Due in 24 hours –
As discussed in the setup reduction section of the chapter, SMED is a powerful process for reducing setup times, often from hours to minutes or minutes to seconds. The following are key SMED principles:
1. Categorize activities in the current setup process as internal or external. Internal activities are performed when the process is stopped. External activities are carried out when the process is still operating (preparing to process batch B when batch A is still being processed; preparing to serve customer B while customer A is still being served).
2. Convert as many activities as possible from internal to external.
3. Reduce the time required for the remaining internal activities. Pit crews in auto racing are often used as an example of fast changeovers. Numerous organizations such as hospitals and railroads have studied NASCAR pit crews in order to better understand how they can apply lean principles to their own operations. Operations that must be performed during a pit stop are changing tires and refueling (using 12-gallon gas cans).
On the basis of what you know about these operations from your own driving, how can SMED be applied to these activities? What other JIT principles can be applied?
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