Dorota Stadnicka, Katarzyna Antosz

(Rzeszow University of Technology, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland)

 

 

Abstract: Setups are indispensable to a manufacturing process and they often significantly influence the lead time on an order. Simultaneously, the time spent on setup is wasted from the client’s point of view because the activities performed don’t add any value for the client. Companies, being aware of this fact, implement actions in order to reduce the setup times. Unfortunately, the authors experience is that many companies do not apply setup improvements. The research aimed at assessing the implementation of the SMED method. The authors try to find the answer to the question how important setups are and to what extent the companies are involved in the setup improvement. The analyses conducted enable to understand if the actions taken by companies are influenced by the factors such as the company’s size, its industry, a type of the capital possessed or a production type. Finally, based on the researches results, decision support model for selection of setups to SMED analysis, is developed and presented in the paper. The model can help companies allocate resources to reduce setups times, where it is really necessary, to give a positive influence on sustainability.

 

Key words: setup; SMED; survey; industrial practice; sustainability

 

JEL codes: L230