Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED) / Quick Changeover
SMED is a tool used to decrease time for set-up, exchange of Dies, cleaning, and for regular maintenance. These activities often take a big amount of manufacturing uptime. Setup works are often hard and are considered unproductive, why they are avoided as long as possible. Setup times are often regarded as something that we need to live with. Therefore, little effort is used to plan the work in advance, and to modify the equipment for quicker stops. It is normally possible to greatly reduce the set-up times. Fantastic results are possible through better teamwork, good order, planning and simple modifications.
SMED Implementation
Step 1 - Go through the workplace with the 5S - tools
Step 2 - Analysis.Keenly observe the operations and processes. The present situation is analyzed using video-technique. The different moments are classified as being external or internal. All known disturbances are listed as well.
Step 3 - Separation between internal and external moments. The purpose is to secure that all external set-ups are performed when the machine is running. Resources are checklists, function controls and improved transports. For example collect necessary tools and consumables before the next operation starts up or sharp the tools before activity starts.
Step 4 - Elimanation of waste. Measures are carried out to reduce all types of waste. This includes:
- Elimination of all need for adjustments.
- Exchange of bolts for quick-fasteners.
- Standardization
- Increasing the number of equipments,
- Improved team-work.
"SMED Video analysis "
History
Dr. Shingo from Japan introduced idea of SMED. His name is famous in list of quality Gurus as person o§f improvement. He introduced many concept for improvements like, Poka Yoke (Mistake Proofing) and Just in Time (JIT) production system.
Concept of SMED is back from 1950, when Dr. Shingo was carrying out analysis of manufacturing bottlenecks of molding machines, because these molding machines were not operating upto their rated capacity. When detailed analysis was carried out, it was observed that, one bolt was missing during change of die. To solve this problem, they selected another bolt and modified it according to their needs. But during this operation a considerable amount of time wasted. Also, it was observed that used bolt need to be purchased. So, all this process gave idea of internal and external setup to Dr. Shingo. Internal setup concept is changing of die, when machine is out of operation. And concept of external setup is sending old dies to store and collecting new dies from store during operation. Also mean while checking required man power, material and equipments.
Dr. Shingo observed that, it can be done during operation of machine and we can almost save up to 50% time saving. Similarly, he was analyzing system of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, there he observed that one planner was not working upto its capacity and the company was planning to install a new planner for increasing productivity. After detail analysis, Dr. Shingo gave them idea of installing another planned table. This table will be used for preparation of another job and will increase productivity.
In Toyota Motor Company, the setup time for one press was about 480 minutes. Dr. Shingo analyzed the situation and looked into the matters of internal and external setup time, and suggested some modifications. After successful implementation of changes, the setup time was reduced upto 90 minutes. But the management was interested in reducing setup time upto three minutes. Dr. Shingo was again given the task and he analyzed the system more carefully and applied new eight steps and reduced the setup time to three minutes. He named this philosophy/technique as Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED).
Also Toyota was experiencing a lot of time wastage during change of press die for automobiles. During die change, they have to stop the line, and then they have to use cranes for fixing of many tons of die with the help of human eye. But some times to fix it effectively, they spend considerable time and still they face many rejected parts. Then some precision measuring tools were used and Toyota ultimately succeeded in reducing setup time to few minutes.
SMED Benefits
Now a day, SMED is offering a number of benefits to the manufacturing organizations. Commonly benefits obtained are as follows:
- Improved safety of systems and processes
- Reduction in lead time and hence improved and faster delivery
- Improved quality of product and service
- Almost zero inventory of work in process
- Reduction in working capital
- Lot size reduction
- Increase in profit margin, without any substantial investment.
- Improved equipment utilization.
SMED in Health Care
SMED is being utilized in various sectors of service organizations like health care, maintenance service, hotels and food industry etc.
Its use in health care has proven good results and reduced many bottlenecks. It is being applied for acquisition of operation instrument, medications, setting of operation theaters, setting of private rooms for patients and doing paper work. All these activities are now being performed in very small considerable amount of time. SMED application in health care has given following benefits:
- Enhanced satisfaction level of Doctors, Surgeons, Physician and Nurses.
- Reduced inventories of medicines and consumable equipments
- Enhanced Satisfaction level of patient and their caretakers.
- Increase in operation and service productivity along with professional competitiveness
- Reduction in un-necessary wastes and non value-added activities
- Less time is required for treatment of patient and hence speedy operations
- Improved system capacity and enhanced volume of services
- Increased flexibility of systems and processes
- More profit and business due to higher productivity and less inventory and wastes.
So by applying principles of SMED, so much productivity is increased that organization can take care of more patients without hiring more doctors, surgeons and nurses. Also this does not require that you hire more space or extend your existing one.
Pitfalls
There are also some bottlenecks in SMED project execution and some of them are as follows:
- Many people think that change over is necessary wickedness and must be avoided and in this effort they produce more than required.
- Quick change is not only problem of production but also of design engineer. So, during designing, these things must be taken into consideration.
- Change over time is not only changing of some dies and equipments but it is time difference of last product produced and the next new product produced.
- Some time low cost machines are purchased, but in long term they cost more during operation and maintenance activities.
Oskar Olofsson, 2009
SMED is a important tool in WCM, TPM och Lean Manufacturing implementation
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