Improvement of the Production Process of an Air Handling Unit Based on Value Stream Mapping

Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is a visual Lean Manufacturing tool for graphically illustrating material and information flows in processes, on production lines, and even across a factory. It makes it possible to identify activities that do not generate added value, and thereby creates opportunities for improvement by reducing or completely eliminating waste. This paper explores a real-work case study of the production process for an air handling unit. Thus, after analysing the activities undertaken in an enterprise operating in the HVAC (Heating Ventillation Air Conditioning) industry, a current state map was drawn that shows the actual flow of the value stream. Then, a future state map was developed with suggestions for eliminating the root causes of waste and those for improving processes. The proposed improvements allow for shorter lead time and faster order processing, which may increase competitiveness.