Shingo ´s SMED (single minute exchange of die) methodology was first published in the West in 1985 and is today widely used by companies to reduce changeover times. The methodology, which emphasizes the separation and conversion of internal setup to external setup, is likewise favourably viewed within academia. This article analyzes SMED, indicates some gaps in the methodology and proposes how potential shortcomings might be overcome. In particular it discusses problems associated with both the run-down and run-up phases of a changeover, and describes how an over-reliance on techniques to separate and convert changeover tasks can be misplaced.
Changeover; Set-up; Run-up period; Toyota Production System
