Speed Manufacturing: Decreasing Production Delays

The ever-present challenge of manufacturing and production lies in the ability to efficiently manage diverse products. Historically, transitioning between tasks has been a time-consuming and labor-intensive procedure. However, with the adoption of Quick Changeover, also known as Single Minute Exchange for Tools, total quality management excellence this obstacle can be overcome.

Developed in by a renowned expert by Shigeo Shingo, SMED is a methodology focused on maximizing efficiency. The basic concept is to optimize production flow while improving efficiency. This strategy is centered on optimizing preplanned activities to be executed before work arrives at the workstation.

The main target areas of SMED are optimization of execution. To implement this strategy, several key steps are taken:

1 Recognize all the activities related to product changeover and group them into two groups:

those that can be done before the equipment/worker arrives at the workstation and those that must be performed 'on the line.'

2 Using this division, optimize the preparatory steps, including removing machine guards, setting tooling up ahead of time, and even pre-assembling parts. This strategy minimizes substantially the time spent on preplanned activities while the workers are on the production floor.

3 Once on the production site, optimize activities that need to be done with immediate impact. This might include optimizing workspaces, minimizing unnecessary movement, or performing simple assembly steps.

Quick Changeover is not just limited to production plants but can be applied across various sectors where efficiency are key to success. With SMED implemented effectively, production downtime greatly decreases, and businesses enjoy a boost in efficiency, ultimately leading in enhanced profit margins and customer satisfaction.