Video-Based SMED Coaching Cuts Setup Time Without the $5,000-a-Week

Consultant The Problem: SMED Works, But Getting Help Is Expensive

Single-minute exchange of dies (SMED) is one of the most effective tools in the Lean toolkit. A well-executed SMED program can compress changeover times from hours to minutes, enabling smaller batch sizes, lower WIP, and faster response to customer demand.

The catch? Getting there usually requires outside expertise, and that expertise does not come cheap. Experienced Lean consultants routinely charge thousands of dollars per day. Some will stretch a two-day job across two weeks. For a mid-sized shop running tight margins, a full SMED engagement can run into five figures before you see a single minute shaved off your setup time.

The ROI is real. No one disputes that. But the upfront cash and the calendar time are real barriers. Many operations managers I have spoken to have a setup they know is bleeding time, and they know SMED is the fix, but they cannot get the budget approved or find the right consultant at the right price. The Solution: Remote, Video-Driven Coaching

A remote SMED coaching model has emerged that addresses the cost and access problem directly. Instead of flying a consultant to your floor for a week, you send a video of your setup process and receive a structured improvement plan in return.

Here is how the video-based option works:

1. You record up to 45 minutes of your actual changeover, capturing every step your operators perform. You also send over any existing setup instructions or checklists.

2. The coach reviews the footage, typically coming back with clarifying questions via email or a short video call. This back-and-forth is daily.

3. You get a detailed report mapping your current state, flagging waste, and prescribing specific improvements with implementation steps.

Total cost: $397. Turnaround: one week.

For shops that want deeper capability building, there is a four-week (20-day) structured program. It walks a team through the full SMED cycle: selecting the target setup, measuring current times, training on SMED principles, planning the intervention, executing each step, and locking in the gains with documented instructions. Communication is daily email with 24-hour response, plus two 30-minute video calls per week. Cost: $797. What You Actually Get

The pitch here is not just cheaper consulting. It is different consulting. The remote model forces a discipline that on-site visits sometimes lack. Because the coach cannot walk the floor and point at things, the operator has to become the observer. They film, they measure, they describe. That act alone often surfaces issues the team had stopped seeing.

The daily cadence also keeps momentum. A traditional consulting engagement might give you a report on Friday and leave. The remote model keeps the problem live for a week or a month, with daily accountability.

The four-week program explicitly targets knowledge transfer. The goal is not just one faster setup, but a team that can replicate the process on other machines without calling anyone back. The Trade-Offs

This is not for every situation. If your setup involves complex tooling interactions, safety-critical adjustments, or cultural resistance that needs on-site persuasion, a remote coach will hit limits. Video does not capture tactile feedback, ambient conditions, or the side conversations that happen when a consultant stands next to an operator at 6 a.m.

But for the majority of mechanical changeovers where the waste is visible, a 45-minute video and a $397 report is a low-risk way to start. If the gains are solid, you can always bring someone on-site for the next phase. Bottom Line

SMED consulting has historically been a high-touch, high-cost service. The remote coaching model inverts that. It trades presence for pace, and hourly rates for fixed fees. For operations managers who need results this quarter, not next budget cycle, it is worth a hard look.

The video option is $397 for a one-week review. The full training program is $797 over four weeks. Both include daily communication and a written improvement plan.

M4S TAKE

My take: AI claims need scrutiny. The useful implementations reduce cycle time or defect rates in measurable ways. Vague promises about 'optimization' without specific metrics are usually marketing.

Simon McLoughlin