Set Up Reduction - By: Tom Bull

In this series we will discuss Set Up Reduction in a Four (4) Stage Method.  Starting with the underlying concept and moving to Stage 1 – Identify, Stage 2 – Reduce and Convert, Stage 3 – Streamline, Stage 4 – Optimize.

DEFINITION

Set up Reduction is defined as: Quick Changeover Time.  That is the time between the last good piece of one production run and the first good piece of the production run after the changeover. 

Set up Reduction is a Lean Manufacturing tool that supports manufacturing products after a customer order is received.  It eliminates or reduces non-value added activities in all types of process setups to quickly change from one product to another. This will lead to reduction in batch sizes and shorten lead times eliminating the expense of excess inventory.

BENEFITS OF QUICK CHANGEOVER

·         More frequent changes

·         Smaller batches

·         Lower inventory

·         Better quality

·         Less waste

·         More Flexibility

·         Improved teamwork

·         Less STRESS!!!

UNDERLYING CONCEPT

The goal of Set Up Reduction is for reducing waste in a manufacturing process. The idea is to analyze and provide a more rapid and efficient way of changing a manufacturing process from running the current product to running the next product. This rapid changeover is key to reducing production lot sizes and thereby improving flow.  This is largely achieved by first classifying each setup step as either Internal or External (Internal steps are those done while the process is inactive and External steps are done while the process is operating).  Next is to convert the Internal steps to External steps. If we want to reduce the time the process is non-operational, we need to reduce the time associated with the process being inactive. The quickest way to achieve this is to do as many of these steps as we can while the process is operational.

Join us next week for – Stage 1 - IDENTIFY