Blog
Insights on production scheduling, lean manufacturing, and manufacturing software from 35+ years of industry experience.
Everything we have published.
Production Routing: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Drives Better Scheduling
Production routing defines the step-by-step path a job takes through your shop. Learn how accurate routings unlock faster scheduling, better capacity planning, and fewer delays.
SKU Rationalization: How to Cut Product Complexity Without Hurting Sales
SKU rationalization reduces product complexity, improves margins, and simplifies production scheduling. Learn the process, metrics, and how to execute a rationalization program.
When Tooling Is Your Bottleneck: Scheduling Tools, Fixtures, and Dies Like Machines
Most shops optimize machine schedules but ignore tooling constraints. Learn how to identify, model, and schedule fixtures, dies, and jigs to eliminate hidden capacity losses.
Automated vs Manual Production Scheduling: A Comparison
Compare automated and manual production scheduling approaches. Learn when each works best, how to combine them, and what automation means for manufacturing schedulers.
Batch Scheduling vs Discrete Scheduling: When to Use Each
Understand the differences between batch scheduling and discrete scheduling in manufacturing, when each approach applies, and how to handle mixed environments.
15 Best Production Scheduling Software Compared (2026)
Compare the 15 best production scheduling software solutions for manufacturers in 2026. Features, pricing, pros, cons, and recommendations for every shop size.
Capacity Planning vs Production Scheduling: What's the Difference?
Understand the difference between capacity planning and production scheduling in manufacturing, how they complement each other, and why you need both for success.
Drag-and-Drop Scheduling: Pros, Cons & Best Tools
Explore the pros and cons of drag-and-drop production scheduling, how visual Gantt chart tools work, and which solutions offer the best drag-and-drop experience.
From Excel to APS: A Step-by-Step Migration Guide
Follow this step-by-step guide to migrate your production scheduling from Excel spreadsheets to an APS system. Data prep, implementation, and go-live checklist.
Why the Shop Floor Ignores Your ERP Schedule (and How to Fix It)
If supervisors rewrite the ERP schedule every morning, the cause is usually capacity: the ERP books work without checking machine hours. Symptoms and fix.
Forward vs Backward Scheduling: Worked Example and When to Use Each
What backward and forward scheduling are, one job scheduled both ways with real hours, what happens when a backward job does not fit, and when to use each.
Scheduling for High-Mix Low-Volume Manufacturing
Master production scheduling for high-mix low-volume manufacturing environments. Strategies, tools, and techniques for managing variety without sacrificing delivery.