// ROBOTICS AND SMART FACTORIES TERM
Changeover
A changeover is the process of switching a production line or machine from making one product or component to making another. It involves setting up new tools, materials, and settings.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Changeover, also known as setup time, is the period required to convert a production line, machine, or workstation from producing one product or part to another, encompassing tasks like tooling changes, material loading, and parameter adjustments.
BACKGROUND
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as 4IR, Industry 4.0 or the Intelligence Age, is a neologism describing rapid technological advancement in the 21st century. It follows the Third Industrial Revolution. The term was popularized in 2016 by Klaus Schwab, the World Economic Forum founder and former executive chairman, who asserts that these developments represent a significant shift in industrial capitalism.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Setup
- Machine setup
- Tool change
- Production change
- Die change
USAGE NOTE
Reducing changeover times is a key objective in lean manufacturing to increase flexibility and reduce batch sizes.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Changeover.
Develops the Digital Enterprise Suite, which allows manufacturers to create a digital twin of their production lines. This enables them to simulate, optimize, and validate changeover processes virtually before they are executed on the factory floor, minimizing downtime and errors.
Provides the Vuforia Augmented Reality (AR) platform. This technology is used to create step-by-step guided work instructions that are overlaid onto the physical machinery, helping technicians perform complex changeover tasks faster and with fewer mistakes.
Offers integrated control and information systems, such as their FactoryTalk software suite and Logix controllers. These systems automate and orchestrate complex changeover sequences, reducing manual intervention and ensuring consistent setups.
A leader in clamping technology and gripping systems. Schunk develops hardware like quick-change pallet systems, robotic end-of-arm tool changers, and zero-point clamping systems that are specifically designed to drastically reduce the manual time required for physical machine setup.
Specializes in collaborative robots (cobots) that can work safely alongside humans. Their cobots are deployed to assist with manual changeover tasks, such as loading new materials, changing fixtures, or handling tools, thereby accelerating the process.
Offers the 3DEXPERIENCE platform with its DELMIA application for manufacturing operations management. It enables virtual planning, simulation, and modeling of production processes, allowing companies to design and optimize rapid changeover workflows.
A major manufacturer of industrial robots, CNC systems, and factory automation. Their technologies enable fully automated changeovers, where robots perform tasks like swapping tools, grippers, or workpieces without human intervention, which is crucial for high-mix, low-volume production.
Provides a frontline operations platform that allows manufacturers to create dynamic, app-based digital work instructions and workflows without writing code. This is used to guide operators through changeover procedures, collect data on the process, and identify bottlenecks for continuous improvement.