Changeover Reduction goes by a number of different names - SMED, Single Minute Exchange of Dies, OTED, One Touch Exchange of Dies, Quick Changeover. But it is the application of the tool that counts, not the name.

As a tool, Changeover Reduction is extremely powerful and flexible. It can be used to addresses fundamental capacity losses in any process – it is about more than just product changeovers. It can be applied to:

• turnarounds
• shutdowns
• major maintenance periods
• projects (critical path reduction)
• product changeovers
• plant cleandowns and decontaminations
• and many other areas.

Not only does a Changeover Reduction release capacity, it allows the operational design and philosophy of a process to be changed so reducing lead times, increasing flexibility and response, and minimising inventory. Quality improvements and reduction in waste, depending on the scenario, may also be realised.

We have lots of experience in applying Changeover Reduction to all sorts of application, indeed we have used it in all of the listed applications and more besides. If you are losing capacity or campaigning production due to long outages in your process we can help you reduce the disruption leading to increased outputs and/ or reduced inventories and lead times.

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