SMED advantages are various. Among the most important, we could name:

• The global flexibility increase of the equipment or the manufacturing line.
• The scrolling time decreases.

But the SMED implementation will also generate other various advantages

Stock reductions

The «Series change time-manufacturing batch size» link is fundamental. It is the only one which will allow to completely exploit the whole potential SMED tool.

In other word, time « saved on the series change » by the way of the SMED site will have to be reinvested via the change number increases.

We so reduce the batch size and consequently, the global stock levels as well as its wasting batches such as:

• immobilized capital,
• handling,
• areas,
• management,
• no-quality,
• packaging,
• etc...

Wasting

Let us simply remind that in companies the first wasting source is « the Overproduction ».

Now, reducing the batch size will allow the adaptation of the resource uses to the necessary product manufacturing required by the customer and consequently to follow more exactly his request, just in time.

Autonomy

Other SMED target is to make the series change approachable by any operator. It is essential to be broken from « the specialist team » to offer a complete autonomy to the production and so allow them to change series – not when specialists are available – but when the manufacturing batch is ended.

Operation simplifications necessary for series change will thus have to be « the red thread» of any SMED site.

But also...The SMED method:

• Improve safety by a specific organization and the respect for rules written and approved by those who have to apply them,
• Improve ergonomics by task simplifications,
• Improve team work trough series change task synchronizations,
• Improve your staff motivation by the performing follow-up, the communication and the competitive spirit it generates,
• Will contribute to the «Continuous improvement» development by issuing « Improvement ideas»,
• Will contribute to the « harshness spirit» development