A VSM Approach to Support Data Collection for a Simulation Model

Paper in proceeding, 2017

Simulation is a powerful tool to analyze and help in the decision making process of a production system. It is capable of delivering a dynamic analysis, both of the existing system and the future planned system. One major challenge with simulation projects however, is the time required at the initial stage when collecting data. For this study, Value Stream Mapping (VSM) has been selected as a complementary method for the data collection. VSM has been widely spread in industry, and it is a suitable method for identifying value streams and visualizing flows. In this study, the applicability of VSM for data collection is examined for a production system with complex and non-linear flows. The results of this study confirms that VSM can support in the data collection phase, but entails the support from subject matters.