set-up time

set-up time

the time involved in setting up a machine ready for the next work task. Set-up times represent IDLE TIME when machines are not producing output, and production managers will seek to set up machines as quickly as possible and return them to production mode. In BATCH PRODUCTION, in particular, set-up times are an important constraint upon factory output, and firms may prefer long production runs making particular components in order to minimize the number of machine resettings needed.

See MACHINE UTILIZATION, ALLOWANCES, SINGLE MINUTE EXCHANGE OF DIES.