Manufacturing

Excellence

A way to become lean:

Single Minute
Exchange of Dies
Single Minute
Exchange of Dies:
 Changeover time.
– Starts at the end of the last good product of
the previous batch and ends with the first
good product of the new batch.
 Internal set-up activities.
– Elements in the changeover which can only
be done when the machine is stopped.
 External set-up activities.
– Elements that can be performed when the
machine is running.
What is SMED?
 Single Minute Exchange of Dies is changing
process tooling in 9 minutes or less.
 The process was developed by Shigeo Shingo at
Mazda, Mitsubishi and Toyota in the 1950’s and
1960’s.
– Separate internal and external activities.
– Convert internal activities to external
activities.
– Streamline all activities.
Why SMED?
 Reduced inventories.
 Improved productivity.
 Higher quality levels.
 Increased safety.
 Improved flexibility.
 Reduction in throughput time.
 Improve operator capabilities.
 Lower manufacturing costs.
What is our economic batch
quantity?
Example 1: Current set-up times are 3 hours and the run time per unit is 1 minute.
Customers order in batches of 100. Target manufacturing cost is Rs1/unit and we
charge Rs2/unit

Unit cost = set-up time + production time x hourly rate

number of units 60

= 180 mins + 100 mins x Rs 48/hr

100 60

= Rs 2.24/unit

Therefore, we lose 24 paisa for every product we make.

Our economic batch quantity
is 1000
Example 2: Increase batch size to 1000

Unit cost = set-up time + production time x hourly rate

number of units 60

= 180 mins + 1000 mins x Rs48/hr

1000 60

= Rs 0.94/unit

Advantage: 58% cost reduction

Disadvantage: Production planning is more difficult (we employ a prod’n planner
increasing overhead costs by Rs0.05 per unit; need to store 900 products until
they are called off (Stock-holding costs increase by Rs 0.08 per unit).
We now make a profit of Rs 0.93 per unit.
 The economic batch quantity is
what the customers ask for!
Example 3: Reduce changeovers to 20 mins

Unit cost = set-up time + production time x hourly rate

number of units 60

= 20 mins + 100 mins x Rs 48/hr

100 60

= Rs0.96/unit

Advantage: 57% cost reduction; produce only what is required

Disadvantage: Requires the investment (of time) in people and processes
NOTE: SMED would give a unit price of less than Rs 0.87.
With 20 minute changeovers we can make Rs 1.04 per unit.
SMED and Agility
 The need for Agile Manufacturing has come about
because of increasing market demand for customised
products.
 An order which cannot be filled immediately is an
order which can be taken by a competitor.
 This demand cannot be met if products have large
batch sizes and high stock levels.
 More frequent changeovers allow smaller batch sizes
and increased flexibility.
Before SMED

Typical “changeover”: 5 – 10 minutes

After SMED

Typical “changeover”: 5 – 10 seconds

The SMED Process

“… many companies have set up policies designed to raise the skill level
of the workers, few have implemented strategies that lower the skill
level required by the set-up itself.”, Shigeo Shingo
 The SMED Process

 Preliminary Stage – Observe and record.

 Stage 1 – Separate internal and external
activities.
 Stage 2 – Convert internal activities to external
activities.
 Stage 3 – Streamline all activities.
 Stage 4 – Document internal and external
procedures.
The SMED process – Preliminary
Stage
Observe and record
 Team-work
– Recorder
 Overall duration (from last product to first good
product).
 Describe the change (from what to what?).
 Record the equipment used.
– Timers
 Time each step
– Fact collectors
 Breakdown the steps into actions – as much detail
as possible.
The SMED Process – Preliminary
Stage
Observe and record – tips.
 Video recorders can be effective with small teams
as well as analysing motions in detail.
 Involve a layman. A layman will challenge the
“accepted norms”.
 Make the changeover visible – fill in the SMED
details sheet.
 The SMED Process – Stage 1

Separate internal and external activities.

 Study each internal step and ask if it could be
external.
 Common issues:
– Dies in remote storage racks.
– Spanners not available.
– Raw material checks.
– Lifting equipment not available.
The SMED Process – Stage 2

Convert internal to external.

 Ask why the remaining internal steps can’t be
external.
 Re-examine the true function of each step.
 Common issues:
– Cold dies – using material to heat the dies.
– Imaginary centre lines and reference planes.
– No record of settings.
The SMED System – Stage 3
Streamline all activities.
 Analyse the elements (facts), and discuss all
possible ways of improving the step.
 Study the external activities as well as the
internal activities.
 Common issues:
– Fastenings – Are bolts needed? If so remember that
only the last turn tightens a nut or bolt.
– Standardise bolt heads.
– Standardise die heights.
The SMED System – Stage 4
Document the procedures.
 Write down the new internal and external
procedures.
 Fill in an action sheet to ensure that the new
procedures can be achieved.
 Review the whole activity to determine
“What went well?”, “What went badly?” and
three changes that the team would make
before the next SMED activity.
SMED Activity- team roles
 Timers.
– Aim to have 10-20 steps for each changeover.
– Record the elapsed time. Calculate the step time
later.

Step Description Time Bar Chart

Elapsed Step

1 Remove guards 3min 42sec 3min 42sec

2 Loosen bottom bolts 12min 12sec 8min 30sec

3 Lower ram 19min 29sec 7min 17sec

4 Loosen top bolts 31min 13sec 11min 44sec

SMED Activity – team roles
 Fact collectors.
– Have a number of fact collectors to ensure elements are not missed.
– One fact per Post-it – write clearly, be concise.
– Record everything.
E.g. For the “remove guards” step – fact collectors may record the following elements:
1 – Walk to control panel
2 – Switch machine off
3 – Wait for flywheel to stop
4 – Get spanner from toolbox
5 – Remove 3 hex bolts
6 – Get Allen key
7 – Remove 5 Allen bolts
8 – Remove guard
9 – Walk to rear of machine
10 – Place guard on the floor
11 – Walk to front of machine
SMED Activity – Ground Rules
 The main goal is to make everyone's job
EASIER, FASTER and SAFER.
 Challenge everything you see (Ask WHY?
five times!!).
 We have a “no blame environment” – we
are looking for facts not faults. We attack
problems not people.
 Common Problems
Problem: “only the last turn of a nut or bolt tightens it and
only the first one that loosens it”.
Solution 3: Eliminate tools and bolts.

TIP: Ask yourself:

“How tight is tight enough?”
“Do you need that length of
pipe welded to your spanner?”
“Do you need that final, teeth
clenching tightening?”
Common Problems
Problem: Dies are different heights operators have to
change the clamping bolts.
Solution:

Shim the smaller die If centre height of the

to equalise the height tool is important,
shim top and bottom
 Common Problems

Problem: Waiting for tooling to reach elevated temperatures.

Solutions:
 Pre-heat ovens, electric or steam heating.
 Use the coolant water from the machine to pre-heat the dies.
 Use a transfer jig which will allow the electrical and coolant
connections to be made off-line and to bring the die to running
temperature.
Thank You