SMED is a method for systematically reducing changeover time — the time from the last good part of one product to the first good part of the next. The core move is to shift changeover work from internal time (the machine is idle) to external time (the machine is running).
A SMED analysis breaks the changeover into individual activities and asks of each: can it be performed while the machine is running? Can it be simplified or standardised? Typical results are 30-70% shorter changeover time without investment — through organisation, preparation and standard work alone.
Shorter changeovers are not only capacity: they enable smaller batches, faster switching between variants and thereby shorter lead time and less inventory.