Motovario

SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) is a method of continuous improvement that focuses on optimising changeover times. This process is crucial for companies who wish to increase the productivity and flexibility of their production system.

The importance of SMED lies in its ability to minimise setup time, enabling faster handling of customer orders and improving responsiveness to market needs.

The first quarter of the Lean Cup 2023 saw the production teams competing for a project to improve workstation ergonomics based on implementation of the SMED method.

In addition to video analysis of the initial time and context, the all-round involvement of the operators, who work daily on the machines and are fully aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their workstations, was crucial. Together with the Operations team, they identified the actions to be implemented to reduce setup times.

Specifically, innovative equipment was implemented at the workstations and all 5S steps of the SMED lean method were carried out.

The winner of the first quarter of 2023 is the bar pusher lathe team, which recorded a 25% reduction in tooling time.

This is a significant achievement for the bar pusher lathe team, which handles the first stages of machining and uses rough bars to create the various turning components (screws, pinions, shafts, sleeves, etc.). 

It proved to be a highly motivating competition for the production teams who found some excellent solutions and techniques to increase productivity and improve growth.

Well done!