Energy value-stream mapping a method to visualize waste of time and energy

Abstract

In the industry, the Value-Stream Mapping (VSM) method has been successfully used for years to reduce inventory and lead times. With this method, process steps in a value-stream can easily be divided into value-adding and non value-adding ones. However, the VSM does not provide any information about the energy consumption and, as a consequence; it does not give any hint at how much of the energy used actually serves value-adding purposes. This paper describes how the VSM can be extended to an Energy Value-Stream Mapping method (EVSM) which allows dividing the energy input of the production process in value-adding and non value-adding.