Improvement of Dies Exchange Operation

Abstract

Single minute exchange of die (SMED) has become one of the most important and common implemented techniques that are used for dies changeover and installation time reduction. In this project, a problem to be faced which is the long setup time of dies in eleven huge presses used in sheet metal forming, located in Egypt for Engineering Industries Factory (EEI), which leads to low capacity of production, time and money losses. Engineering wise, time losses are directly translated into wastage of money and that could be the most essential problem to be solved or to be focused on, in any kind of organization or manufactory. SMED methodology has been implemented on this project so that effectiveness of the technique could be measured. After implementing the solutions, the overall installation time of dies has been reduced by 50% and it is aimed to reduce this percentage more and more after recommendations are done. Any percentage of dies changeover time could be saved is going directly to be translated into money saved and capacity of production increased as a result of dies changeover time reduction.