Enhanced Value Stream Mapping: Potentials and Feasibility of IT Support through Manufacturing Execution Systems

摘要

Value stream mapping (VSM) is widely spread both in research and industrial application. In some industries it is established as a standard approach and starting point for improving production systems. This is because of the relatively distinct ease of use and the high effectiveness of the method as well as the standardized visualization. Nowadays production systems are more and more characterized by a high volatility concerning volume and variants of produced parts. Here the method of VSM reaches its limits because of its snapshot character and the rather manual data collection. In order to cope with this volatility quick data collections and the possibility to view historical data regarding e.g. inventory, process characteristics or energy consumption as a factor for sustainability are getting more important. Thus in this paper the use of manufacturing execution systems (MES) is examined to support the main elements of VSM: the value stream analysis (VSA) leading to current state maps and the value stream design (VSD) of future states. Further potentials and inhibitions are discussed using a case study.