AR-guided changeovers: a practical playbook to reduce downtime

Changeovers are among the most impactful activities in manufacturing. Every minute a line is down for changeover is a minute of lost production. Yet changeovers remain one of the most variable processes—times swing wildly depending on who performs them, what shift it is and whether everything goes smoothly.

AR-guided changeovers offer a proven path to reducing downtime, improving consistency and accelerating batch transitions. This playbook provides practical guidance for implementing AR-guided changeovers in your operation.

Why changeovers deserve focused attention

Changeover performance directly impacts OEE, throughput and cost. Consider:

• Lost production: A line running at 100 units per hour loses 100 units for every hour of changeover time.
• Error cost: Mistakes during changeover lead to startup defects, scrap and extended downtime.
• Opportunity cost: Slow changeovers limit your ability to run smaller batches and respond to customer demand.

Reducing changeover time by even 10–20% can deliver significant capacity gains—without capital investment in additional equipment.

The AR-guided changeover playbook

Phase 1: Analyse and prioritise

Step 1: Identify critical changeovers

List all changeover types in your operation. Prioritise based on:

• Frequency: How often does this changeover occur?
• Duration: How long does it typically take?
• Variability: How much does changeover time vary between operators or shifts?
• Error rate: How often do changeovers result in startup problems?

Focus first on changeovers that are frequent, long, variable or error-prone.

Step 2: Observe and document

Watch changeovers in action. Document:

• The sequence of steps performed
• Time spent on each step
• Differences between operators
• Sources of delay or error

Identify best practices from your fastest, most consistent operators.

Phase 2: Design the standard

Step 3: Define the best-practice procedure

Work with expert operators to define the standard changeover procedure. This should include:

• Every step, in sequence
• Settings, checks and adjustments
• Tools and materials required
• Critical quality checkpoints

Step 4: Separate internal and external activities

Apply SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) principles:

• External activities: Tasks that can be done while the line is still running (preparation, staging)
• Internal activities: Tasks that require the line to be stopped

Move as many activities as possible to external. This reduces actual downtime.

Step 5: Create AR content

Convert the standard procedure into AR work instructions:

• Structure into clear, sequential steps
• Add visual cues, overlays and annotations
• Include variant logic for different products or configurations
• Embed critical checkpoints and evidence capture

Phase 3: Pilot and validate

Step 6: Deploy on a pilot line

Select one line or changeover type for the pilot. Deploy AR devices and content.

Step 7: Run pilot changeovers

Have operators perform changeovers using AR guidance. Track:

• Total changeover time
• Time per step
• Errors and startup issues
• Operator feedback

Step 8: Compare to baseline

Compare pilot results to pre-AR baseline. Look for improvements in:

• Average changeover time
• Changeover variability (consistency)
• First Time Right rate at startup
• Operator confidence and satisfaction

Step 9: Refine content

Use feedback and data to improve AR content. Add missing steps, clarify instructions, adjust pacing.

Phase 4: Scale and sustain

Step 10: Expand to additional changeovers

With pilot success demonstrated, expand AR-guided changeovers to additional lines and changeover types.

Step 11: Establish governance

Assign ownership for AR content. Establish processes for:

• Updating content when procedures change
• Reviewing and improving content based on feedback
• Onboarding new operators

Step 12: Drive continuous improvement

Use data from AR-logged changeovers to identify further optimisation opportunities:

• Steps that consistently take too long
• Common errors or rework
• Opportunities to move more activities to external

Expected results

Organisations that implement AR-guided changeovers typically achieve:

• 15–40% reduction in average changeover time
• 50%+ reduction in changeover variability
• 30–50% fewer startup defects and errors
• Significant improvement in OEE and throughput

These results are achievable within 3–6 months of focused implementation.

Getting started

If changeover performance is a pain point in your operation, AR-guided changeovers can help. Start with the playbook above—analyse, design, pilot, scale.

Learn more about AR-guided changeover to reduce downtime or contact ActARion to discuss your changeover challenges.