Mastering Quick Changeovers: A Guide to SMED in Manufacturing

Without adaptability and efficiency, any company will struggle in the manufacturing business. Lean methodology practices like Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED), have dramatically improved efficiency in the way manufacturers conduct their changeover processes.

SMED shortens setup time and reduces downtime, helping companies compete by improving service and responding more quickly to customer demands.

To execute it well, team members need to know just how important SMED is for manufacturing, how it fits into the lean framework, and how to use it effectively.

What is SMED?

SMED is a manufacturing technique used to reduce the time it takes to switch from producing one product to another. Originating in the 1950s and 60s through Shigeo Shingo's work with Toyota, SMED has evolved into a cornerstone of modern manufacturing efficiency.

The key principles of SMED are:

1. Separating internal and external setup activities
2. Converting internal setup activities to external ones
3. Streamlining and optimizing all setup activities

Internal setup tasks can only be executed when a machine is not running while external tasks can be carried out whether the machine is running or not. Team members scrutinize the steps involved in a changeover to distinguish these two types of activities, minimize setup time, and complete external setup tasks efficiently.

SMED aims to minimize changeover durations to single-digit minutes (i.e., less than 10 minutes). This is the origin of the term "Single Minute." Achieving this goal is indeed challenging. It requires manufacturers to enhance their processes and create highly rapid transitions.

SMED helps companies be more competitive by increasing flexibility, reducing waste, and improving overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

Organizations and industries that use SMED

Various manufacturing sectors like automotive, electronics and packaging have embraced SMED due to its versatility in optimizing changeover procedures. Companies across industries have leveraged this tool to optimize their changeover procedures and enjoy increased productive efficiency.

Toyota stands out as an example of SMED implementation pioneered by Shigeo Shingo within the company. By embracing his practices Toyota successfully reduced changeover times, creating smaller vehicle batch sizes and improved responsiveness to customer needs. This achievement at Toyota has served as inspiration for organizations looking to replicate that success.

Other notable examples of industries and companies that have benefited from SMED include:

• Apple, Samsung, and other consumer electronics companies
• Packaging companies, like Tetra Pak and Ball Corporation
• Aerospace and defense firms, such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin

SMED doesn't just work well for these particular industries or large companies like Apple and Toyota; it's applicable to all kinds of production environments. Whether a company produces large amounts of many different types of products or smaller amounts of just a few types of products, SMED can contribute to efficiency.

It's proven highly beneficial for a large number of companies looking to improve operations and stay competitive in constantly changing markets.

The role of SMED in maintenance

Many people only think about SMED in relation to reducing equipment changeover times in manufacturing, but you can also apply its principles to maintenance activities to minimize downtime and improve equipment reliability.

If you view repairs, lubrication, and inspections as a form of changeover, you can use SMED to streamline them and reduce the time your equipment is offline.

In this case, you separate internal and external maintenance tasks, convert internal tasks to external ones, and make improvements to each step to maximize efficiency. Additionally, SMED can complement your predictive and preventive maintenance strategies.

‍Preventive maintenance entails tasks scheduled to stop equipment breakdowns while predictive maintenance relies on data analysis to predict and tackle issues before they lead to downtime. By integrating these methods with SMED, maintenance teams can streamline their procedures, ensuring that equipment is properly maintained and always prepared for changeovers.

The combined use of these techniques can minimize downtime, enhance the reliability of your equipment, and establish a more stable production environment.

Benefits of using SMED

Lean methodology focuses on minimizing waste within systems while maximizing productivity. By reducing changeover times and optimizing setup processes, SMED unlocks a string of benefits that ripple throughout an organization.

1. Reduced idle time

With SMED you can expect a dramatic decrease in changeover times. When you streamline setup processes and decrease the amount of idle time, teams can increase overall productivity. This efficiency boost helps companies make more goods in less time which means higher output and ultimately, more profit.

2. More machine availability and less downtime

When you shrink changeover times down as much as possible, your machines spend more time in production, which means less downtime and higher, more consistent levels of productivity. By keeping machines running at optimal capacity throughout as much of their available production time as possible, you eliminate bottlenecks, maximize return on investment and are more likely to keep operations flowing smoothly.

3. Smaller batch sizes and reduced inventory levels

Just as with Toyota, SMED can help your manufacturing teams work with smaller lot sizes since the time and cost of changeovers is significantly reduced. This means you can adjust so quickly that there's less of a need for large inventory levels. That frees up valuable space and resources and reduces the risk of your products becoming outdated while sitting in storage (obsolescence).

4. Improved responsiveness to customer demand

If you want to stay ahead of the competition and maintain strong customer relationships, fast changeovers are vital these days. SMED empowers your team to adapt more quickly, switching between products with little downtime to meet the needs of customers.

5. Standardized changeover procedures and improved quality

SMED often requires that your teams set clear, consistent processes for setup activities, which heightens your quality control. Standardizing changeover processes reduces errors and helps production meet high quality standards. By doing this you'll improve your reputation and customer loyalty as word spreads about how devoted you are to putting in quality work.

6. Lower manufacturing costs and increased profitability

The cumulative effect of improved productive efficiency, smaller inventory levels, higher quality and reduced changeover times is lower manufacturing costs. This demonstrates how SMED so neatly fits into lean methodology and creates significant improvements in your bottom line. Furthermore, you can use those increased profits to put money back into your operations, driving innovation to stay competitive in a market that is always challenging.

How to start using SMED

It takes a systematic approach to get SMED processes working successfully at your manufacturing facility. Take it step by step to pinpoint areas for improvement, chart progress and ultimately achieve the benefits of reduced changeover times. Here's how to get started:

1. Identify pilot areas for SMED implementation

Ask yourself which machine or production line would benefit most from SMED implementation. This is your pilot area and it should be one where you make changeovers often and with potential for improvement. Starting with a single area at first is advantageous because you can refine your SMED process there and prove it works well before expanding to other parts of the facility.

2. Measure current changeover times and set goals

Before you start using SMED, get familiar with your current changeover times. Establishing a baseline will help you set realistic goals for improvement and track progress. Use a stopwatch or video camera to record the entire changeover process, logging the duration of each step.

3. Separate internal and external setup activities

Next, identify internal and external setup activities. As discussed, internal elements are the ones you can only do while machines are idle, while external elements can be done whether machines are running or not, before, during, or after a changeover. This separation sets you up for the next step in the process.

4. Convert internal setup activities to external ones

Once you separate internal and external activities, look for ways to convert as many internal activities as possible to external ones. Identify the activities that can be moved from the internal part of the changeover process to a time external to the changeover, ultimately reducing its length. You can make this conversion in many ways, such as by preparing tools and materials ahead of time, using pre-set jigs or fixtures, or modifying equipment to allow for quicker adjustments. Switch as many activities as possible to external setup.

5. Streamline and optimize internal and external setup activities

With any remaining internal and external setup activities, work on refining each step. This could include simplifying processes, eliminating unnecessary movements, or putting new tools in place to improve efficiency. Always analyze these activities to spot ways to streamline them further and bring down changeover times even more.

6. Document and standardize new changeover procedures

Document all of these steps clearly as you establish new SMED changeover procedures. Standardize your work instructions and include any visual aids and checklists, to ensure consistency and repeatability. The goal is for these procedures to serve as a reference for employees and help maintain the improvements achieved through SMED.

7. Train employees on new SMED procedures

Make sure all team members involved receive training in lean practices including your new SMED procedure. Training should cover new procedures, why it's important to follow them consistently, and the benefits of SMED for everyone. Last but not least, make sure they feel safe to communicate and provide feedback so you can improve the manufacturing process going forward.  

SMED tips and best practices

If you want to make sure SMED is successful for your team and stays that way, try these best practices:

Make sure your employees help shape their training

Employees will have more success with this lean manufacturing tool if they stay engaged throughout the SMED implementation process. Encourage their participation when identifying areas for improvement or developing new procedures. Put robust training programs in place so that they thoroughly understand the SMED methodology and can effectively apply it in daily work.

Use visual management and standardized work instructions

In addition to clear and visually appealing standard work instructions and SOPs, create visual management tools to help guide employees through the improved changeover process. These tools may include color-coded labels, shadow boards, or floor markings, all of which can improve the efficiency of conducting SMED.

Such visual cues help team members quickly spot tools or materials, reducing time spent searching during changeovers.

Leverage technology to support SMED

Utilize technology such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) to support your SMED initiatives further. IIoT devices can record data in real-time on machine performance and changeover times, facilitating any decisions made with the help of data and enhancing the overall process.

CMMS can aid in tracking and scheduling maintenance tasks to ensure equipment is always ready for changeovers.

Continuously monitor and improve SMED processes

SMED isn't just something you do one time. It's an ongoing practice that teams enact consistently, but hopefully improve upon as time passes. Monitor changeover times on a regular basis, work with the team to find inefficiencies, and have them suggest further ways to improve. Share the success you've had as well as best practices so everyone at your organization can incorporate what's been learned and get better themselves.

Integrate SMED with other lean tools

To get the most out of SMED, it's beneficial to combine it with other lean tools like 5S, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Kaizen. 5S helps in maintaining an efficient workspace to facilitate faster changeovers. TPM focuses on keeping equipment in great condition to minimize downtime.

Meanwhile, Kaizen fosters a mindset of continuous improvement by encouraging employees to make small yet impactful changes gradually for long term improvements.

SMED: Key to thriving in the future of manufacturing

SMED has emerged as a key element in lean manufacturing due to the increased productivity and reduced downtime it creates.

In today's evolving industry landscape, SMED is on the rise as we move towards a more data centric era. It is essential for organizations to embrace this approach and combine it with state of the art technologies to enhance agility, responsiveness and competitiveness. Incorporating SMED is not just an option, it's a must have for those aiming to excel in the future of manufacturing.