Production Process Analysis and Improvement: Current, Future State

This report analyzes the current state of a production process, identifying inefficiencies such as excessive work in progress, backtracking, and quality issues. It proposes a lean manufacturing approach, focusing on customer-driven production and a pull system. The report then outlines an ideal state, grouping processes to address quality concerns and minimize machine idling and bottlenecks, thus enabling batch production. Finally, it presents a future state that incorporates continuous improvement plans and considers the practicalities of production, including work in progress between stages. The report utilizes Value Stream Mapping (VSM) to illustrate these states and their associated improvements, aiming to streamline the production process and improve efficiency.

1. Current State
Legend
Process flow
Information flow
Supplier/order point Customer end
Supplier/order
point
Laser cutting
Receiving&
inspection
Robot welding
Customer Service
Fold and tack
weld Leak testing
Final assembly
Inspection and Dispatch
Production and
Planning
Material Resource
Planning

NOTES:
The process flow is assumed to be happening in a straight fashion with minimum backtracking and work in progress between the
processes. There are unnecessary movements within the shop floor. The work in progress consumes space and time as the production
ensues. This is further compounded by the fact that due to quality challenges within the existing state, percent rework and rejects are
on the rise. Notably, customers need quality products within the shortest lead time otherwise due to stiff competition, the company in
question may lose out hence lean manufacturing is proposed where production is customer-driven rather than company-driven, in
other words, there is need for a pull system.

VSM of the current state
Demand
Hours
Takt
Customer service
C/T(Minutes)
Inspection&Dispatch
C/T(Minutes)
Final assembly
C/T(Minutes)
Leak testing
C/T(Minutes)
Robot welding
C/T(Minutes)
Fold & tack
C/T(Minutes)
Laser cutting
C/T(Minutes)
Receiving & Inspection
C/T(Minutes)Supplier
VA/T=0.00 Minutes
NVA/T=0.00 Days
PCE=0.00%
I Customer
III I II

2. Ideal State
NOTES
In this case, it is assumed that the processes are grouped into two stages; stage 1: The parts production & quality check and stage 2:
Assembly and Quality check. The proposed model ensures that all reworks and quality challenges are dealt with at the departmental
level before being escalated to the end point where final inspection is done. Certainly, this will save on the material transfer cost and
time to make these improvements. Besides, incidences of machines idling are almost zero as machine works with zero work in
Receiving&
inspection
Robot welding
Fold and tack
Laser cutting Final assembly
Inspection and
Dispatch
Leak testing
Process Receive Laser cut Fold/Track Welding Test Assembl
y
Inspection/Dispatch
Lead
time
Idle time 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

progress. Bottlenecks and backtracking are effectively eliminated. It also allows production of many units at the production stage
before stage 2 can be done hence batch production is encouraged. Batch production simplifies production planning and control. Hence
customer requirement can easily be met.
VSM of the Ideal state:
Demand
Hours
Takt
Process stage
Laser cutting
Fold and tack
Robot welding
Assembly
Production planning
and Control
Dispatch
C/T(Minutes)
Quality testing
C/T(Minutes)
Assembly
C/T(Minutes)
Inspection % Quality
control
C/T(Minutes)
Production
C/T(Minutes)
Receiving
C/T(Minutes)
VA/T=0.00 Minutes
NVA/T=0.00 Days
PCE=0.00%

3. Future state
Similar to ideal but additional issues are included to accommodate the practicalities of production. This include: Work in
process between the production and assembly stages. Continuous improvement plans to progress to the cellular group
technology.
VSM of Future state

Demand
Hours
Takt
Process stage
Laser cutting
Fold and tack
Robot welding
Assembly
Production planning
and Control
Dispatch
C/T(Minutes)
Quality testing
C/T(Minutes)
Assembly
C/T(Minutes)
Inspection % Quality
control
C/T(Minutes)
Production
C/T(Minutes)
Receiving
C/T(Minutes)
VA/T=0.00 Minutes
NVA/T=0.00 Days
PCE=0.00%
I I I