A methodology aimed at reducing equipment changeover times to fewer than ten minutes.
SMED is a lean manufacturing technique developed to decrease the time taken to switch from one production process to another. It involves separating internal and external setup operations, converting internal operations to external ones wherever possible, and streamlining all aspects of the setup process. This method is critical in industries requiring flexible production systems or Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing, as it helps in increasing production flexibility and efficiency.
An automotive production line achieved a die changeover reduction from 100 to 9 minutes.
This improvement was implemented in a factory that produces multiple models and needs frequent die changes to meet varying customer demands. The use of SMED allowed for reduced downtime and increased production throughput.
A packaging company reduced machine setup time from 120 to 8 minutes.
This applies to a facility that requires frequent package size changes due to custom orders. By applying SMED principles, the company improved equipment utilization and reduced production lead times.