along waste (Muda) elimination activities, either through kaizen blitz, or six sigma projects without taking a big picture view of the entire value stream. These well-intentioned activities do fix one small part of the value stream for each product, and value does flow smoothly over this part of the value stream. However, more often than not, the value flow comes to a halt in the swamp of inventories and detours ahead of the next down stream map. Value Stream Map (VSM) will help companies and lean practitioners see the whole picture and coordinate the implementation program of lean manufacturing.
To use Value Stream Mapping for value stream improvements, it is essential to understand the following concepts.
- The 8 Wastes
- The 5 Domensions of Lean Manufacturing
- Current State Mapping
- Concept of Flow
- TAKT – the Customer Heart-Beat
- Concept of Supermarket
- Push vs Pull Concepts
- Single Point Scheduling
- Heijunka
- Future State Mapping
- How to Use Point Kaizen and Kizen Blitz
- VSM Planning and Strategy