Improving changeover performance : a strategy for becoming a lean responsive manufacturer Improving Changeover Performance is essential reading for managers engineers and improvement practitioners working in manufacturing industries. It will also prove invaluable to original equipment manufacturers and postgraduates and academic researchers alike. Increasing importance is being placed on responsive flexible manufacture in multi product industrial environments. The ability to changeover production facilities both quickly and to a high standard is a key component of just in time and lean manufacturing paradigms which are increasingly being adopted as businesses strive to compete in todays volatile and congested markets. Currently industry frequently adopts the SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) system a well established shop floor method to improve changeovers. This book takes a major step beyond the SMED system by describing in much greater detail than hitherto the potential role of engineering design of both substantive and non substantive nature to enhance changeovers. It also clearly sets out what better changeover performance can contribute to business competitiveness and describes the many pitfalls that an improvement initiative can face. Provides overall methodology for changeover improvementIncorporates design into SMED systemRecommended by the IMechE Journal of Engineering Manufacture Introduction; Manufacturing flexibility; Addressing changeover issues: an overall methodology for changeover improvement; Financial benefit analysis; The role of design; Shop floor issues: changeover auditing; Shop floor issues: develop and operational strategy; set local targets; implement; monitor; Organisation led improvement techniques; Design led improvement techniques; Case studies