Lean Based Problem Solving using 3D Laser Scanned Visualizations of Production Systems

3D laser scanning technology holds the capability to provide accurate and realistic visualizations of production systems. These visualizations can be used as decision-support in project teams when planning the redesign of production systems. To make such decision-support effective, a structured approach for how to use the realistic visualizations in team environments is required. The purpose of this paper is to propose a structured approach of how realistic visualizations can be used to solve problems that are identified while planning the redesign of a production system. The proposed approach derives from a theoretical framework on problem solving and three industrial studies applying realistic visualizations. The result is a description of how realistic visualizations can be used in the five steps of the problem solving approach LAMDA used in Lean product development. Such approach has the potential to support project teams in making the required decision by systematic solve problems pro-actively while planning the redesign of production systems