From 47-Minute Changeovers to 9: SMED Transformation at a Tier-1 Supplier
A Tier-1 die-casting supplier was losing nearly 2,800 production hours per year to slow changeovers and unplanned stoppages. Fourteen weeks of focused SMED work and TPM foundations transformed a chronic underperformer into the plant's highest-OEE asset.
The Challenge
The client's primary die-casting cell was running at 61% OEE against a theoretical capacity of 82%. Changeovers between part families were taking 47 minutes on average — nearly triple the industry benchmark. Maintenance was reactive, with three to four unplanned stoppages per week. Customer schedule attainment sat at 71%, and the plant manager was under pressure to add a third shift instead of fixing the underlying problem.
The Diagnosis
Gemba observation revealed that over 60% of changeover time was consumed by activities that could be performed while the machine was still running — external work being treated as internal. Die staging happened after the machine stopped. Tooling locations were unmarked, requiring operators to search. No standardized changeover procedure existed — each operator ran a different sequence, producing cycle times ranging from 31 to 61 minutes. A loss-tree analysis showed the top three failure modes accounted for 74% of unplanned downtime, all with early warning signs being ignored.
The Lean Intervention
Three focused SMED workshops over six weeks: first videoing and time-stamping every changeover step, then separating internal from external work, finally creating a standardized two-operator sequence with parallel tasking. A shadow board and pre-stage trolley were designed and installed. Operators were trained in basic autonomous maintenance and a simple condition-monitoring checklist was developed for the top three failure modes. Andon lights were wired to a 10-minute response escalation. Standard work posted at every machine.
The Results
By week 14, average changeover time dropped from 47 to 9 minutes — an 81% reduction. OEE climbed from 61% to 84%, recovering 2,800 production hours annually. The plant cancelled plans for a third shift. Unplanned downtime fell from 18% to 7%. Schedule attainment reached 94% in the first full quarter post-implementation.
“We had been talking about fixing changeovers for three years. KAIZEN did it in fourteen weeks — and more importantly, the team now owns the standard. It hasn't drifted.”
— VP of Manufacturing, Tier-1 Automotive Supplier
Engagement Details
- Client
- Tier-1 Automotive Supplier
- Industry
- Automotive
- Duration
- 14 weeks
Methods Used
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