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  • Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:45:07 +0000: Value Stream Mapping of a Complete Product - Lean Manufacturing

    Profile:

    Shahrukh A. Irani and Jin Zhou
    Department of Industrial, Welding and Systems Engineering
    The Ohio State University

    Introduction:

    Lean Thinking, a concept that is based on the Toyota Production System, extends continuous improvement efforts to reduce the costs of serving customer/s beyond the
    physical boundaries of a manufacturing facility, by including the suppliers, distributors
    and production system that support the manufacturing function [Womack and Jones,
    1996]. These improvements and cost reductions are achieved by eliminating the muda
    (wastes) associated with all activities performed to deliver an order to a customer. Wastes
    are defined as "all activities that consume resources (add costs to the product) but
    contribute zero value to the customer." According to Womack and Jones, there are five
    steps for implementing Lean Thinking in an enterprise: 1) Define Value from the
    perspective of the Customer, 2) Identify the Value Streams, 3) Achieve Flow, 4)
    Schedule production using Pull, and 5) Seek Perfection through Continuous
    Improvement. Womack and Jones define a Value Stream as "the set of all the specific
    actions required to bring a specific product through the three critical management tasks of
    any business: ...problem solving, ...information management, ...physical
    transformation". Alternatively, Rother and Shook define a Value Stream as "all the
    actions (both value-added and non-value-added) currently required to bring a product
    through the main flows essential to every product" [Rother and Shook, 1999, p. 3].


    Overview of Value Stream Mapping

    Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is the process of mapping the material and information
    flows required to coordinate the activities performed by manufacturers, suppliers and
    distributors to deliver products to customers. Unlike the traditional process mapping
    tools used by IE's, VSM is a mapping tool that maps not only material flows but also
    information flows that signal and control the material flows. This enhanced visual
    representation facilitates the identification of the value-adding steps in a Value Stream
    and elimination of the non-value adding steps, or wastes (muda). Using VSM, many
    OEM's and their top-tier suppliers have changed their existing facility layouts, as well as
    existing systems for material handling, inventory control, purchasing and scheduling, to
    reduce the total throughput times of orders and current levels of work-in-process (WIP)
    inventories.

    Please click here for the details:

    Value Stream Mapping of a Complete Product.pdf

     

  • Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:37:05 +0000: Value Network Mapping (VNM) - Lean Manufacturing

    Visualization and Analysis of Multiple Flows in Value Stream Maps

    Profile:

    ZahirAbbas N. Khaswala and Shahrukh A. Irani 1
    Department of Industrial, Welding and Systems Engineering
    The Ohio State University

    Outline of this Paper

    First, the concept of Lean Thinking is introduced and reviewed. This is followed by an explanation of the basic concepts of Value Stream Mapping (VSM), with a listing of the advantages and disadvantages of VSM. Specifically, it is shown that the original VSM methodology breaks down in the case of "multiple flows in a value stream that merge" in the case of complex product BOMs. Next, the development of the proposed approach, Value Network Mapping (VNM), is explained in detail. Finally, the results from an industry project are analyzed and the potential benefits of the proposed approach are presented.

    Please click here for the details:

    Value Network Mapping (VNM).pdf

     

     

     

  • Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:05:43 +0000: Flow of Product to Consumer - Lean Manufacturing
    factory_img07.gif
    Used with kind permission from the book:
    "Mechanism of a Factory with Illustrations"
    Published by Nippon Jitsugyo Publishing.
    by Mitsuo Matsubayashi and Hiroshi Watabe.
    Members of Waku Consulting Co. Ltd
    Please click here for the web site of Waku Consulting.
  • Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:04:05 +0000: Flow of Material and Information through the Factory - Lean Manufacturing
    factory_img06.gif
    Used with kind permission from the book:
    "Mechanism of a Factory with Illustrations"
    Published by Nippon Jitsugyo Publishing.
    by Mitsuo Matsubayashi and Hiroshi Watabe.
    Members of Waku Consulting Co. Ltd
    Please click here for the web site of Waku Consulting.
  • Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:00:50 +0000: Operation Flow of Whole Factory - Lean Manufacturing
    factory_img05.gif
    Used with kind permission from the book:
    "Mechanism of a Factory with Illustrations"
    Published by Nippon Jitsugyo Publishing.
    by Mitsuo Matsubayashi and Hiroshi Watabe.
    Members of Waku Consulting Co. Ltd
    Please click here for the web site of Waku Consulting.

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