SMED - Single Minute Exchange of Die
SMED, often called "Quick Changeover", is an process that can help us to reduce downtime due to set-ups and changeovers. Quick Changeover means we reduce time to set up a machine or process. We use SMED as a guideline to eliminate our waste changeover time in our production process, especially while changing a machine from one product to another.
There are six major steps that we should be concerned with :
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Ensure that everything needed for setup is already organized and on hand to save time finding something in the process setup.
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It is good to move your arms but not your legs to avoid spending too much time during adjustment or set-ups.
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Do not remove bolts completely to save time during removing bolts and setting up the process.
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Regard bolts as enemies; do what ever you can to get rid of them to save time by using some equipment that is better than bolts when changing the process.
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Do not allow any deviation from die and jig standards to save time by using the same standards. For example, use the same size of nut and bolts for each die and jig.
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Adjustment is waste to make the jig or figure simple to setup and avoid wasting time to adjust the positions.