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Value Stream Mapping

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LEAN AND CLEAN VALUE STREAM MAPPING
Value stream mapping is a Lean process-mapping method for understanding the sequence of activities used to produce a product. During the Green Suppliers Network technical review, you will use value stream mapping to identify sources of non-value added time or materials; identify opportunities to increase efficiency; and develop a plan for implementing improvements. Value stream maps serve as a critical tool during the review process and can reveal substantial opportunities to reduce costs, improve production flow, save time, reduce inventory, and improve environmental performance. Conventional value stream mapping can overlook environmental wastes, such as: • • • Energy, water, or raw materials used in …show more content…

Exhibit 1 illustrates a conventional value stream map, shows how to denote process inputs and outputs, and provides example of where Green Supplier Network environmental metrics may exist in the product line.

Compare “Use” Verses “Need” Using a Materials Line In the past, value stream maps would examine the time it takes to produce a product and the proportion of that time that is value added─or the time spent actually working on the product. The timeline was a graphic representation that compared the two, but didn’t focus on the resources consumed and waste generated in making the product. A materials line is a variation of a timeline and can be developed for any type of resource (e.g., water, energy, total materials, and/or a critical substance used in the product). A materials line, located on the bottom of a value stream map, shows the amount of raw materials used by each process in the value stream and the amount of materials that end up in the product and add value from a customer’s perspective. For example, the materials line illustrated below compares the amount of water used and needed in the milling and parts washing processes in a product line.

Milling

Parts Washing
150K gal

2K gal Top line: Amount of water used

Water

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