Blog
Insights on production scheduling, lean manufacturing, and manufacturing software from 35+ years of industry experience.
Time-Phased Order Point — Manufacturing Glossary
Learn what time-phased order point (TPOP) is, how it improves on traditional reorder points, a worked example, and when manufacturers should use TPOP for inventory planning.
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM): Maximizing Equipment Reliability
Learn what Total Productive Maintenance means — a lean manufacturing strategy for maximizing equipment effectiveness through proactive, operator-driven maintenance.
Value Stream Mapping (VSM): See the Waste, Fix the Flow
Learn what value stream mapping means in lean manufacturing — a visual tool for documenting material and information flow to identify waste and design improvements.
Value Stream: The Complete Flow from Raw Material to Customer
Learn what a value stream means in lean manufacturing — the complete sequence of activities required to deliver a product from concept to customer delivery.
Visual Management: Making Production Status Visible at a Glance
Learn what visual management means in lean manufacturing — using visual signals to communicate production status, standards, and problems instantly on the shop floor.
Waste Elimination: The Core Objective of Lean Manufacturing
Learn what waste elimination means in manufacturing — the systematic process of identifying and removing non-value-added activities to improve flow and reduce cost.
Work-in-Progress (WIP): The Hidden Cost on Your Shop Floor
Learn what work-in-progress means in manufacturing — the inventory of partially completed items on the shop floor, and why controlling WIP improves scheduling.
Work Order — Manufacturing Glossary
Learn what a work order is in manufacturing, how work orders flow from MRP to the shop floor, a practical example, and why work order management is critical for scheduling.
Yield — Manufacturing Glossary
Learn what yield means in manufacturing, how yield rates affect MRP planning and order quantities, a worked example, and why tracking yield improves scheduling accuracy.