10 min In this short section, some of the main benefits in implementing a PFMEA are described. PFMEA helps to identify potential risks and hazards PFMEA helps identify and evaluate potential risks and hazards that could affect the process’s performance. The process of identifying failure modes and evaluating their impact helps the team to anticipate…
A concrete example of application of SMED
15 min In this last topic of the lecture, a concrete example of applying the SMED methodology in a manufacturing context is described, specifically the reduction of set-up time on a CNC lathe. Background The company produces mechanical transmissions using a numerically controlled lathe in the early stages of machining. In order to reduce batch…
Tips in implementing SMED methodology
5 min Proceed in small steps The best results are achieved with a gradual, systematic, step-by-step approach. This allows the necessary cultural changes to take place. S.M.E.D. is a real revolution, in “traditional” type companies, and to go through it calmly and painlessly it is extremely important to prevent the onset of reluctance, and often…
Standard Operating Procedures
10 min Once the SMED methodology has helped implement a lean set up, ideally under 10 minutes, it is critical to describe the operating procedure and make it a standard. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are known by different names (Standard Work, Work Instruction, etc.) and can use different formats such as text, pictures, diagrams, flowcharts,…
Tips on designing quick set-ups
30 min In this lesson, we have seen what the steps are in implementing the S.M.E.D. methodology. In particular, STEP 3 involves simplifying set-up (internal) operations, of which bolt removal is a key element. In this section, we will give some practical advice on how to implement this step. Designing setups intelligently basically means doing…
The non-tangible costs
10 min While in the previous section we focused on tangible costs, in this section we will look at some of the major non-tangible costs associated with tooling in a production system. Responsiveness to the customer Non-tangible costs undoubtedly include costs related to poor customer responsiveness, which is linked to the inability to meet Takt…
The tangible costs
15 min In this lesson we will see what are the main tangible costs associated with setups. Loss of productivity The most obvious cost associated with setups is loss of production. When a production line is idle, it means that it is not making products, i.e., the company is not making a profit. Similarly, tooling…
Replacement and tuning activities
10 min In the previous Topic we mentioned 2 typical activities in internal set-ups: Replacement or substitution activities They include: the disassembly of equipment required for “earlier” operations (molds, bases, guides, belts) the assembly of those related to “subsequent” operations. For this purpose, in general, there are several bolting activities to be done (unscrewing/screwing/unscrewing screws,…
Internal and external Set-up
10 min The starting point of the S.M.E.D. methodology is in dividing the entire set-up time (or production changeover time, or tooling time) into two distinct entities: internal set-up time external set-up time Internal set-up This is defined as that interval of time during which the machine (or line, or production process) must be stopped…
Example: improving the productivity of a machine
5 min Suppose the set-up time is 3 hours, the cycle time is 1 minute, the batch size is 100 pieces, and the hourly cost of the machine is 48 €/hour. If the set-up time were reduced to 9 minutes, a cost per unit of €0.87/unit would be achieved. Note how, to achieve the same…