Adaptation of the value stream mapping approach to the design of lean engineer to order production systems: A case study
Purpose The purpose of this research is to examine relevant parts of the case of an Italian steel construction company's green field plant design process to identify best practice guidelines for the adaptation and use of value stream mapping (VSM) in the design of lean engineer to order (ETO) production systems. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews the most relevant literature in the field of VSM and discusses its limitations regarding the application in an ETO environment. Based on the analysis of an industrial case, the original VSM methodology is adapted with a special focus on ETO. Information was collected through multiple site visits and semi structured interviews with the company's key staff of the project, as well as examination of relevant company documentations. Findings A set of guidelines was developed on the basis of an industrial case research. In this context, major attention was given to two aspects: the introduction of synchronization points in front of merge activities in