How to Run a 60-Minute SMED Assessment (Without Over Complicating It)

Changeover time is one of the fastest ways to recover capacity without buying equipment. Yet many SMED efforts fail because they become overly complex.

This post shows a simple, 60-minute assessment you can run to identify immediate changeover wins.

Understanding SMED

What is SMED?

SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Dies) is a method to reduce changeover time by separating tasks into:

• Internal work: must happen while equipment is stopped

• External work: can happen while equipment is running

The goal is to convert internal work into external work wherever possible.

The 60-Minute SMED Assessment

Step 1: Record the Changeover (10 minutes)

Use a phone video. Don’t stage anything. Capture reality.

Step 2: Break the steps into a timeline (15 minutes)

Write each step with timestamps.

Step 3: Label Internal vs External (10 minutes)

Highlight what can be done beforehand.

Step 4: Identify “searching” and “walking” waste (10 minutes)

These are often the biggest easy wins.

Step 5: Pick 3 immediate improvements (10 minutes)

Examples:

• pre-stage tools and parts

• standardize clamps/fasteners

• create setup kits

• add visual cues

  
  

Step 6: Assign an owner + date (5 minutes)

No owner, no change.

Best Practices

• Start with a 20–30% reduction target

• Standardize the new method

• Train the team

• Repeat on the next high-impact changeover

  
  

Conclusion

SMED doesn’t need a complex program. A simple assessment + fast follow-through can recover significant capacity within weeks.