Lean waste prioritisation and reduction in the apparel industry: application of waste assessment model and value stream mapping

Abstract

AbstractManufacturing industries implement lean production tools to improve their production efficiencies. Improving production efficiency is vital in the apparel industry because product cycles and lead times are getting shorter and shorter. The purpose of this study was to improve the performance of a shirt manufacturing company through the implementation of value stream mapping (VSM) along with some other lean tools. Data were collected through stop-watch-based time studies and structured questionnaires. On the one hand, the current state value stream map was created and its performance was examined. On the other hand, the ranks of the seven lean wastes were determined, and process activity mapping was used to analyse the wastes furthermore. Then, layout improvement and 5S were implemented to reduce the main wastes, and the future state value stream map was developed. Analysis of the wastes resulted in motion, inventory and overproduction as the main wastes, while materials and machines were found to be the main sources of lean wastes. The main results of lean implementation showed 74.30%, 30.95%, 71.1% and 27.02% reductions in work-in-process inventory, value-added time, lead time and standard minute value, respectively. The findings of this study support the applicability of VSM in the apparel industry.

Keywords

• Waste assessment
• prioritisation
• reduction
• apparel industry
• value stream mapping
• VSM