Knowledge Base

SMED – Quick Changeover

3 min read IE validated

In plain English

SMED stands for 'Single-Minute Exchange of Die' — a fancy name for a simple idea: dramatically reduce the time lost when you switch a machine, station or space from one job to the next. That switch-over time is pure lost capacity.

The parts, simply

1. Separate
Split tasks into ones you can do while running vs. only when stopped.
2. Convert
Turn 'stopped' tasks into 'while-running' tasks wherever possible.
3. Streamline
Make the remaining stopped tasks quicker — tools ready, no searching.
4. Standardise
Write it down so everyone does the fast way every time.

Why it matters to your business

Long changeovers push businesses to make big batches 'to avoid the hassle', which creates piles of inventory and slows everything down. Fast changeovers let you make what's needed, when it's needed — smaller batches, less stock, quicker orders.

Everyday example

A kitchen switching breakfast to lunch

If resetting the line takes 40 minutes of scrambling, you lose 40 minutes of selling. Prepping the lunch mise-en-place while breakfast is still running (an 'external' step), and keeping tools at the point of use, can cut that to 10 minutes.

How SenseFlow does this for you

SenseFlow spots long changeovers in your flow and suggests which set-up steps can be prepped in advance, with the time and money you'd save.

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