Value Stream Mapping of Rope Manufacturing: A Case Study

Abstract

In today's competitive market place, manufacturing companies must apply continuous process improvement in order to maintain a returning customer base. One way of achieving constant process improvement is through value stream mapping. Value stream mapping is used to visualize the current processes for easier understanding and problem identification. A well-defined problem statement will ensure a successful outcome of a project improvement process. This research provides a case study performed on a rope manufacturing process. A current state value stream map is created, and the possible improvements are suggested. The implemented results are shown in the form of future state map. The results show that, after waste elimination and structural revision, a manufacturing process becomes more efficient, enabling the customer to receive an order significantly faster.

Value Stream Mapping in Enhancing Operational Performance of Ghanaian Food ProcessingIndustry: Mediating Role of Supply Chain Collaboration

“…The popularity of VSM grew as the American companies observed and studied its efficiency and consistency in Toyotas" operations. As the Lean movement took off, so did this mapping technique that Toyota had developed and has continued to evolve to become what is now known as VSM, which is much more applicable and useful for businesses and value streams of all types (Rother and Shook, 1999;Yuvamitra et al, 2017). VSM as a practice of lean has been recognized as a strategy that can create permanent value for any business in terms of product quality improvement (Jimenez et al, 2011;Dadashnejad &Valmohammadi, 2018), since it can serve as references for firmsin the removal or decreasing unnecessary inventory and other sources of waste in the value chain, thereby achieving cost reduction and additional value-enhanced products (Lehtinen and Torkko 2005).…”

“…The current state VSM is very essential as it comes in handy in the future, after changes have been implemented.The aim is to provide the firm a means through which before and after comparison of the process can be made, i.e.a performance figures to know whether changes had yield the desired results (Dadashnejad &Valmohammadi, 2018). Yuvamitra et al (2017) affirmthe criticality of an accurate mapping of the current state since it ensuresthat, the future state and any recommendations or structural changes for improvement will begrounded on it.…”

“…According to Jeong and Yoon (2016), the team has to identify gaps or improvement areas such as large inventories, long lead/cycle time, and defects, then give justifications on how and why these activities have been termed as NVA or waste. Yuvamitra, et al (2017) posit that future state map result in change processes, strategies and structures based on gaps identified.The development of future state map using lean principles can result in a number of modifications such as reduction of NVA activities and process improvements. Studies have revealed that drawing the future state map is very important because it ensures continuous flow through many activities and at the same time reduces costs, waste, throughput timeas well asimprove production process.…”

“…Moreso, Shah and Ganji (2017) reported its frequent use to design, map out or analyze all action as well as its positive impact on the performance of the organizations. Yuvamitra et al (2017)suggested that VSM ensures waste elimination and structural revision, leading to efficient manufacturing process, and also enabling the customer to receive order significantly faster as affirmed by Dadashnejad and Valmohammadi (2018) in production process improvement, in terms of higher customer satisfaction due to cost decreases and quality improvement. It further operational performance such as equipment failures, set-up and changeovers, idling and minor stoppages, reduced speed operation, scrap and rework and startup losses.…”

Simulation-Aided Value Stream Mapping for Productivity Progression in a Steel Shaft Manufacturing Environment

“…Numerous studies have been carried out on the application of lean ( [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20]) and system simulation ( [21], [21], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27], [28], [29]) to improve the productivity of various manufacturing sectors such as aerospace, automotive, steel, telecommunication, food, pharmaceutical, rope, metal, and instrumentation. Although several studies have been conducted on the use of either VSM or simulation techniques with a view to improving the productivity of various manufacturing industries, no study in the literature has examined the integration of simulation and VSM in improving productivity in a steel shaft manufacturing environment.…”