What is the right strategy for your Value Stream, where to start first? _ Go for 5 ‘s campaign or Create the Flow?

If you don’t want lose your time; after you set the gap between Current and Future VSM , you should look to create the Lean Flow first.

Don’t make the typical mistakes to go for a 5’s campaign ; if you set your efforts to crate flow many benefits will be carried to your organization.

(don’t worry about what many people say ; at  the end “5’s “ is part of the process)

Benefits of Creating Flow

•         Built-In Quality;

•        Creates Real Flexibility;

•        Creates Higher Productivity;

•        Frees up Floor Space;

•        Improves Safety;

•        Improves Morale; and

•        Reduces Inventory

Fig.

The benefits of create flow are also part of the benefits to set a 5’s campaign but goes beyond avoiding situations and behaviors like this …

Fig.

Designing a Flow Manufacturing Process

Step 1 - Create a Value Stream Map

Step 2 - Develop Sequence of Operations  (Work Content)

Step 3 - Takt Time Calculation

Step 4 - Balancing the Flow of Work

Step 5 - Establishing Supermarket  Requirements

Step 6 - Establishing Resource Requirements

Step 1 - Create a Value Stream Map

Understand the product flow / manufacturing sequences

• This step is accomplished by developing a Value Stream Map
• Look at the products as PROCESSES
• Output of one process is consumed by the next process
• Start from the point closest to the customer and work backward
• Start from final assembly and move backward into sub-assemblies and to the start of the process

Current and Future.

Fig.

Step 2 - Develop Sequence of Operations  (Work Content)

Fig.

Step 3 - Takt Time Calculation

Fig.

TAKT/Cycle/Lead Time Comparison

TAKT Time: How often we need to produce to meet customer demand without overproducing

Operation Cycle Time: Total Time for one operator/resource to complete their operation

Lead Time: Total Time to produce one product from the first operation to the last operation including delays.  Delays may be due to unbalanced lines, high WIP, batching processes, between operations.

Fig.

Step 4 - Balancing the Flow of Work

Four Steps For Balancing Operations

Based on Takt Time

1. Break Operations into Job elements

2. Identify and Remove Waste from operations

3. Define Improved job elements

4. Re-balance job elements by combining tasks

Figs

Step 5 - Establishing Supermarket  Requirements

Supermarkets are strategically placed inventory with standard pre-determined quantities in order to:

Minimize inventory investment

Maximize protection against disruption in flow due to:

• Fluctuation
• Demand
• Quality level
• Process times
• Physical location of supplying process
• Lengthy set up time

Figs.

Step 6 - Establishing Resource Requirements

Fig.