This study investigates the implementation of Lean principles to Value Stream Mapping (VSM). The study also explores the benefits and challenges of applying VSM as a mapping model for preliminary work in the context of digitalization within assembly lines. Through a qualitative approach, including literature review and interviews, this research examines the integration of Lean principles with VSM as a framework to uncover and address inefficiencies at a large company assembly line. The study was done at a large enterprise (LE) located in Sweden. The findings highlight the potential benefits of the VSM such as being customizable. However, the study also identifies challenges to the VSM as it is missing important parts, such as systems that need to be covered in a digitalization process. This study found it to be a challenge when using VSM as a mapping tool in a complex assembly process and because of that could not identify any potential opportunities or deficiencies regarding the digitalization. The study also comes with suggestions for further research to explore contextual factors, develop implementation frameworks and investigate the long-term effects and sustainability of this integrated approach.

The background to the study is the increasing demand for customized products, which has led to more customer-driven companies being established to meet customers' needs. However, the requirements are the same for these companies as for non-customer driven companies, namely to reduce lead times, production costs and increase quality in order to thus become more competitive and profitable in the market. The purpose of the study was to investigate how value stream mapping (VSM), which is initially a tool adapted for linear production, can be applied within a customer order-driven company characterized by high variation and low volume (HVLV). The aim is also to identify problem areas and develop suggestions for improvement. In order to answer the purpose of the study, a literature study was carried out in parallel with a case study at a manufacturing company that produces customized concrete products. Relevant literature was collected in order to be able to carry out a mapping of the production process with the help of the VSM tool. Interviews and observations made up the empirical material. Together, the theory and the collected material have formed the basis for answering the study's purpose and questions. Through the current VSM map together with production design, it was found that the case company has a complex material flow consisting of long transport routes, many intersecting material flows, many intermediate warehouses and where waste could be identified. This then constituted the development of improvement proposals and how the case company can make operations more efficient. The main conclusion of this study is that VSM can be adapted to operations with other production characteristics. The aspects that have proven to be significant when implementing VSM at companies, within the aforementioned context, is that the focus should be on mapping the physical flow of material and information and not treating time variables. In addition to the use of process maps that show the location of the processes inside the factory premises, which results in the practitioner being able to see intersecting material paths in the production process. Finally, the study reported other aspects that proved significant, namely the mapping of the professional worker's role in the flow, which theory around VSM does not deal with. / Bakgrunden till studien är den ökande efterfrågan på kundanpassade produkter, vilket har lett till att fler kundorderdrivna företag har etablerats för att möta kundernas behov. Dock är kraven desamma för dessa företag som för icke-kundorderdrivna företag, nämligen att reducera ledtider, produktionskostnader samt öka kvaliteten för att således blir mer konkurrenskraftiga och lönsamma på marknaden. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur värdeflödesanalys/value stream mapping (VSM), som initialt är ett verktyg som är anpassad för linjär produktion, kan appliceras inom ett kundorderdrivet företag som karaktäriseras av hög variation och låg volym (HVLV). Syftet är också att identifiera problemområden och ta fram förbättringsförslag. För att besvara studiens syfte utfördes en litteraturstudie parallellt med en fallstudie ute på ett tillverkande företag som producerar kundorderanpassade betongprodukter. Relevant litteratur samlades in för att med hjälp av verktyget VSM kunna utföra en kartläggning över produktionsprocessen. Intervjuer och observationer utgjorde det empiriska materialet. Tillsammans har teorin och det insamlade materialet legat till grund för att besvara studiens syfte och frågeställningar. Genom det nuvarande VSM kartan tillsammans med produktionsutformning konstaterades att fallföretaget har ett komplext materialflöde som består av långa transportvägar, många korsande materialflöde, många mellanlager och där slöseri kunde identifieras. Detta sedan utgjorde framtagning av förbättringsförslag och hur fallföretaget kan effektivisera verksamheten. Den huvudsakliga slutsatsen inom denna studie är att VSM kan anpassas till verksamhet med andra produktionskaraktär. De aspekter som visat sig vara betydande vid implementering av VSM vid företag, inom den ovannämnda kontexten, är fokuset ska ligga på att kartlägga det fysiska flödet av material och information samt inte behandla tidsvariabler. Utöver det användandet av processkartor som visar processernas placering inuti fabrikslokalen vilket resulterar i att utövaren kan se korsande materialvägar i produktionsprocessen. Slutligen redovisade studien övriga aspekter som visat sig betydande är kartläggningen av yrkesarbetarens roll i flödet som teori kring VSM inte behandlar.

An important principle in Lean manufacturing, value stream mapping (VSM) can be helpful in understanding how process flow and information flow affect each other. A VSM is a static picture of a process that allows the user to see where value is added into the value stream. Simulation is used to evaluate the behavioral issues of processes. In a manufacturing realm this means simulation shows how each operation affects other operations so determinations can be made about where bottlenecks or other problems exist in the process. Theoretically, the integration of VSM and Simulation can aide in process improvement by showing both the static and behavioral characteristics of a process. Determining the feasibility of such an integration is the basis for this thesis. Using research performed by Jack McClellan at BullFrog Spa, a comparative study was conducted by two test groups. One used the traditional simulation approach and the other the integrated simulation approach. The test groups were formed from nine students taking the Manufacturing Systems course fall semester 2004. The traditional simulation approach used the ProModel simulation software to perform a test using a paper form of a VSM. The integrated simulation approach used Process Simulator simulation software, which created a simulation from a VSM created in Microsoft Visio. After completion of the tests, the students filled out surveys comparing their results with McClellan's results for verification of their simulations. The results from the study indicated that the students were able to create a working simulation using both approaches and there was no significant difference between times that it took to create the simulations. It was also discovered that a VSM helps increase understanding of a process, but cannot be the sole source of information to create a simulation. More behavioral information about the process is needed.

In this dissertation, methods to synthesize ZnO are reported. First, zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized with small amounts of transition metal ions to create materials called dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS). We employed a low temperature sol-gel method that produces ZnO nanoparticles of reproducible size and incorporates cobalt, nickel, and manganese ions into the nanoparticles. Conditions were controlled such that a range of amounts of Co, Ni, and Mn were incorporated. The incorporation was tracked by color changes in the white ZnO powder to blue for Co, green for Ni and yellow for Mn. XRD measurements showed the nanoparticles were on the order of 10 nm in diameter and had a wurtzite structure. Magnetic measurements showed a change from diamagnetic to paramagnetic behavior with increasing concentration of metal dopants. Second, formation of ZnO single crystal hexagonal prisms from a sol-gel method is presented. The method required water, zinc acetate, and ethanolamine to create a gel of zinc hydroxide and zinc hydroxide acetate, which upon heating formed single crystal hexagonal prisms. Characterization of the gel was done by XRD as well as XRD high temperature chamber (HTK) to determine the role of temperature in prism formation. SEM images showed hexagonal prisms were of uniform size (0.5 × 2 µm.) TEM and electron diffraction images showed a change from randomly oriented particles to an ordered single crystal after heating. Water and the acetate salt of zinc proved to be critical to prism formation. Lastly, we report absorption and fluorescence properties of synthesized oligothiophenes and oligothiophene-ruthenium complexes that are bound to CdSe nanoparticles. Their ability to act as sensitizers and charge transfer junctions was tested. It was found that fluorescence of CdSe nanoparticles was quenched when they were bound to the oligothiophenes, and that the fluorescence of the oligothiophenes was also quenched. The fluorescence lifetimes of the quenched species were shortened.

Det har alltid varit viktigt för företag i alla branscher att ständigt kunna fatta rätt beslut. För att kunna göra det måste företagen vara medvetna om vilka kostnader som finns och kan uppstå i deras verksamhet. För att kunna göra en rättvis kostnadsuppskattning bör företag även sträva efter att identifiera osynliga kostnader. Detta arbete baseras på en fallstudie som genomfördes på företaget LKAB som bedriver gruvverksamhet. Syftet med denna studie var att utreda huruvida osynliga kostnader och förlorade intäkter existerar och i så fall var och i vilken mån de bör beaktas. Studiens mål var att ta fram ett underlag som ska kunna tillämpas i effektiviserings syfte hos olika företag. Studiens frågeställningar kunde besvaras. Med hjälp av intervjuer utformades en värdeflödeskarta som påvisade var kostnader uppstår. En ABC-kalkyl användes för att kunna identifiera kopplingen mellan kostnader och deras aktiviteter och resurser. För att kunna avgöra vilka av kostnaderna och de förlorade intäkterna som bör påverkas användes Leans definition på slöseri. Resultatet som erhölls visade på att osynliga kostnader och förlorade intäkter existerar samt i vilken mån de bör beaktas och hanteras vid den taktiska planeringen. De kostnader som bör påverkas visade sig vara Demurrage-kostnaden, transportkostnaden och särhanteringskostnaden. De förlorade intäkterna som inte visade sig skapa något värde för kunden och då borde beaktas var dödfrakt, fraktkompensation, rabatterat pris och förlorade intäkter som uppstår i samband med produktionsstopp och produktkassering. Resultatet visade även på att det går att få ett användbart resultat utan att använda en ABC-kalkyl fullt ut. / Before making a decision based on a fair cost estimate, careful consideration should be given to ensure that invisible operational costs have been adequately identified and incorporated into the estimate. We present the results of a case study conducted at the Swedish mining company LKAB in which we investigated to what extent do invisible costs exist, their impact on lost revenue, and whether they can be adequately captured within the framework of a fair cost estimate. Using data obtained from a series of interviews conducted at LKAB, we built a value-flow chart to model costs and used an ABC calculation to determine the linkage between the costs and their activities and resources. We then applied Lean's definition of waste to identify which, and to what extent, these costs and lost revenue should be affected. Specifically, we determined that the costs which should be considered are: Demurrage, transport, and special handling and the sources of lost revenue are: dead freight, freight compensation, discounted prices, production stoppages, and discard a product. Finally, our analysis showed that fair cost estimates including invisible costs and lost revenue are useful in making decisions about the efficiency of a company and that a full ABC calculation is not required to get a useful result.

<p>Syftet med detta examensarbete är att undersöka möjligheterna för utökad kundnytta och kvalitetssäkra implementeringsprocessen av elektroniskt informationsutbyte (EDI). Detta uppnås med kvalitetsutveckling som grund, vilket omfattar processorientering.</p><p>Rapporten inleds med en beskrivning av arbetets syfte och vilka problem som står till grund. Vidare introduceras företaget som uppdragsgivare och relevant teori tas upp, detta för att bilda en referensram inför de metoder som använts för att förbättra processen. Slutligen så presenteras resultaten och en diskussion hålls kring detta, med vidare rekommendationer för fortsatt utveckling.</p><p>EDI processen har visualiserats dels med hjälp av akademiska litteraturer och dels från empiriskt material. Visualiseringen av processen har bildat en översikt av dess brister och problemområden (bland annat tidsfördelningen utmed processen och grunden till låg kvalitetsstandard), vilket har gett möjligheter till effektiva lösningsförslag för vidareutveckling. De främsta verktygen som har använts för visualiseringen är processkartläggning och värdeflödesanalys (VSM). I Rapporten presenteras dessutom ett avsnitt om ledningsstruktur för att underlätta processorientering och en allmän beskrivelse om själva EDI tekniken med avsikt att sprida kunskap.</p><p>Examensarbetet bidrar med processkartor för EDI processen, lösningsförslag för identifierade problemområden och rekommendationer för fortsatt utveckling.</p> / <p>The aim of this master’s thesis is to examine the possibilities of increased customer value and to ensure quality for the implementation process of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). This will be achieved with quality development as a foundation, which consists of process orientation.</p><p>The report will initially describe the purpose of the master’s thesis and what problems that are the reason behind it. Following is a short description of the company who has requested the job and necessary theories are presented, in order to build a foundation for the upcoming methods that have been used. Finally there will be a presentation of the results and a discussion will be held around the subject, with further recommendations for continued development.</p><p>The EDI process has been visualized partly with the help of academic literature and partly trough empirical data. The visualization has established an overview of the process with its flaws and weaknesses (inter alia the distribution of time throughout the process and reasons for low quality), which enables suggestions for effective solutions. The foremost tools that has been used for this purpose is the process mapping and the Value Stream Mapping (VSM). The report also presents a segment about management structure in order to facilitate the process orientation and a general description about the EDI technology in order to distribute knowledge.</p><p>The master’s thesis contributes with maps for the EDI process, suggested solutions for identified problems and recommendations for continued development.</p>

Syftet med detta examensarbete är att undersöka möjligheterna för utökad kundnytta och kvalitetssäkra implementeringsprocessen av elektroniskt informationsutbyte (EDI). Detta uppnås med kvalitetsutveckling som grund, vilket omfattar processorientering. Rapporten inleds med en beskrivning av arbetets syfte och vilka problem som står till grund. Vidare introduceras företaget som uppdragsgivare och relevant teori tas upp, detta för att bilda en referensram inför de metoder som använts för att förbättra processen. Slutligen så presenteras resultaten och en diskussion hålls kring detta, med vidare rekommendationer för fortsatt utveckling. EDI processen har visualiserats dels med hjälp av akademiska litteraturer och dels från empiriskt material. Visualiseringen av processen har bildat en översikt av dess brister och problemområden (bland annat tidsfördelningen utmed processen och grunden till låg kvalitetsstandard), vilket har gett möjligheter till effektiva lösningsförslag för vidareutveckling. De främsta verktygen som har använts för visualiseringen är processkartläggning och värdeflödesanalys (VSM). I Rapporten presenteras dessutom ett avsnitt om ledningsstruktur för att underlätta processorientering och en allmän beskrivelse om själva EDI tekniken med avsikt att sprida kunskap. Examensarbetet bidrar med processkartor för EDI processen, lösningsförslag för identifierade problemområden och rekommendationer för fortsatt utveckling. / The aim of this master’s thesis is to examine the possibilities of increased customer value and to ensure quality for the implementation process of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). This will be achieved with quality development as a foundation, which consists of process orientation. The report will initially describe the purpose of the master’s thesis and what problems that are the reason behind it. Following is a short description of the company who has requested the job and necessary theories are presented, in order to build a foundation for the upcoming methods that have been used. Finally there will be a presentation of the results and a discussion will be held around the subject, with further recommendations for continued development. The EDI process has been visualized partly with the help of academic literature and partly trough empirical data. The visualization has established an overview of the process with its flaws and weaknesses (inter alia the distribution of time throughout the process and reasons for low quality), which enables suggestions for effective solutions. The foremost tools that has been used for this purpose is the process mapping and the Value Stream Mapping (VSM). The report also presents a segment about management structure in order to facilitate the process orientation and a general description about the EDI technology in order to distribute knowledge. The master’s thesis contributes with maps for the EDI process, suggested solutions for identified problems and recommendations for continued development.

Diplomová práce se zabývá problematikou zvyšování produktivity pomocí metody štíhlé výroby zvané Lean. V dnešní době je potřeba udržet si přízeň zákazníka a finanční prosperitu firmy. Právě štíhlá výroba se zaměřuje na spokojenost zákazníka a na zvýšení finančního přínosu firmě, tím, že se snaží odstranit plýtvání, která se vyskytují v procesu. Lean Six Sigma je metoda, která se zaměřuje na spokojenost zákazníka (Lean) a na zdokonalování procesů (Six Sigma). Jejím cílem je zvýšit kvalitu a zároveň snížit náklady a dobu dodání. První část diplomové práce se zabývá nástroji štíhlé výroby a detailně popisuje metody, které budou použity v praxi. V praktické části diplomové práce byly využity nástroje Lean Six Sigma především metoda DMAIC, která je označována za systematický přístup k řešení problémů. Skládá se z pěti částí: definování, měření, analýza, zlepšení a kontrola.

Software systems can be represented as directed graphs where components are nodes and dependencies between components are edges. Improvement in system complexity and reduction of interference between development teams can be achieved by applying hidden structure analysis. However, since systems can contain thousands of dependencies, a concrete method for selecting which dependencies that are most beneficial to remove is needed. In this thesis two solutions to this problem are introduced; dominator- and cluster analysis. Dominator analysis examines the cost/gain ratio of detaching individual components from a cyclic group. Cluster analysis finds the most beneficial subgroups to split in a cyclic group. The aim of the methods is to reduce the size of cyclic groups, which are sets of co- dependent components. As a result, the system architecture will be less prone to propagating errors, caused by modifications of components. Both techniques derive from graph theory and data science but have not been applied to the area of hidden structures before. A subsystem at Ericsson is used as a testing environment. Specific dependencies in the structure which might impede the development process have been discovered. The outcome of the thesis is four to-be scenarios of the system, displaying the effect of removing these dependencies. The to-be scenarios show that the architecture can be significantly improved by removing few direct dependencies. / Mjukvarusystem kan representeras som riktade grafer där komponenter är noder och beroenden mellan komponenter är kanter. Förbättrad systemkomplexitet och minskad mängd störningar mellan utvecklingsteam kan åstadkommas genom att applicera teorin om gömda beroende. Eftersom system kan innehålla tusentals beroenden behövs en konkret metod för att hitta beroenden i systemet som är fördelaktiga att ta bort. I den här avhandlingen presenteras två lösningar till problemet; dominator- och klusteranalys. Dominatoranalys undersöker kostnad/vinst ration av att ta bort individuella komponenter i systemet från en cyklisk grupp. Klusteranalys hittar de mest lönsamma delgrupperna att klyva isär i en cyklisk grupp. Metodernas mål är att minska storleken på cykliska grupper. Cykliska grupper är uppsättningar av komponenter som är beroende av varandra. Som resultat blir systemarkitekturen mindre benägen till propagering av fel, orsakade av modifiering av komponenter. Båda metoderna härstammar från grafteori och datavetenskap men har inte applicerats på området kring gömda strukturer tidigare. Ett subsystem på Ericsson användes som testmiljö. Specifika beroenden i strukturen som kan vara hämmande för utvecklingsprocessen har identifierats. Resultatet av avhandlingen är fyra potentiella framtidsscenarion av systemet som visualiserar effekten av att ta bort de funna beroendena. Framtidsscenariona visar att arkitekturen kan förbättras markant genom att avlägsna ett fåtal direkta beroenden.

The project was performed at Parker Hannifin Cylinder Division at Falköping, where a station in the most critical flow at the production has been studied, which is the hand welding station. Within this report, the purpose is to identify disturbances, in order to eliminate and reduce these by coming up with improvement proposals. Furthermore, the aim is to help improve the company's work with 5S and TPM (Total Productive Maintenance). A combination of tools and concepts are being used in this project when generating improvement proposals to avoid the risk of falling back into old habits and facilitate the work. The combination of concepts, intends to be continued to work with, in order to facilitate for the company to reach even higher results.The methodology of TPM is the basis of the project, although it is not about a complete implementation of TPM, but is limited to chosen parts since it is a time consuming process that can go on for years. The main focus of TPM is about the first pillar, 5S. Action plans for how to solve these problems and how to achieve the desired state has been established.Thereafter, the researchers in cooperation with the company´s staff have implemented a couple of small improvement proposals. Further improvement proposals have also been presented in this report, but due to the limited time no implementations was made.Moreover, this project is divided into a couple of phases. Situational analysis has been made through both interviews with staff and observation studies. Analysis has also been made by some numeric data taken out by researchers and partly through mapping the equipment. The intention of this is to create a status image of the current situation over the hand welding station. The current state has shown the appearance of problems and challenges that exist. Additional wastages and disturbances in the station can come up to the surface and can thus easily be identified. In turn, occurring wastages and disturbances can be eliminated and the amount of wasted time reduced with help of the action plans to reach a future state.Another method that occurs is spaghetti charts. It has been used for mapping up the existing procedures during the process of the orders in the station, and by that identified different types of disturbances. In addition, the creation of a Value Stream Mapping (VSM) has been made. The map is used as a measurement to identify how much time on a working day that is spent as value adding time and non-value adding time of work.