Set up time reduction

First things first. In order to reduce set-up time the set-up process itself must be observed and analyzed (e.g. by using the EMIPS - eliminate, minimize, integrate, parallelize or synchronize - methodology).

After you have analyzed the process make sure you write down all identified kinds of waste. Try to define the ideal state of the new procedure. Only after verification through testing of the new procedure make it a standard and implement it in your TPM framework. By doing so your operators are now responsible for the new set-up procedure, assumed that your operators are properly trained.

The whole focus on set-up time reduction comes from the customer requirements to manufacture a higher variety of goods in smaller batches. In order to meet those requirements set-up or change over must be kept as short as possible.

But let us go a little bit more into the details.

The pure set-up time is defined as the time needed to change from the last part of a batch to the first part of the following batch.

The set-up includes all activities needed, preparation, action on side and adjustments needed. By doing this you automatically differentiate between so called “external” and “internal” activities.

The following steps should help you to make it easier to reduce set-up times

1 Classify each part of the set-up process to either internal or external. Internal steps are those that only can be done while the production is or has to be inactive. External steps are done without interrupting production.

2 Convert internal steps to external ones. The whole idea is to minimize the time needed shutting down operations. This is why we want to take internal steps out as much as possible.

3 Reduce the time needed for the remaining internal steps. There are for sure some steps you can not take out, for those the manufacturing has to be stopped. The whole focus is now on this internal steps and how to reduce them to an absolute minimum. Here the SMED methodology (Single Minute Exchange of a Die) can help. Too find out more you can read here.

4 Eliminate adjustments. Last but not least try to get stable process parameters. With effective process control in place you can get rid off adjustment activities.

A Pareto Diagram can be useful to prioritize the setup time reduction activities. Don’t start everywhere at the same time! Start with the biggest loss and you will see over the time how it will change. It also gives you a great opportunity to see the progress that you are making on set-up time reduction.