A value stream mapping approach to the identification of lean management opportunities for off-site construction production: A case of reinforced concrete slabs

Abstract

<p>Off-site construction (OSC), including prefabrication and Modular-integrated Construction (MiC), is gaining popularity as a school of sustainable construction methods that can improve productivity, quality, and waste reduction. However, OSC projects face challenges related to technical integration, collaboration among stakeholders, and dynamic uncertainties. As a result, high-quality standards throughout the manufacturing process of OSC products are difficult to ensure, leading to costly rework, delays, and safety issues. This paper applies a value stream mapping (VSM) approach based on lean principles to OSC production for identifying lean management opportunities for off-site construction production. The case studied in this paper is reinforced concrete slabs. First, we employed a combination of field investigations and interviews to formalize the flow of materials and information for the case. Then, VSM processed the flow for the current state map, which highlights twelve opportunities to prioritize for slab production, e.g., the adoption of digital technology (VR, BIM) in information flows. The findings in value-added activities improvement of the opportunities demonstrate the potential of lean management in the slab production case. Furthermore, the VSM approach in this paper can identify the ‘wastes’ in lean theory, which are the control points of OSC production, for enhancing quality, efficiency, and resource utilization. The findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge by providing empirical evidence of the VSM approach to the identification of lean management opportunities for OSC production.</p>