Prerequisites for the implementation of the SMED methodology: A study in a textile processing environment

Discusses the practical application of the single minute exchange of die (SMED) within a textile processing operation. First, the operational environment is presented, and the SMED application is considered against a changing business requirement. The current approaches to SMED are then discussed within the context of traditional textile manufacture. The prerequisite requirements for successful SMED application, defined in this paper as SMED‐ZERO, are then presented and discussed. Concludes by suggesting that all of the SMED‐ZERO attributes must be in place before the traditional SMED techniques can be applied successfully.