What are the best practices for preventing setup and adjustment losses in TPM?

1 Identify and eliminate waste

The first step to prevent setup and adjustment losses is to identify and eliminate any waste or non-value-added activities in the setup and adjustment process. Waste can include unnecessary movements, waiting, transportation, inventory, over-processing, defects, or overproduction. You can use tools such as 5S, value stream mapping, or standard work to analyze the current state of your setup and adjustment process and identify the sources of waste. Then, you can implement countermeasures to eliminate or reduce the waste and improve the flow and efficiency of your setup and adjustment process.

2 Implement single-minute exchange of die (SMED)

The second step to prevent setup and adjustment losses is to implement single-minute exchange of die (SMED), which is a methodology to reduce the setup time to less than 10 minutes. SMED involves four stages: separate internal and external setup activities, convert internal setup activities to external ones, streamline all aspects of the setup process, and perform continuous improvement. By applying SMED, you can minimize the downtime and interruption of your production, increase the flexibility and responsiveness of your equipment, and reduce the inventory and batch size.

3 Use visual management and mistake-proofing

The third step to prevent setup and adjustment losses is to use visual management and mistake-proofing techniques to ensure the accuracy and consistency of your setup and adjustment process. Visual management is the use of signs, labels, colors, markings, or other visual cues to communicate information, instructions, standards, or feedback to the operators, maintenance staff, or managers. Mistake-proofing is the use of devices, methods, or procedures to prevent or detect errors, defects, or deviations from the standard. By using visual management and mistake-proofing, you can reduce the variation and confusion in your setup and adjustment process, enhance the quality and reliability of your products, and prevent accidents and injuries.

4 Train and empower your operators

The fourth step to prevent setup and adjustment losses is to train and empower your operators to perform the setup and adjustment tasks effectively and efficiently. Training is the process of providing the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to the operators to perform their tasks correctly and safely. Empowerment is the process of giving the authority, responsibility, and autonomy to the operators to make decisions, solve problems, and improve their performance. By training and empowering your operators, you can increase their competence and confidence, improve their morale and motivation, and foster a culture of teamwork and continuous improvement.

5 Monitor and measure your performance

The fifth step to prevent setup and adjustment losses is to monitor and measure your performance and compare it with your goals and standards. Monitoring is the process of collecting and analyzing data on your setup and adjustment process, such as the setup time, frequency, quality, or cost. Measuring is the process of calculating and reporting the key performance indicators (KPIs) of your setup and adjustment process, such as the OEE, availability, performance, or quality rate. By monitoring and measuring your performance, you can identify the gaps and opportunities for improvement, track the progress and results of your actions, and celebrate your achievements and successes.