Time reduction and productivity raise’s SMED implementation: Case of a pharma´s enterprise

Abstract

This study aims to implement the SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die) methodology in the capping stage of the 
primary packaging process within a pharmaceutical company, in order to reduce changeover times and increase 
productivity. The research involved a literature review, direct observation of the process, time and motion study, and 
detailed analysis of the tasks performed during bottle capping. Activities were classified as internal or external, and a 
proposal was made to assign two operators instead of one to reduce total setup time through task redistribution. The 
comparison of times before and after implementing SMED revealed a significant reduction in total changeover time. 
Operator 1 reduced setup time to 22.35 minutes, and Operator 2 to 20.65 minutes. The proper classification of tasks 
allowed for optimization, elimination of redundancies, and increased process efficiency during primary packaging. 
The SMED application demonstrated considerable improvements in operational efficiency during the capping stage, 
positively impacting the overall performance of the production line. These enhancements enable better production 
management, optimized resource usage, and increased competitiveness in the pharmaceutical sector.