2310 Improving Die Exchange Process in Textile Manufacturing Company with SMED

Abstract

This study presents collaboration between a textile manufacturing company in Malaysia and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka. In this Company-University Collaboration (CUC), Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) was introduced in the company to improve the time-consuming changeover process of its stamping machine. The framework of this study involves data collection stage, analysing stage and evaluation stage which are steps required to be fulfilled in SMED implementation. Previously, the changeover time of the stamping machine in average is 5.19 hours. After the implementation of SMED, the changeover time of the stamping machine was reduced to 3.83 hours in average or 23.59% reduction from previous changeover time. The improvements made are 5S, using jig in mould alignment and creating a new system in assisting pressure settings. In conclusion, the collaboration is shown to be feasible in supporting SMED implementation in the textile manufacturing company.