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SMED Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED)

Refers to the methodology developed by Shigeo Shingo in the 1950s to reduce Set Up Time in manufacturing processes. Shingo’s basic insight was that a Set Up process could be decomposed into: External Set Up tasks – those tasks that could be performed while the previous batch was still being worked on Internal Set Up tasks – those tasks that could be performed only after the previous batch had been completed and before the current batch could start. He identified ways in which to reduce overall Set Up time by converting where Internal Set Up tasks into External Set Up tasks where possible, through a 4-step analysis:

  • An examination of the current Set Up
  • Separating Internal and External Set Up
  • Converting Internal Set Up to External Set Up
  • Streamlining all aspects of the adjusted process
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