Candy Industry SMED/QuickChangeover

A candy manufacturer approached us for assistance in reducing their 48-hour changeover time to meet increased production demands. During their Lean Six Black Belt Training, the engineers identified their changeovers as the source of 100% downtime. Recognizing the potential for increased production time if changeovers were reduced, they were determined to implement a change.

We provided them with a foundational Lean training session, covering the eight wastes in any manufacturing process. We emphasized the significance of focusing on customer value and distinguishing between value-added and no-value-added activities. Building on this foundational knowledge, we conducted a workshop using SMED/Quick Changeover methodologies.

We employed value stream mapping to analyze the changeover process, identifying bottlenecks and areas for improvement. We filmed an entire changeover process and, utilizing SMED/Quick Changeover methodology, the team developed a more efficient and thorough sanitation and changeover procedure. The team incorporated 6S Workplace Organization, Kanban Inventory Control, Root Cause Corrective Action, and Lean Continuous Flow, resulting in a significant achievement: they exceeded their initial stretch goal of a 50% reduction in changeover times!

48-Hour - Initial changeover time

24-Hour - Changeover time after the first round.

20-Hour - Changeover time after the second round of training (workshop concluded).

15-Hour - Changeover time two months later as the team continued to refine and improve the changeover process