Title: Increasing overall equipment effectiveness by changeover time reduction: a pharmaceutical case carried through DMAIC cycle

Authors: Aqib Rasheed; Syed Mehmood Hasan; Satya Shah; Elmira Naghi Ganji

Addresses: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technische Universität Dortmund, Germany ' School of Engineering, Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, London, UK ' School of Engineering, Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, London, UK ' School of Engineering, Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, London, UK

Abstract: This study aims to enhance the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) of a blister packaging line in a pharmaceutical firm located in a developing nation in Asia. The case study employed the DMAIC cycle (define, measure, analyse, improve, and control) to investigate and address the issue comprehensively. Utilising various data analysis methods, the root causes of the problem were identified, and changeover-time reduction emerged as a quick win among several factors. The single-minute exchange of die (SMED) approach was employed, leading to the development of effective solutions. The successful elimination of the root cause brought about continuous enhancements in the processing department, ultimately resulting in increased OEE. Furthermore, changeover time reduction was identified as the major contributing factor to this improvement. The novelty of this research lies in exploring different lean manufacturing and six sigma methodologies for enhancing OEE within the pharmaceutical sector.

Keywords: changeover time; DMAIC; lean manufacturing; OEE; pharmaceutical sector; SMED; Six Sigma.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2025.147826

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2025 Vol.45 No.3, pp.377 - 400

Received: 01 Jul 2023
Accepted: 23 Jul 2023
Published online: 04 Aug 2025 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article