Implementación del SMED para reducir el tiempo de ajuste en máquinas CNC

Continuous process improvement is essential to increasing operational efficiency in highly competitive industrial environments. In this context, the implementation of the SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) methodology in the machine setup area yielded significant results. One of the main achievements was the conversion of 19 internal activities to external ones and the elimination of several more, which increased available production time by 30 minutes per shift. Transfer movements were identified as responsible for the greatest time losses during setup, and were also the most frequent. Thanks to a detailed process analysis, a 12.75% improvement was achieved in the total number of activities, which originally totaled 149. By focusing specifically on internal activities, these activities were reduced from 50 to 33, representing a 38% decrease. As a result of these changes, total setup time was reduced by 25%, which directly translated into increased production. Given that each CNC machine must meet a daily demand of 350 parts, the additional half hour gained per shift allowed for the production of 25 more parts, meeting and exceeding the target, reflecting a clear and measurable process optimization.