SC QUALITY GUILDSMED setup reduction
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List each setup element with its time, mark it internal or external now and after, name the SMED action, and get the before and after setup time, the reduction and a waterfall by stage.
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What SMED is
Single-minute exchange of die (SMED) is Shigeo Shingo's method for cutting changeover time. "Single minute" means a single-digit number of minutes, under 10. Setup time runs from the last good piece of the old run to the first good piece of the new one. The method rests on one distinction: internal setup work can only be done with the machine stopped, and external work can be done while it is still running.
The stages
- Preliminary stage: internal and external work are mixed together. Record the current changeover, ideally on video, and time every element.
- Stage 1, separate: move work that could already be done with the machine running (fetching tools, material and paperwork, preheating) outside the stop. Checklists and a staged changeover cart do most of this. Shingo estimated this stage alone often cuts setup time by 30 to 50 percent.
- Stage 2, convert: change how internal work is done so it becomes external: preset tools off line, duplicate fixtures, standardized die heights, a second pre-cleaned set of parts.
- Stage 3, streamline: make what remains faster: quick-release clamps instead of bolts, removing adjustments with fixed stops and recipes, parallel work by two people, and streamlining the external work too.
Reading the result
The setup time that matters is the internal time, because it is lost production. External work does not disappear; it moves, and it has to be ready before the stop. Watch for elements that cannot move, such as a food safety line clearance, and keep them internal on purpose. The freed time pays off most when it is used for more frequent changeovers and smaller batches, which cuts inventory and lead time, not only for longer runs.
SMED is usually run as a kaizen event. Waiting, motion and transport found during the study are the same wastes recorded on a waste walk.
On the CSSGB exam
Know the internal and external definitions, the order of the stages (separate, convert, streamline), examples of each, and why short setups support small lot sizes and flow. A typical question gives a list of setup tasks and asks which are external, or computes the new setup time after some are moved.
Common questions
What is SMED set up reduction?
SMED (single-minute exchange of die) is a method for cutting changeover time. Every setup step is classed as internal (only possible with the machine stopped) or external (possible while it runs); then external work is moved out of the stop, internal work is converted to external where possible, and what is left is streamlined.
How do I reduce setup time quickly?
Film or time one real changeover, list every element, and move everything external out of the stop first: fetching tools, staging the next material, preheating. That step alone often removes a third or more of the setup time before any equipment changes.
How is SMED used on an SMT line?
On an SMT line the big wins are usually external: kitting and verifying feeders and reels on a spare cart, preloading programs and stencils, and standardizing feeder positions between products, so the line stops only for the swap itself.