10 Steps to LEAN -- 3

 

3. Map the Value Stream (Current State)

You cannot fix what you cannot see. Value Stream Mapping (VSM) provides a bird's-eye view of both material and information flow.

  • The Mechanics: Draw the flow from "Cradle to Grave." Include data like Cycle Time (C/T), Changeover Time (C/O), and Uptime.

  • The Deep Dive: Focus heavily on the "information" arrows. Often, the bottleneck isn't the machine; it's the paperwork or the digital approval process sitting in someone's inbox.

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