Lean and Clean Value Stream Mapping

Value stream mapping is a Lean process-mapping method for understanding the sequence of activities used to
produce a product. During the Green Suppliers Network technical assessment, you will use value stream
mapping to identify sources of non-value added time or materials; identify opportunities to increase efficiency;
and develop plan for implementing improvements. Value stream maps serve as a critical tool during the
assessment process and can reveal substantial opportunities to reduce costs, improve production flow, save
time, reduce inventory and improve environmental performance.

Conventional value stream mapping can overlook environmental wastes, such as:

• Energy, water, or raw materials used in excess of what is needed to meet consumer needs
• Pollutants and material wastes released into the environment, such as air emissions, wastewater
discharges, hazardous wastes, and solid wastes (trash or discarded scrap)
• Hazardous substances that adversely affect human health or the environment during their use in
production or presence in products.

The Green Suppliers Network incorporates both “lean and clean” elements into its mapping techniques to help
you:

• Recognize where environmental impacts occur in a product line.

• Quantify raw materials used by processes and compare it to materials actually needed to produce the
product.
• Identify pollution and wastes generated by the production activities.
• Identify root causes of wastes and inefficiencies.

Value Stream Mapping Techniques

Use Icons

There are a number of common icons used in value stream maps, but icons can also be customized to best
serve a value stream map. Icons help distinguish different elements of a product line from another. For
example, different arrows should be used to distinguish between product and information movement. The
figure below contains commonly used icons in value stream mapping.

E3: Economy - Energy - Environment www.epa.gov/e3

 COMMON ICONS FOR VALUE STREAM MAPPING

Process
Input Process Leg Frames
Output

Product Movement

Starburst (identifies improvement opportunity)

WK Truck Shipment

Inventory
I

External Movement (information or materials)

Signal Kanban1

Withdrawal (pull of materials from stock)

External Source (suppliers and customers)

1
The Japanese refer to Kanban as a simple parts-movement system that depends on cards and boxes to take parts from one work
station to another on a production line. Kanban stands for Kan- card, Ban- signal. The essence of the Kanban concept is that a supplier
or the warehouse should only deliver components to the production line as and when they are needed, so that there is no storage in the
production area. Workstations located along production lines only produce parts when they receive a card. In case of line interruptions,
each work-station will only produce enough components to fill the container and then stop.

E3: Economy - Energy - Environment www.epa.gov/e3

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Record the “Current State”

When reviewing a product or process line, the first value stream map you develop should record the current
state of the line. Remember, conventional value stream mapping tends to focus at a facility-wide level. The
current state map should take a snapshot of the current practices and materials usage rates for all processes.
A current state map should also record where environmental impacts occur in the product line. The following
processes typically have environmental impacts:

• Metal Fabrication (Milling, Welding, Stamping, and Machining)

• Parts Washing
• Surface Cleaning
• Plastic Forming (Extrusion and Molding)
• Metal Finishing
• Surface Coating
• Chemical Formulation
• Hazardous Materials Handling
• Waste Management
• Wastewater Treatment

A current state value stream map should also establish baselines for all inputs and outputs including, but not
limited to, the 10 Green Suppliers Network environmental metrics, which are presented below.

Inputs
Pounds of materials used
Pounds of hazardous materials used
Gallons of water used
Gallons of water consumed
Watts of energy used
BTUs of energy used

Outputs
Pounds of solid waste generated
Pounds of hazardous waste
generated
Pounds of air pollution emitted
Gallons of wastewater treated

Other inputs and outputs that conventional value stream maps identify include changeover and cycle time,
labor, and rework. Exhibit 1illustrates a conventional value stream map, shows how to denote process inputs
and outputs, and provides example of where Green Supplier Network environmental metrics may exist in the
product line.

E3: Economy - Energy - Environment www.epa.gov/e3

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Compare “Use” Verses “Need” Using a Materials Line

In the past, value stream maps would examine the time it takes to produce a product and the proportion of that
time that is value added – or the time spent actually working on the product. The timeline was a graphic
representation that compared the two, but didn’t focus on the resources consumed and waste generated in
making the product.

A materials line is a variation of a timeline and can be developed for any type of resource (e.g., water, energy,
total materials, and/or a critical substance used in the product). A materials line, located on the bottom of a
value stream map, shows the amount of raw materials used by each process in the value stream and the
amount of materials that end up in the product and add value from a customer’s perspective.

Milling Parts
Washing Water Used = 152,000 gallons
Water Needed = 90,800 gallons
2K gal 150K gal Water Wasted = 62,200 gallons

Top line:
Amount of
water used 800 gal 90K gal

Bottom line:
Amount of water
needed
For example, the materials line illustrated below compares the amount of water used and needed in the milling
and parts washing processes in a product line.

Once you collect data for the materials line, you may notice large differences between the amount of material
used and the amount needed for the product. This can help you target the largest sources of waste for
prioritizing improvement efforts.

Exhibit 2 presents a value stream map with a materials line that focuses on water usage. You can also create
separate maps that address other inputs such as hazardous materials or energy use.

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Visualize an Improved “Future State”

Future state maps are created to show what a product or process line would look like after improvements are
made. Future state maps should be drafted by the Green Suppliers Network assessment team following the
completion of a current state map. Green Suppliers Network practitioners play a vital role in developing future
state maps as they can help suppliers identify areas where environmental improvements can be made. More
often than not, future state maps look closer at process level improvements. Facilities can not typically make
changes to the order in which processes take place in a product line, but they can implement changes to
specific steps of a process. Opportunities for process improvement can be shown on a value stream map with
a starburst as illustrated in Exhibit 3. Starbursts can identify processes that need to be examined closer, such
as in Exhibit 4.

Future state maps should represent the product or process line in a perfect state or fully optimized and highly
efficient. It should not be restrained by cost. The future state should include the best available technologies
and equipment and estimated waste reductions should be included where appropriate. For example, if a
surface coating line could reduce solvent use by installing a solvent recycler, the future state map should
represent that improvement.

The materials line that should be included on a current state map can be a good indicator of where
improvement opportunities exist. If a process had a large difference between the amount of a material used
and the amount of material needed, Green Suppliers Network practitioners should question why the difference
exists. Inefficiencies are the root cause of most wastes. Efficient production lines will have little to no difference
between the amount used compared to the amount actually needed to produce the product.

Exhibits 5 and 6 show the difference between a current state and a future state parts washing line. Current
and future state process maps can be generated for one or many processes that occur in a facilities product
line.

E3: Economy - Energy - Environment www.epa.gov/e3

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 Exhibit 1: The Current State with Inputs and Outputs

Sales and
Customer
Supplier Purchasing

Some processes will not

have environmental WK
WK inputs and outputs but all
have time and labor
inputs such as cycle time
and man hours

Milling Welding Parts Surface Assembly Packing/

Washing Coating Shipping
Raw Materials Welding Degreasers Coatings Time Transport
Fluids Consumables Detergents Energy Labor Packaging
Water Solvents Solvents
Energy Air Emissions Acids
Solid Waste
Water Solid Waste
Solid Waste Haz Waste
Haz Waste Wastewater Air Emissions
Wastewater
Damaged goods
from packaging and
shipping can cause
unnecessary wastes.
 Exhibit 2: Water Use Materials Line

Federal State
Water Water
Source 1 Source 2

Effluent

Wastewater Treatment Regulations

Local
System

500 KGPD I

Milling Parts Surface Metal Rinsing Assembly

Washing Preparation Finishing

30K gal 45K gal 1K gal 90K gal 250K gal 0 gal

10 K gal 30K gal 1K gal 75K gal 125K gal 0 gal

Water Used = 416,000 gallons per day

Water Needed = 241,000 gallons per day
Water Wasted = 175,000 gallons per day
 Exhibit 3: Opportunity for Improvement with Inputs and Outputs

Supplier Customer

Receiving Shipping

Milling Welding Parts Surface Assembly Packaging

Washing Coating

Raw metal Welding Water Packing

Fluids Consumables Acids Consumables
Process water Detergents
Solid Waste Solid Waste
Haz Waste
Solid Waste Air Emissions Wastewater
Wastewater Haz Waste
Haz Waste

80 lbs 10 lbs 5 lbs 12 lbs 0 lbs 0 lbs

60 lbs 2 lbs 2 lbs 2 lbs 0 lbs 0 lbs

Hazardous Materials Used = 107 lbs

Hazardous Materials Needed = 66 lbs
Incoming Raw Exhibit 4: Surface Coating with Inputs and Outputs
Materials

Part Washing Drying Oven Surface Prep Base Coating or Curing Oven
or Degreasing (optional) or Priming
Pretreatment
Quality
Water Watts of Alkalines Coating BTUs of Check
Solvents Energy Acids Energy (optional)
Degreasers Emulsifiers HAP, PM & VOC
Detergents VOC Solvents Emissions VOC Emissions
Emissions Paint Arrestors
Spent Solvents Spent Solvents
Wastewater VOC Emissions (filters)
Spent Rags Solid Waste Gun Cleaning-
Hazardous Solvent
Intermediate
Waste Masking
Sanding or
Used Rags Unused Coating
Surface Prep
Wastewater Solid Waste
Sanding Materials
Solvents

Spent Solvents
VOC Emissions
If part fails Solid Waste
Rework Hazardous Waste
inspections

Blasting Material
Stripping Material

Solid Waste
Solvents Top
Quality control can greatly reduce VOC Emissions Coating
the amount of rework a facility
performs. Rework generates Coating
unnecessary wastes. Operational
personnel are the most likely to Quality Curing Oven HAP, VOC & PM
know how to dramatically improve
quality and reduce rework.
I Check Emissions
Paint Arrestors
Increased quality control can be BTUs of (filters)
included in a future state.
Finished
Energy Gun Cleaning-
Part Solvent
VOC Masking
Emissions Unused Coating
Solid Waste
 Exhibit 5: Current State Parts Washing for Rust Removal with Inputs and Outputs

Opportunity to
Opportunity to
reduce acid use
reduce water use
through recycling
through cascade
rinsing

Incoming part Acid Wash Dip Rinsing Dip Drying Rack

w/ oxidation Tank Tank I
and rust
Freshwater Freshwater Washed Part
Acid
Acidic-
Acidic- Wastewater
Wastewater
Acid Fumes
 Exhibit 6: Future State Parts Washing

Filtered Vapor
Recovery Unit
I
Recovered
Acid Washed Part
Evaporative water and acid mist
Overflow water

Incoming part
with oxidation Acid Wash Dip Rinse Tank #1 Rinse Tank #2 Final Rinse
and rust Tank Spray / Fog

Fresh water
Spent Acid
Fresh Acid

Acid
I Regeneration
Unit

Outputs:
Iron Oxide
Iron Hydroxide