An industrial application of the SMED methodology and other lean production tools

Abstract

This paper describes the improvement of the setup process of a mechanical press machine in the metal-mechanic area of an elevators company. The work results from a master thesisc project conducted during a period of five months. The Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) methodology and other Lean Production tools (5S, Visual Management and Standard Work) were applied to reduce the setup times observed at the beginning of the project. With the developed solutions it was possible to reduce setup times, work-in-process (WIP) and distances travelled by operators. Additionally, the setup operations were standardized and consequently the process has become more fast and intuitive for the operators. These improvements allowed the reduction of energy and materials consumption and, consequently, a decrease on the Greenhouse Gases’ emissions.