Course Description
This intensive 2-day SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) / Quick Changeover (QCO) course equips participants with the tools and techniques to dramatically reduce equipment setup and changeover times. By streamlining these processes, organizations can increase machine availability, improve production flexibility, and reduce batch sizes—all of which translate into measurable financial benefits.
Through hands-on activities, real-world case studies, and practical application on actual or simulated equipment, participants will learn to distinguish between internal and external setup steps, convert as many tasks as possible to external, and streamline the remaining internal tasks. The course emphasizes the business impact of reduced setup times, including increased capacity without additional capital investment, reduced inventory, faster response to customer demand, and lower overall operating costs.
Course Objectives
Understand SMED/QCO Principles:
– Define SMED and QCO and their role in Lean manufacturing.
– Recognize the link between setup time reduction and operational efficiency.
Analyze Current Setup Processes:
– Separate internal and external setup tasks.
– Identify sources of waste and delays during changeovers.
Implement Setup Reduction Techniques:
– Convert internal tasks to external where possible.
– Streamline and simplify remaining internal steps.
Link Setup Reduction to Financial Performance:
– Quantify cost savings from increased capacity, reduced inventory, and improved OEE.
– Demonstrate ROI from faster changeovers and improved flexibility.
Sustain and Continuously Improve Setup Processes:
– Standardize setup procedures.
– Engage teams in ongoing setup time reduction efforts.
Training Format Options
– Day 1: Introduction to SMED/QCO concepts, observation and documentation of current setup processes, and identification of improvement opportunities.
– Day 2: Implementation of setup reduction techniques, measurement of results, and development of standardized procedures for sustaining improvements.
