Unified Flow Sensor
Value stream mapping is a tool that is frequently used by many different companies. It is a great tool used to achieve the work that follows the theories of lean production. The tool is used, however, only frequent on the factory floor and the method is also designed based on this type of use.An interest of applying the method on administrative parts of the company has occurred lately. Administrative parts of the company refers to the part that does all the planning such as purchasing, receiving orders, customer contact, contact with factory floor and other work that is made around the actual manufacturing. But the knowledge about applying value stream mapping on the planning part of the company is lacking because the method is relatively new.In this work, a comparison is made between the introduction of value stream analysis on production and planning. This has been done through a case study at ABB Robotics. On this case study a value stream analysis has been made on the planning part of ABB Robotics and the part of the factory floor manufacturing the control cabinets of the robots. The purpose of the performance was to create an understanding of the similarities and differences that exist in the application of value stream analysis on production and planning. The case study has been made based on the current literature available on the subject. The literature has then been reviewed critically, based on the differences and similarities shown by the performed case study.Based on an analysis of the results from the case study, several conclusions were drawn and reflected over taking into account the existing literature. Conclusions drawn from the study, questions the existing literature's critical attitude to the method. Critical review is important at this situation because it is a new method and much proof, that it is properly functioning, does not yet exist.The study mentions that value stream analysis of planning is not always relevant. The interest of the method depends on the type of business and its customers' needs. For a company where the lead time of the planning part of the company is not of great importance to the customer?s value stream mapping is not interesting to apply. The application of value stream analysis is much more complex and time-consuming according to the study and therefore it is not always worthwhile to use the method.