Reducing setup time can reduce setup cost, which makes it economical to produce smaller lot sizes, which in turn reduces lot size inventory. Machine setup time refers to the period of time that is required to prepare a machine for its next run after it has completed producing the last part of the previous run.

There are 4 main steps to the machine setup process:

Setup Reduction:-

The process of reducing the amount of time needed to changeover a process from the last part for the previous product to the first good part for the next product.

The six basic steps in setup reduction are:-

1)      Measure the total setup time in current state.

2)      Identify the internal and external elements, calculating the individual times.

3)      Convert as many of the internal elements to external as possible.

4)      Reduce the time for the remaining internal elements.

5)      Reduce the time for the external elements.

6)      Standardize the new procedure.

  

Why you need to reduce changeovers and setup time:-

Reducing machine setup time is crucial for supply chain planners or schedulers in some industries. Utilize the same resource to manufacture different products requires a changeover.

Improving resources utilization brings in many benefits to your process and business:

 

§  Faster changeovers and production pace.

§  Shorter lead time.

§  Smoother manufacturing flows.

§  Higher margins.

§  Faster deliveries.

§  Better competitiveness and customer satisfaction. 

 

Sequence dependent setup time:-

When you are adding sequence-dependent setup times, you’re adding a layer of complexity on top of the original challenge.

In addition to dealing with variable lead time and setup time for each job – which already requires complex planning – you deal with variable setup calculated from which job was performed just before. If two jobs in queue require minimal charges, then the setup is lesser. If those two jobs differ greatly, the setup time rises accordingly.

 

 

Setup Reduction Steps:-

1. Maintenance, Organization and Housekeeping 

It often happens that setup problems are related to poor maintenance such as worn parts, worn tooling, dirt, or damaged threads. Disorganization and poor housekeeping are also contributors to setup problems. These are easy to fix and should be a first step.

2. Internal Elements to External 

Internal elements occur when the machine is down. Examine each internal element and see if it cannot be done externally. For example, the pre-heating of an injection molding die could be done before it goes into the machine.

3. Improve Elements 

Here we examine every element to see how we can eliminate it, simplify it, reduce the time required or improve it in some other way.

4. Eliminate Adjustments 

Adjustments are often the most time consuming, frustrating and error prone parts of a setup. There are many ways to eliminate them entirely and this is the ultimate goal.