Job Shop Increases Throughput and On-Time Shipping

Technical Glass Products (TGP) of Snoqualmie, Washington delivers world-class glass products on time and under budget. They credit much of that competitive advantage to Resource Manager DB — a system they have used for years and continue to expand.

The most impressive result: TGP increased production capacity by 4% with their existing workforce by using RMDB to model cross-training initiatives and optimize scheduling. No new hires. No new equipment. Just smarter scheduling.

Read the full Technical Glass Products success story.

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The Journey: From Evaluation to Competitive Advantage

TGP started by reviewing the Resource Manager for Excel product line but quickly settled on Resource Manager DB for its multi-user support, advanced production scheduling options, and easy integration with corporate ERP systems. When TGP implemented a corporate-wide upgrade to Microsoft SQL Server and Windows Server, they found natural advantages in upgrading to Resource Manager DB for SQL — including direct SQL table integration, automatic backups, and enhanced security.

According to Scott McNeill, Master Production Scheduler: "It's very refreshing to work with a vendor like User Solutions who seems to be able to easily adapt to whatever unique and specific needs we run into. Resource Manager DB and User Solutions are great assets in empowering Technical Glass to deliver world class products, on time and under budget. We consider it one of our key competitive strengths in growing our market share."

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The Challenge: Evolving Standards and Capacity Constraints

After using RMDB for finite capacity scheduling for years, TGP noticed that their task duration standards and workcenter skill balancing had changed over time. New time studies showed different processing speeds. New products required different skill combinations. Workcenter capacities fluctuated based on available cross-trained labor.

The challenge was complex: blend new time studies and product profiles into the scheduling model, accommodate fluctuating workcenter capacities going forward, and preserve actual tracking data for historical analysis. All without disrupting current production.

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The Solution: Cross-Training Optimization

Leveraging RMDB's flexible configuration toolset, User Solutions guided TGP through a multi-step optimization within just a few days of remote support:

1. Blended new time studies with cross-trained skill demands
2. Added updated data to the current production schedule
3. Ran what-if scenarios to evaluate different scheduling approaches
4. Produced a realistic master production plan six months out
5. Confirmed cross-training initiatives based on scheduling data
6. Rapidly redeployed current resources based on the optimized model

The result: by shaving two weeks off lead times for deliverables, TGP accommodated a 4% increase in business with the current workforce while maintaining their customer service standard.

Scott McNeill summarized: "The Resource Manager-DB solution has once again exceeded our expectations regarding its adaptability. With only a couple of days of remote guidance from User Solutions, we greatly expanded RMDB's functionality to include defining cross-training initiatives and incorporate those results in a new production scheduling model that increased efficiencies. The result was our substantially increasing production capacity with existing resources."

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Why a 4% Capacity Increase Matters

A 4% capacity increase without adding labor or equipment is pure profit margin improvement. Consider the math:

• No additional labor cost — existing workforce handles more work
• No capital expenditure — same machines, same facility
• No additional overhead — same management, same utilities
• Direct revenue growth — 4% more output translates to 4% more revenue at essentially zero incremental cost

For a manufacturer like TGP, this is the difference between winning and losing bids. The ability to take on more work without increasing costs is a genuine competitive advantage — one that compounds year after year.

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Lessons for Job Shops

Cross-Training Is a Scheduling Decision

Most manufacturers think of cross-training as an HR or training initiative. TGP's experience shows it is fundamentally a scheduling decision. The value of cross-training a specific worker on a specific skill depends entirely on the scheduling impact — which workcenters are constrained, when the constraint occurs, and how much capacity the cross-trained skill adds.

Resource Manager DB turns cross-training from a gut-feel decision into a data-driven one. You can see exactly where cross-training will have the most impact and prioritize accordingly.

Time Studies Need Scheduling Context

Updating time studies is valuable, but the real value comes from seeing how updated times affect the overall schedule. A 10% improvement in one operation might have zero impact if that operation is not on the critical path. RMDB provides the scheduling context that turns time study data into actionable scheduling improvements.

What-If Scenarios Prevent Expensive Mistakes

TGP ran what-if scenarios before committing to any changes. This meant they could evaluate different cross-training priorities, different resource deployments, and different scheduling approaches before making changes on the production floor. The cost of running a what-if scenario is essentially zero. The cost of making the wrong scheduling decision is measured in lost production and missed deliveries.

Continuous Improvement Applies to Scheduling

TGP has used RMDB for years and continues finding new ways to extract value. The cross-training optimization was not part of the original implementation — it emerged years later as the business evolved. This illustrates that scheduling software is not a one-time implementation but an ongoing tool for continuous improvement.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How did Technical Glass Products increase capacity by 4% without hiring?

By using Resource Manager DB to blend new time studies with cross-trained skill demands and running what-if scenarios, TGP shaved two weeks off lead times and accommodated a 4% increase in business with the current workforce while maintaining customer service standards.

How does cross-training scheduling work in Resource Manager DB?

Resource Manager DB models cross-trained worker capabilities alongside machine scheduling. TGP used it to define cross-training initiatives, incorporate results into new scheduling models, confirm training priorities, and rapidly redeploy current resources based on actual capacity data.

Can scheduling software integrate with SQL Server?

Yes. Technical Glass Products upgraded to Resource Manager DB for SQL, gaining direct SQL table-to-table integration, automatic backups, and enhanced security by having scheduling data on the same SQL Server platform as their other core systems.

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Increase Your Capacity Without Increasing Your Costs

TGP proved that smarter scheduling can unlock capacity you already have. If you are turning away work because you think you are at capacity, Resource Manager DB might show you otherwise.

Ready to find your hidden capacity? Request a free demo and let us model your operation.

Read the full Technical Glass Products success story and explore all scheduling success stories.