A practical study of the application of value stream mapping to a pre-series production area

Abstract

Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is a well-known Lean Manufacturing tool used to support wastes identification and value creation. The purpose of this paper is to present the application of this tool to the setting up of a new pre-series production area. To do so, a case study is presented from the automotive plastic sector. In this case study, VSM was used to improve the implementation process of a pre-series production area operating in a project manufacturing or engineer-to-order environment. The objective was to improve the industrialization process in the pre-series phase in order to ensure that the industrialization of new projects is aligned with the needs of the clients. Through the use of the VSM tool, in a representative project, significant improvements were obtained in the process, such as processing times and lead times reduction.