About this template
SMED & Changeover Time Analysis 2026/2027 – Excel, Word and PDF for faster changeovers
Do you want to reduce unnecessary setup and changeover times in production without confusing planned improvements with actual results? This document package provides support for observing a changeover, separating internal setup time from external preparation time, prioritizing measures, creating standardized setup instructions, and following up on whether downtime is truly decreasing.
For CNC workshops, manufacturing companies, production managers, maintenance, improvement leaders, and quality managers. 15 delivery files: 7 editable Word documents, 7 searchable A4 PDFs, and an Excel tool with nine tabs. Five main Swedish templates, a Swedish guide, and an English User Guide. One-time purchase, no subscription.
SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) is an established improvement method that distinguishes work requiring machine downtime from work that can be prepared outside of the downtime. The term refers to the goal of single-digit minutes, not a guaranteed result. The package is independently designed and does not contain any licensed standard or training materials. It does not replace risk assessment, manufacturer instructions, energy isolation, or quality inspections. 2027 is the document version.
01. Package Contents
- 7 Word files (DOCX): five editable main Swedish documents, a Swedish user guide, and an English User Guide.
- 7 searchable PDF files: corresponding content in a professional A4 format for printing and archiving.
- 1 Excel workbook (XLSX): nine worksheets with follow-up formulas, registers, controls, and an overview chart.
Total of 15 files in a ZIP. The main templates are in Swedish; the English guide provides supplementary guidance. Version 1.0 – 2026/2027. Downloadable digital delivery, no physical shipping.
02. What the files contain
| No | Document | Practical Application | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | SMED Study Plan & Current State Analysis | Study purpose, part change, machine, uniform start/stop definition for downtime, current state, and risk assessment. | Word DOCX + PDF |
| 02 | Observation Protocol – Internal/External steps | Actually measured work steps, waiting, transport, and demarcation between internal and external work. | Word DOCX + PDF |
| 03 | SMED Action Plan & Improvement Experiments | Step conversion, responsibility, expected savings, safety review, pilot, and impact documentation. | Word DOCX + PDF |
| 04 | Standardized Setup Instruction & Checklist | Preparations before stop, work during stop, check of guards, first approved part, and version control. | Word DOCX + PDF |
| 05 | Setup Time Report – Before/After & Decisions | Actual baseline and follow-up, planned vs. verified savings, quality deviations, and signed decision. | Word DOCX + PDF |
| 06 | Swedish User Guide | Step-by-step for all files, methods, controls, and limitations. | Word DOCX + PDF |
| 07 | English User Guide | English guide to the main Swedish templates and Excel; not a full translation. | Word DOCX + PDF |
| 08 | Excel – SMED & Changeover Time Analysis | Nine tabs with before/after calculation, setup log, improvements, standard work, deviations, and decisions. | Excel XLSX |
Excel for SMED – nine tabs and two separate time comparisons
The Excel workbook contains Overview, Parameters, Setup Steps, Setup Log, Improvements, Standard Work, Deviations, Decisions and Read me. It is delivered with empty input fields without dummy production data. Prepared for 120 steps in the setup analysis, 200 measured changeovers in the log, a register of improvements and deviations, and actual manual decisions.
- Planned savings: summary of internal minutes before and after proposed measures in Setup Steps. Steps are classified as internal or external in both modes, making conversion traceable. Incomplete and negative minutes are flagged and not counted as valid steps.
- Actual verification: Setup log with measured machine downtime during Baseline, Pilot, and Follow-up. The overview compares the average of valid baseline and follow-up stops, separate from the planned improvements.
- Results and charts: number of steps, total downtime minutes, planned change in minutes and percent, measured comparison in minutes and percent, open deviations, and charts.
- Improvements: action owner, category, due date, actual status, and verified effect.
- Standard work and quality gate: work sequence, responsibility, safety checks, and requirements for the first approved part.
- Decisions: approval or rejection entered by authorized personnel; no automatic machine or product approval.
Workflow – how to use the SMED package
- Define downtime: establish a comparable start and end condition, for example from the last approved part of article A to the first approved part of article B.
- Observe the current state: measure actual work steps, transport, waiting, search time, testing, and inspection. Document machine, part, operator, and measurement occasion.
- Separate internal from external: indicate which tasks actually require downtime and which can be performed earlier or later – only when safe.
- Plan improvements: standardize fixtures, prepare the next order, and create practical checklists. Perform a risk assessment for every proposed method change and obtain approval from the responsible party.
- Register in Excel: fill in Parameters, Setup Steps, and Setup Log. Complete Improvements and Standard Work.
- Verify after change: measure actual downtime using the same definition, check quality outcome and first approved part, and note changes in staffing or product mix.
- Make a separate decision: document evidence, remaining risks, approved instructions, and the responsible person in Decisions.
SMED methodology, machine safety and limitations
According to the Lean Enterprise Institute, SMED was developed by Shigeo Shingo and is based on distinguishing internal setup tasks from external ones, subsequently moving appropriate tasks outside of machine downtime and simplifying remaining activities. Internal setup time means tasks that require the machine to be stopped; external means preparations that can occur without stopping production. External work is still work and should not be reported as eliminated total working time.
No unsafe shortcuts: always adapt the work method to local risk assessments, manufacturer instructions, machine guards, energy isolation, potential LOTO routines, ergonomics, and staff competence. The SMED analysis does not constitute machine safety approval. The first approved part after the change requires actual quality assurance according to drawings, work instructions, and customer requirements.
No guaranteed setup time: a formula may show planned savings in the setup analysis, but that is not the same as measured downtime change. For comparable conclusions, actually documented setups, a reasonably representative sample, the same start/end definition, and a review of product mix and staffing conditions are required.
The product is a voluntary administrative template, not a government form, certification, or release document.
Related products and internal links
Changeover time affects how much planned production time is used. Link the SMED follow-up to OEE & TAK – Machine Efficiency for a broader efficiency analysis. Use Production Planning & Capacity Calculation when the improvement is to be converted into planned orders. For cost implications, Production Cost & Machine Hourly Rate can help.
When the new setup is to be reviewed against drawings and inspection requirements, First-Piece Inspection & FAI fits. For cutting tools and change logs, see CNC Tool Register & Tool Life. See also Production & Industry – Templates and Quality Management & ISO – Templates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does SMED mean?
Single-Minute Exchange of Die, a method for reducing changeover time. The goal of single-digit minutes is not a guarantee and does not automatically fit all processes.
What is the difference between internal and external setup time?
Internal time requires a stopped machine. External time can be performed before or after the stop without stopping the machine, but only if the work can actually be performed safely according to local rules.
Can Excel automatically prove the savings?
No. The workbook reports the planned change of analyzed steps and the actual change of registered downtime as two separate results. The quality and comparability of the measurement series must be reviewed.
Can I use the documents in a CNC workshop?
Yes. They are built for workshops and other discrete manufacturing but need to be adapted to your own machine, process, customer requirements, and safety rules.
Are all templates in English?
No. The five main templates are Swedish, supplemented with a Swedish guide and an English User Guide for international teams.
Are 2027's new legal requirements included?
No. The year 2027 is a version designation. The package is a general work aid and does not promise any future regulatory changes or legal compliance.
Sources and version information
Method sources verified 2026-10-14: Lean Enterprise Institute – Single-Minute Exchange of Die and Lean Management Institute – Changeover time reduction. Document version 1.0 – 2026/2027. File package smed-stalltidsanalys-2027.zip. No protected standard text or licensed Lean publication is included.
