Blog
Insights on production scheduling, lean manufacturing, and manufacturing software from 35+ years of industry experience.
Everything we have published.
Production Control: How Manufacturers Manage Shop Floor Execution Against the Schedule
Production control is the discipline of monitoring and adjusting shop floor activity to keep jobs on schedule. Learn the methods, metrics, and tools that make it work.
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.
Why Your Quoted Lead Time Never Matches Actual: The Data Behind Job Shop Quoting Accuracy
Queue time is 80% of lead time. Learn Little's Law, capacity-based quoting, and how to track quoting accuracy as a KPI to fix broken job shop delivery promises.
The Real Cost of Rush Orders in Job Shops: What They're Actually Doing to Your Schedule
Rush orders cost far more than expedite fees. Learn the cascade math, capacity buffer strategy, and how to quote rush orders with accurate finite capacity data.
Remanufacturing Scheduling: Variable Yield, Uncertain Content, and Teardown-to-Rebuild Workflows
Remanufacturing scheduling software that handles variable work content, probabilistic routing, core inventory constraints, and serial number traceability for rebuilt engines and equipment.
SaaS Scheduling Software Pricing Traps: Per-User, Per-Machine, Concurrent, and Named Licenses Explained
Understand the four SaaS pricing models for scheduling software, what they actually cost over 3–5 years, and how to calculate total cost of ownership before you sign.
How to Run a Scheduling Software Pilot: Test Before You Commit to Full Rollout
A practical guide for manufacturers on designing a scheduling software pilot that produces trustworthy results - and a clear go/no-go decision framework.
Scheduling Software Vendor Lock-In: How to Protect Your Data and Your Options
Discover the five forms of scheduling software vendor lock-in, the right questions to ask before signing, and how to protect your manufacturing operation.
Setup Family Sequencing: The Changeover Multiplier Every Job Shop Planner Needs
Grouping similar jobs by setup family cuts changeover time 30–50%. Learn setup matrix construction, sequence-dependent optimization, and SMED applied to scheduling decisions.
Closing the Loop: How Shop Floor Actuals Feed Back Into Your Production Schedule in Real Time
Learn how closed-loop scheduling uses shop floor actuals - run times, setup durations, downtime, and scrap - to continuously improve production schedule accuracy.
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.
Standard Costing in Manufacturing: Variance Analysis and How Scheduling Improves Accuracy
Understand standard costing, variance analysis, and why scheduling software is essential for maintaining accurate standards and minimizing unfavorable cost variances.