SMED application

There are many methods for reducing waste in a manufacturing process, but probably the best known is the Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) which is a tool focused on performing a fast and efficient way to change the necessary items of a machine or process so it will be able to produce the next product. For example, the change of a tooling head in a threading machine in order to produce the next product, which has a different diameter, in the manufacturing program. Then, it is clear that reducing this time it will be improved the production process by reducing waste time.

The concept of Single Minute is related to the original idea that all changeovers and startups should take no more than one single digit minute (10 minutes). The die is the known tool used in manufacturing and basically it is applied not only to the die itself but to any other tool included to be changed in a changeover

SMED is not only used in manufacturing processes but it has utility in different processed in an organization, including administrative tasks.

A very good example of some way of applying the tool is in the process of changing tires during a professional Formula 1 race. It is very clear how the personnel involved in the change prepare the task previous to the stop of the racing car, how they are distributed in the changing area, how the tools and equipment are located and how the sequence of tasks in the change are performed. Also, it can be seen as well how the design of the equipment and items to be changed directly affects the change and the time involved, so they should be designed to be simple, easy and fast to be changed. The final result is an incredible short time to make the change.

The SMED Methodology

How to implement a SMED/quick changeover program

As many organizations begin their journeys toward a lean enterprise, they are finding the road to be difficult and filled with obstacles. The question that is most asked is where to begin.

While the market is increasingly demanding more customized products, manufacturers are under constant pressure to reduce costs. Non-fulfillment of orders more frequently results in losing business to the competition. Combine these factors with the high cost of inventory and the need to increase productivity, and it becomes obvious that mastering quick changeover is essential to an organization’s survival.

As an organization begins a lean manufacturing implementation, its ultimate goal is to produce according to customer demand (takt time) while utilizing ”one piece flow.” For this to happen, machines need to be set up more often, highlighting the need to reduce setup time. Reducing setup time results in increased production, better quality parts and a more flexible workplace.

Single-minute exchange of dies (SMED), similarly known as quick changeover, like other lean tools, requires a committed effort from within the organization. One of the major pitfalls organizations fall into is the desire to rush into a changeover program with very little or no upfront planning. With limited time and resources, the program is doomed for failure. The other common mistake is failure to document and standardize the process. Finally and most importantly, management must demonstrate a full commitment to the program. If the changeover program is not a high priority to management, then it will not be a priority to anyone else. 

5S

The 5S concept:

One of the methods of determining an organisations approach to its business is to evaluate its workplace organisation capability & visual management standards.5S engages people through the use of 'Standards' and ‘Discipline'.It is not just about housekeeping, but concentrating on maintaining the standards & discipline to manage the organisation - all achieved by upholding & showing respect for the Gemba [workplace] every day.

5S means: 

Sort (seiri): Sort out & separate that which is needed & not needed in the area.
Straighten (Seiton): Arrange items that are needed so that they are ready & easy to use. Clearly identify locations for all items so that anyone can find them & return them once the task is completed.
Shine (Seisou): Clean the workplace & equipment on a regular basis in order to maintain standards & identify defects.
Standardise (Seiketsu): Revisit the first three of the 5S on a frequent basis and confirm the condition of the Gemba using standard procedures.
Sustain (Sitsuke): Keep to the rules to maintain the standard & continue to improve every day.

Benefits of 5S workplace organisation
5S relates to workplace organisation and forms a solid foundation upon which many organisations base their drive for continuous improvement. It is equally applicable & successful in all sectors helping to achieve high impact results.It is a systematic and methodical approach allowing teams to organise their workplace in the safest and most efficient manner.The discipline to check & repair equipment is included & adopted. The entire process is managed through the use of team generated audit documents, completed on an agreed frequency by responsible owners within the organization. 
In summary:

1.- 5S becomes a fundamental business measure & key driver for Kaizen

2.- Forms a solid foundation upon which to build continuous improvement

3.- Employees gain a sense of ownership, involvement & responsibility

4.- Reduction in waste – as defined by Ohno’s seven forms of waste

4.- Improved performance in productivity, quality & morale leads to increased profitability

More information: http://ca.kaizen.com/knowledge-center/what-is-5s.html

Applying Theory of Constraints to Manage Bottlenecks

A bottleneck can be defined as a point of congestion in a system that occurs when workloads arrive at a given point more quickly than that point can handle them, creating a queue a longer overall cycle time in the process line.

The theory of constraints is an important tool for improving process flows. The implications of the theory are far reaching in terms of understanding bottlenecks to a process and better managing these bottlenecks to create an efficient process flow.

The theory of constraints is an important tool for operations managers to manage bottlenecks and improve process flows. Made famous by Eliyahu M. Goldratt in his book The Goal, the implications of the theory are far reaching in terms of understanding bottlenecks to a process and better managing these bottlenecks to create an efficient process flow. Simply put the theory states, “the throughput of any system is determined by one constraint (bottleneck).” Thus to increase the throughput, one must focus on identifying and improving the bottleneck or constraint.

Goldratt in another book, "Theory of Constraints", outlines a five-step process to applying the theory:

1. Identify the process’ constraints
2. Decide how best to exploit the process constraints
3. Subordinate everything else to the above decisions
4. Evaluate the process constraint
5. Remove the constraint and re-evaluate the process

More Information: Six Sigma. http://www.isixsigma.com/methodology/theory-of-constraints/applying-theory-constraints-manage-bottlenecks/

Just In Time

Just in Time application

The basic concept of Just In Time (JIT) in a manufacturing process is to have “the right material, in the exact amount,  at the right place and at the right time”, so the storage of inventories waiting to be processed, which means waste of resources, is avoided. 

JIT practice includes the use of many disciplines as Statistics, Industrial Engineering, Materials and Production Management, Costs and Planning.

The idea is to see the inventories as a way to generate waste and cost, so it should be eliminated as soon as they do not contribute to manufacturing process issues. Also, it should be removed the idea of keeping inventories to hide problems related to the production processes as machines availability and reliability, production process variability and capacity and low flexibility of employees and equipment to switch production conditions.

Main benefits of JIT include the improvement of the flow of goods from warehouse to shelves, the reduction of the set up time,  minimization of storage space and reduction of possibility for inventory breaking/expiring, a more efficient use of employees with multiple skills, a better synchronization of production scheduling with the demand, improvement of supplier and customer relationships, elimination of waste and support for improvement in quality and productivity.

What is Kaizen?

According to Masaaki Imai, who introduced it in his book  "The Key to Japan’s Competitive Success" (1986). Kaizen is the practice of a continuous improvement process inside an organization. 

Today kaizen is recognized worldwide as an important pillar of an organization’s long-term competitive strategy. Kaizen is continuous improvement that is based on certain guiding principles:

• Good processes bring good results

• Go see for yourself to grasp the current situation

• Speak with data, manage by facts

• Take action to contain and correct root causes of problems

• Work as a team

• Kaizen is everybody’s business

• And much more!

One of the most notable features of kaizen is that big results come from many small changes accumulated over time. However this has been misunderstood to mean that kaizen equals small changes. In fact, kaizen means everyone involved in making improvements. While the majority of changes may be small, the greatest impact may be kaizens that are led by senior management as transformational projects, or by cross-functional teams as kaizen events.

Reference: Kaizen Institute.  http://ca.kaizen.com/about-us/definition-of-kaizen.html