SMED

Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) is a systematic approach developed by Shigeo Shingo in the 1980s to drastically reduce the time required to changeover equipment from producing one product to another. The methodology, part of the Toyota Production System, aims to reduce setup time to a single-digit minute range (ideally under nine minutes), enabling smaller batch sizes, faster response to customer demand, and improved flexibility in manufacturing. SMED is a cornerstone of lean manufacturing and just-in-time production.