CreateASoft, Inc.
The Process Improvement Company

Achieving and maintaining Lean in the Job Shop



Hosni Adra
Product Manager/Partner
 

About CreateASoft, Inc.
 

• In business since 1992
• Core technology: Simcad Process Simulator software
• Provides Simulation and Process Improvement services to the manufacturing and service industries in the areas of
• Automation, manufacturing, and process improvement.
• Lean transition and implementation.

Simcad Process Simulator

• Discrete-Event based process simulator with extended continuous simulation capabilities.
• Design and developed in the US by CreateASoft, Inc.
• Currently includes Dynamic VNM/VSM.
• Will integrate with PFAST.
• Currently used by many companies,
  • Jostens, Baxter, USAF, Bechtel SAIC, The US Department of Energy, Rumble Automation, LaSalle Bank, Florida hospital and many others..

What is Lean?

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Common issues

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Why Lean?

• Benefits of lean
  • Improve efficiency.
  • Decrease and control lead time.
  • Remove waste.
  • Increase “on-time” delivery
  • Reduce WIP
  • .....
• Happier customers, better work environment, less stress, Reduce production cost.

Key to Lean success

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Lean Approach

• Lean initiative is a constant improvement cycle.
• Build a value stream, process flow.
  • Goal is to analyze the operation
  • Identify waste
  • Prioritize improvement project
• Analyze improvement impact
  • Complete the Kaizen(s)
  • Prioritize the next Kaizen(s).

The Value Stream Map

• Process flow
• Displays flow characteristics
  • Process constraints and performance.
  • Timeline – Helps identify total waste time.
• Help in identifying the critical path.
• Good documentation tool.
  
  
  
   

Issues with VSM

• Has a tendency to grow too large
  • Many value streams span multiple “walls”
• Contains “static data”
  • How does the value stream change when the process flow or product mix changes.
  • Impact on the rest of the value stream (Up stream and down stream)
• Good for static environment, but can be challenging otherwise. (the Toyota model)

Simplifying the VSM

• VSM can be simplified through the use of layers.
  • Patented technology developed by CreateASoft*.
  • Allows the value stream to be viewed at varying levels of detail.
     • One Stream can act as the supplier or consumer to one or more streams.
    • Each Layer can be represented as a single process or a collection of processes.
• Enhances the visibility and representation of the VSM.
• Forces the interaction requirement between multiple VSMs.

The Value Network Map

• High mix/Low volume the value stream changes based on the current production schedule.
• The value network map displays information per product family for each process
  • Provides greater visibility into the value stream.
  • Helps identify “Waste” areas.
  • Prioritize Kaizen events.
• Ability to single out a product or a combination of products for more in depth analysis.
  
  
   

Example of a VSM Layers

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A VSM Layer

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The Role of Dynamic VSM/VNM

• Issues facing the Job shop:
  • Routing will vary per Job.
  • Job Mix varies constantly.
  • Resource allocation issues.
  • Lead time control – When can we deliver ?
• Dynamic VSM/VNM updates the contents of the VSM/VNM based on the input constraints, without user interaction.
• Example.
   

Impact on the Big Picture
 

• By allowing the VSM/VNM to be dynamic, flow constraints and routing changes have a direct impact on results.
• Lead times, VAT, waste time are automatically identified.
• “Critical path” is computed.
• Interactions between multiple streams is simulated, with problems dynamically identified.
• Faster Results, better control over the operation.

The Job Shop schedule

• The presence of monuments increases the complexity of the schedule.
• Scheduling must be dynamic
  • Priorities, job status, impact of other equipment.
• Must maintain the “waste” reduction achieved in the Kaizen events.
• Optimize the “Monument” efficiency and reduce change over time.
  
  
  

Tools/Examples

• Dynamic Simulator (s)
  • Constantly forecast the future of the value stream.
  • Update schedule based on current state.
• Dynamic creation and tracking of the Value network map.
• Use of RFID or Barcodes
  • Tie in with the simulator to provide ultimate results.
  • Can provide “Virtual Camera” into the operation.
  

CreateASoft, Inc.
The Process Improvement Company

Achieving and maintaining Lean in the Job Shop

Q & A