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SETUP TIME REDUCTION

The fundamental goal of contemporary Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing is frequent delivery of small lots of material. Setup Time Reduction is the most important of the technologies that enable JIT replenishments while raising productivity, lowering inventory, slashing lead time, and improving quality.

Quick setups drive smaller lot sizes, make additional capacity available (often at bottleneck resources), reduce scrap and rework, and increase flexibility. World Class performance ultimately relies on many techniques and disciplines working together, but it must all begin with fast setups.

Equipment operators and setup technicians are an organization's best resource for making this happen. TCA's proven methodology demonstrates the importance of fast setups and teaches operators as well as technicians how to accomplish this goal.

OBJECTIVES

To support a broad-based WCM application, these objectives will be essential:

• Achieve setups of under 10 minutes, particularly on constraint equipment.

• Commit to fast setup through training and employee involvement.

APPROACH

TCA’s approach to meeting these objectives involves a series of carefully managed, time-phased activities:

Project teams will be trained in the following setup time reduction process:

TCA CONTRIBUTIONS

• Educate management in the significance of quick setups to obtain buy-in and leadership.

• Work with your management team to ensure the setup time reduction effort is properly integrated with other WCM initiatives.

• Coach operators and setup technicians.

• Help to set up documentation systems and measurements to monitor gains and continuous improvement.

TCA believes the keys to technical improvement are understanding and acceptance based on knowledge, awareness, and involvement. We honor this belief with detailed analytical tools that encourage full participation of your personnel in all phases. This partnership is central to assisting our clients through difficult, but essential changes.

BENEFITS

• The entire organization will develop greater understanding of setup time reduction and its critical role in World Class performance.

• Careful selection of pilot projects will yield immediate decreases in lot sizes and recapture of capacity at bottleneck resources.

• This effort will demonstrate the value of employee involvement and management's commitment to the overall WCM initiative.

• The groundwork will be in place to achieve setups of under 10 minutes.