Research On Improvement Of Exchanging Die Based On Lean Production

The Lean Production (LP) was created in the middle term of twenty century. It is an appreciation to the production management approach of Toyota in Japan. The technology is one of methods of implementing LP that single minute exchange of die. It is raised by industrial engineer Doctor Shigeo Shingo in 1969. SMED is the best method of reducing time of exchanging die evidently. It is one of the key points of implementing LP in the company that multi-species and small amount through implementing SMED.The Lean Production is the best production organization and method of the manufacturing industry in the world. This paper ,brief the research and the application of Lean Production in the world, analyses the traditional and current situation of production organization in the automotive exhaust system industry, introduces the composition of Lean Production theory. Based on these statements, the paper summarizes the principle and implementation of the SMED.The SMED is based mainly on the IE theory. It research to shorten the time of changing die, especially in internal time ,that based on the traditional IE. It can found the problem and study the possibility of improvement ,that analysis the course of a procedure by using "5W1H" and "ECRS". An improvement method was discussed to reduce mold change over time through transferring internal setup time to external setup time. The value of quick exchange of die in lean production is discussed. The result indicate that the change over time is reduced by 48% and the inventory are cut down evidently, after studying and optimizing the change over flow.The paper sums up the benefit on the implementation of SMED through researching the exchange die process of HL company. A lot of saving and economic results have been achieved such as number of the time of exchanging die decreasing, the amount of batch reducing, stock level lowing down, productivity increasing, costs saving and improving of company comprehensive competitiveness.In order to introduce and apply widely and effectively the SMED in the manufacturing industry, so that the manufacturing win the challenge of the globe purchase, the paper concludes necessary paths and methods for application of the SMED in the manufacturing industry.