NIST MEP Improves On-Time Delivery

ACE Controls, Inc., a leader in industrial damping and motion control solutions based in Farmington, Michigan, needed to immediately improve day-to-day scheduling capabilities. Supported by the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership through the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, they evaluated scheduling solutions that could deliver immediate results.

The result: improved on-time delivery through visual workcenter loading, scenario modeling, and data-driven scheduling decisions.

Read the full ACE Controls success story.

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The Challenge: Scheduling Without Visibility

ACE Controls' machine shop faced growing challenges with production scheduling. Without visibility into workcenter loading and production capacity, the team struggled to provide accurate promise dates and optimize manufacturing throughput. Customer demand was increasing, and the manual scheduling approach could not keep pace.

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The Solution: MEP-Guided Implementation

The NIST MEP network exists to help manufacturers like ACE Controls adopt technology that improves their competitiveness. The Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center guided ACE Controls through the evaluation process.

Resource Manager was selected for two key reasons:

1. Strong benefit-to-cost ratio — delivering maximum scheduling capability per dollar invested
2. Excel platform compatibility — ACE Controls already used Excel for manufacturing reports across the organization, ensuring minimal disruption

Dave Teumer, Buyer and Scheduling Manager, described the experience: "What I especially like about the Resource Manager is that it was simple to get installed and up and running. We have improved our on-time delivery by being able to view the impact of different production schedules and workcenter loading. The product is so flexible and adaptable, it is quite easy to model different scenarios to determine if a certain method or schedule can actually benefit our bottom line."

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Key Results

Improved On-Time Delivery

By visualizing workcenter loading, ACE Controls could see where scheduling conflicts existed and resolve them proactively. The scheduling team could evaluate the impact of schedule changes before implementing them.

Data-Driven Decision Making

Instead of scheduling by experience and intuition alone, ACE Controls could model different scenarios — testing whether a specific production method, overtime decision, or schedule change would actually improve results before committing to it.

Fast Implementation

The Excel-based platform meant installation and setup were straightforward. The scheduling team was productive immediately rather than spending weeks learning a new system.

Scenario Flexibility

The ability to test "what-if" scenarios gave ACE Controls a new capability: evaluating whether specific methods or schedules would benefit the bottom line before implementing them on the production floor.

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The NIST MEP Advantage

ACE Controls' path — using NIST MEP guidance to evaluate and implement scheduling software — is a model that other small and medium manufacturers should consider.

What NIST MEP Provides

The NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership is a national network of centers that help manufacturers improve productivity, reduce costs, and adopt new technologies. MEP centers provide objective guidance without the bias of a software vendor.

Why MEP Recommendations Matter

When a NIST MEP center evaluates scheduling options for a manufacturer, they consider the full picture: the manufacturer's current capabilities, budget constraints, technology readiness, and specific operational challenges. The resulting recommendation is typically well-matched to the manufacturer's needs — as it was for ACE Controls.

Small Manufacturer Focus

MEP centers specifically serve small and medium manufacturers who often lack the internal expertise to evaluate technology options. If you are a small manufacturer considering scheduling software, your local MEP center can provide objective guidance.

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Lessons for Machine Shops

Simple installation matters. ACE Controls valued that Resource Manager was "simple to get installed and up and running." For machine shops where every hour of downtime costs money, rapid implementation is essential.

Visual scheduling changes behavior. Being able to "view the impact of different production schedules and workcenter loading" transforms scheduling from an administrative task to a strategic capability.

Model before you commit. The ability to test scenarios before implementing them eliminates the risk of scheduling decisions that look good in theory but fail in practice.

Leverage MEP resources. Small manufacturers often underutilize NIST MEP services. If you need objective guidance on scheduling technology, your local MEP center is a free or low-cost resource.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How did NIST MEP help ACE Controls improve scheduling?

The NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership, through the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, supported ACE Controls in evaluating scheduling solutions. Resource Manager was selected for its strong benefit-to-cost ratio and Excel compatibility, delivering rapid implementation and immediate on-time delivery improvements.

What scheduling improvements did ACE Controls achieve?

ACE Controls improved on-time delivery by viewing the impact of different production schedules and workcenter loading. The scheduling team could model scenarios, evaluate whether a method or schedule would benefit the bottom line, and make data-driven decisions.

What is the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership?

NIST MEP is a federal program that helps small and medium manufacturers improve operations. MEP centers across the US provide guidance on technology adoption, lean manufacturing, and operational improvements. ACE Controls worked with the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, part of the MEP network.

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Improve Your On-Time Delivery

If your machine shop struggles with on-time delivery because you lack visibility into workcenter loading, the ACE Controls experience shows the path forward. Request a free demo and see visual scheduling in action.

Read the full ACE Controls success story and explore all scheduling success stories.