Purpose
Help teams identify, measure, and reduce the time it takes to change from one job, part, or setup to another — using data captured in Caddis to drive structured improvements and accountability.
“Setup times dropped from 14 minutes to 9 just by focusing weekly and assigning ownership.”
— Manufacturing Engineer, Aluminum Manufacturer (LeClaire Meeting)
Outcomes
- Shorter, more consistent changeover times
- Clear accountability for changeover execution
- Data-driven improvement process for setup activities
- Increased machine availability and throughput
Tools You’ll Use in Caddis:
- Run and downtime history for each machine
- Tags (e.g. Part Number, Job Number, Operator)
- Downtime thresholds (to flag excessive setups)
- Notes on excessive downtime events
- Weekly reports comparing shift/setup performance
Timeline:
4–6 weeks initial improvement sprint, then ongoing weekly follow-up
Who’s Involved:
- Caddis Champion
- Tracks setup times and tags active runs
- Operators
- Execute changeovers and follow checklists
- Maintenance
- Support for tool or fixture issues
- Production Manager
- Reviews changeover metrics weekly
- Engineering
- Supports fixture/tooling or redesigns
Step-by-Step Execution
Step 1: Tag All Active Runs by Job or Part
Make sure every active run in Caddis includes tags like:
- Part Number
- Job Number
- Operator Name
This allows you to compare average setup times by:
- Operator
- Job type
- Shift
- Part Number
Caddis tags are applied at the start of an active run, grouped by category. Use these to build production context.
Step 2: Identify Setup Events Through Downtime Analysis
Use Caddis to locate excessive downtime periods between tagged runs:
- Look for repeat setups that exceed your target time (e.g., >10 min)
- Cross-reference notes or operator comments for cause
Use this to:
- Quantify average and worst-case setup time per job
- Identify jobs or operators with high variation
Step 3: Create a Changeover Checklist
Use 5 Why’s to identify barriers in long setups:
- Why did this setup take so long?
- Why wasn’t tooling ready?
- Why wasn’t the fixture preloaded?
Design a standard checklist for pre-setup and execution:
- Confirm tool/fixture staged
- Material ready
- Operator trained
- First article inspection expected time
Use root cause findings to define new checklist items.
Step 4: Assign Setup Ownership and Start Weekly Standups
Each high-variation setup should have an owner:
- Could be the lead operator or area supervisor
Start a 30-minute weekly review meeting:
Attendees: Operators, Caddis Champion, Production Lead
Agenda:
- Review average and longest setup times by job
- Investigate any excessive events
- Identify one improvement for the next week
- Validate checklist use and prep actions
Build weekly momentum and celebrate wins.
Step 5: Add a PM if the Setup Delay Was Mechanical
If a root cause is related to:
- Tooling wear or fixture misalignment
- Dirty machine bases
- Sensor or calibration drift
Use your 5 Why’s worksheet to:
- Identify the root cause
- Build a PM that prevents recurrence
Example: "Fixture bolts loose" → PM every 60 hours: Inspect bolt torque
Metrics to Track
| Metric |
Why It Matters |
| Avg Setup Time Per Part/td>
| Less than 10 minutes |
| Excessive Setups |
Zero repeat occurences |
| Setup Time Variation by Operator |
Decreasing trend |
| Pms created from setup issues |
1+ per month |
Common Challenges (and Solutions)
| Challenge |
Solutions |
| We don't know when changeovers start |
Use run end + tag transitions to infer setups |
| Setups vary widely by shift |
Tag by Operator + Job to identify gaps |
| Checklist isn’t used consistently” |
Review usage weekly and re-train if neccessary |
What Success Looks Like
- Setups become routine and repeatable
- Less machine downtime between jobs
- Setup time is known, measured, and improved
- Preventive actions are tied to mechanical delays
