SMED stands for Single Minute Exchange of Die and is a process for effectively reducing the time it takes to change the parts on a machine.

1. SMED – Changeover Reduction
www.optimumfx.com

2. Intent of Session
• Minimise impact of Changeovers
• Define the SMED methodology and process
• Outline the key benefits of carrying out changeover
reduction (SMED) process

3. What is a Changeover?
The time taken to change-over a machine from the last “Good”
part off one run to the first “Good” part off the next run (including
all the adjustments needed to get the machine running to the
correct production speed / cycle time).
SPEED

4. What is SMED?
• SMED stands for Single Minute Exchange of Die and is
a process for effectively reducing the time it takes to
change the parts on a machine.
• This process was developed by a man called Shiego
Shingo for the motor car industry in 1969. He reduced a
setup in Toyota Motor Company, Japan on a 1000 ton
press from 4 hours to 1 hour 30 minutes in 6 months and
then to under 3 minutes after a further 3 months. This
was achieved through team work and following 4 simple
steps.

5. Why SMED?
Consider the process of changing a car tyre:
• You may change a tyre in15min
• By using the SMED process Formula 1 teams achieve
the same changeover in 4.5s
“Pit Stop” mentality
SMED process

6. How does SMED work?
5 key stages:
1. Break the process into manageable elements
2. Identify the elements that can be prepared in advance
3. Identify how the remaining elements could be engineered out
of the process
4. Reduce the duration of the stages that are left through team
work and organisation, or with engineering
5. Document the changes as work instructions and training aids

7. The SMED Process
Step 1: Identify elements
• Record your changeover. We recommend using a video recorder and manual observation.
• As a team break the changeover into 30-50 elements. Ensure that these are of a reasonable length –
if one element contains 5min of activity then you will need to break this down into smaller chunks.
Step 2: Identify internal and external elements
• Internal elements are stages that can ONLY occur when the machine is stopped. External elements
are stages that can occur when the machine is running.
Step 3: Convert internal elements to external elements
• Re-examine the operation and identify how EACH internal element could be made into an external
element.
Step 4: Streamline and standardise the remaining elements
• How could each element be reduced in length either through tools, engineering or more people.
Step 5: Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Write detailed and easy to use operating procedures and train across all shifts

8. Step 1
• Record the changeover process
– Use a Video Camera
– Record all relevant steps
• Split into individual elements
– Make steps reasonable length, aim to achieve 20-50 elements per
process (therefore single step in 60 min process would be between 1-
2 mins)
Identify elements in changeover process

9. Step 2
• Decide which elements can be performed while the
machine is still running and therefore these are now
‘external’ elements.
• As external elements can be done while the machine is
running they can be eliminated from the overall change-
over time.
• The elements that have to be performed when the
machine is shut down are ‘internal elements’.
Distinguish between Internal and External Elements

10. Step 3
• Re-examine operations to see whether any steps are
wrongly assumed to be internal and move to external.
• Find ways to convert internal elements to external
elements
Internal External
Using innovation
Convert Internal to External Elements

11. Step 4
• Need detailed analysis of each element. Question the
purpose of it, can the entire element be eliminated?
• If it cannot be eliminated what is needed in order for
the elements to be easier to do and therefore take less
time.
• Needs innovations and ideas i.e. machine stops and
guides, butterfly bolts rather than hex, air tools.
Streamline all aspects of the Change-over

12. Step 5
• Define the best standard
• Create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
• Train all operators to the new standard
Streamline all aspects of the Change-over

13. Why is it effective?
• Emphasis on preparation, correct procedure, teamwork, and organisation.
• Most engineering-based sites do some great engineering work to reduce
time – very few put the same effort into team organisation and
preparation….SMED teaches that this is the key opportunity in reducing
planned downtime.
Engineering
tasks – large
opportunity but
with huge time
investment.
People +
organisation
deliver the
largest
improvement

14. The Benefits of SMED
6 key benefits:
• Greater levels of productivity
• Increased safety
• Increased quality
• Reduction in overtime costs
• Greater production flexibility
• Increased motivation

15. Greater productivity
• SMED directly reduces your planned downtime duration and
increases OEE.
• Through analysing and applying SMED thinking to your existing set-
up methods, you'll cut changeover time by at least 45%.

16. Increased safety
• The ultimate example of SMED application was the wheel changes that
used to win or loose Formula One races.
• If I get a flat at the roadside, it takes me 15-20 minutes to change ONE
wheel. A Formula One team on race day could change all FOUR wheels in
less than one man-minute.
• Yet data from the Royal Society for The Prevention of Accidents shows that
when I change a wheel, there's a 28 in 10,000 chance that I'll end up in
hospital as a result.
• The comparative figure for Formula One is 6 in 10,000. In other words, it's
almost five times safer.
• The lesson is that there's no point being fast, if you injure your team.
• So set-up methods that have been designed using SMED methods are
SAFE, SYSTEMISED, and SPEEDY.

17. Increased quality
• A key output of the SMED process is that the changeover must be right first
time
– Imagine the impact of your car wheel coming off after changeover…
• SMED specifies that not only should the changeover be faster – but it
MUST be right first time
• All SMED procedures are fully documented to ensure that new operators
can be trained to ensure right first time quality.

18. Reduced overtime
• Pretty much every manufacturing firm uses overtime to cope with
peaks in demand from customers.
• Staff work longer hours, but at a premium rate, in order to keep up
with demand.
• Overtime is typically paid at 25%-100% more than standard labour
rate, so an reduction in the amount of 'work' that needs doing in a
week, while still achieving the required output has to be worth doing.
• In a typical factory, applying SMED can reduce overtime bills by
69%, and the total labour bill by 16%.
• With costs that much lower, you can either undercut competitors, or
significantly boost bottom-line profits!

19. Greater flexibility
• Customers are funny, aren't they, the way they always seem to
phone on Friday afternoon, desperate for a rush order, or a change
in the schedule. I'm sure it's not deliberate.
• Unfortunately, many companies choose to build a buffer between
their production and customers. And in a world where product life-
cycles are getting sorter and shorter (less than three months now for
a lap-top, apparently!), that's a highly risky strategy.
• If your current set-up times are 90 minutes, last-minute orders from
customers are probably a huge irritation, meaning re-scheduling or
production and making trade-offs between efficiency and keeping
the customer happy.
• Now imagine that using SMED, you've reduced your set-up times to
9 minutes. Are last-minute orders or changes to schedules
something that you'd even worry about any more?

20. Motivation
• It's a question of what motivates people. Almost everyone goes to
work in general for the money. If you stop paying, then they'll stop
turning up!
• However, almost everyone chooses to work for a specific employer.
The way they are treated, how they get on with their colleagues, and
the respect they feel all have a powerful pull.
• You can only apply SMED successfully through tapping into the
experience and creativity of the people who run the equipment
you're trying to improve. Allowing people to be creative, express,
and even try out ideas is a HUGE motivator.
• Indeed, this is one of the most common comments that clients make
to us after a SMED programme - their staff are suddenly alive, and
taking an interest in making their company more successful.