Rapid changeover - a pre-requisite for responsive manufacture

The ability to effect rapid changeover on a manufacturing line, from one product to another is a Ley pre-requisite for increased flexibility, lead time reduction and responsive manufacture. However it is a rarity for changeover times to be part of the design specification of a new machine tool or tooling system and even when it is, there are few design guidelines for translating the required changeover time into reality. This paper describes a set of "design for changeover" rules that have been derived from action research, carried out within a variety of companies. The rules address the design of machines, tooling ancillary equipment and the products themselves and their use has been shown, through case studies, to lead to a significant reduction in changeover time and a leaner, more responsive Manufacturing environment.