Most shop managers know how crucial production scheduling efficiency is to overall operations. However, only a handful truly experience the benefits that can arise from adopting an effective scheduling system. When implemented correctly, such a system not only clarifies priorities for every team member but also provides a structured methodology that enhances workflow. This ensures that tasks are executed in a timely manner, resources are utilized effectively, and the entire production process runs smoothly. By prioritizing the right approach to scheduling, shops can maximize their productivity and meet customer demands more efficiently.
Scheduling presents a formidable challenge, and there are numerous factors that contribute to this complexity:
Client Changes: Clients frequently revise their requests, whether it’s accelerating delivery timelines, postponing orders, or altering specifications. Each change necessitates a complete re-evaluation and adjustment of the schedule, making it a moving target that can frustrate planning efforts.
Supply Chain Disruptions: The smooth flow of raw materials and components from external vendors is crucial. Unfortunately, delays and inconsistencies in deliveries can disrupt the delicate balance of our operations, forcing us to scramble and readjust timelines that rely heavily on these inputs.
Insufficient Cross-Training: Many manufacturing shops struggle with inadequate cross-training among their workforce. A significant number of employees may lack the skills to perform multiple roles effectively. Even when some level of cross-training exists, it cannot guarantee consistent attendance or punctuality, further complicating workforce management.
Equipment Failures: Machinery often malfunctions at the most inopportune moments, leading to unexpected downtime. These breakdowns not only halt production but also create a cascade of delays, reinforcing the notion of Murphy’s Law: anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
Quality Assurance Challenges: No matter how stringent our quality control processes, defects or subpar products can surface unexpectedly. Even minor quality issues can create significant disruptions, leading to revisions in production schedules and a ripple effect that impacts all subsequent tasks.
Inaccessible or Inaccurate Information: The inability to access up-to-date and reliable information can severely hinder our response to emerging challenges. Time wasted in locating essential data only exacerbates scheduling difficulties, leaving teams ill-equipped to make timely decisions.
Communication Breakdowns: Effective communication across departments is often fraught with difficulties. Orders are sometimes expedited into production without proper coordination, which can strain the relationship between sales and manufacturing teams. This lack of synergy can lead to misaligned priorities and additional complications.
Consequently, we find ourselves ensnared in a continuous loop of scheduling, updates, and the need for rescheduling due to these diverse and unpredictable sources of variability. These compounding issues make it increasingly challenging, if not outright impossible, to deliver products consistently and reliably as promised.
The solution lies in the proactive management of different types of flow: Material Flow, People Flow, Product Flow, and Information Flow. Effectively orchestrating these flows is key to ensuring smooth operations. This management is achieved through a structured “3-Queue” system, which utilizes a specific sequence of activities designed to regulate flow. This approach also incorporates a disciplined routine and draws upon foundational concepts from the Theory of Constraints as well as Lean and flow manufacturing principles.
While the underlying Principles of these methodologies warrant their own detailed discussion, today we will focus specifically on the mechanics of the 3-Queue process and its operations.
It is important to note that within this system, both the release queue and the fabrication queue should ideally hold approximately half of the total available Work in Progress (WIP). This balance is crucial for maintaining efficient flow and preventing bottlenecks in the overall process.
Your team often finds themselves wasting valuable time searching for various items such as information, supplies, tools, drawings, and specifications. It’s a familiar scenario – just think about how much this lost time is ultimately costing you.
Now, imagine a different reality: every time you embark on a new job, you have immediate access to everything you need to complete it efficiently. This transformation could significantly enhance your workflow, resulting in faster job completion and improved momentum throughout your operations.
Step 1: JOB INTAKE – Traveler Processing Queue
To streamline your production process, the first critical step is to create accurate, complete, and timely job folders, known as travelers. These travelers are essential documents that accompany each unit of production or job, detailing the unique characteristics, plans, and specifications that distinguish one job from another. They serve as crucial focusing tools, born from the planning phase—where sorting, batching, and bundling occur—during the Job Intake processing stage of the production cycle.
When preparing travelers, it’s vital to organize them based on the commonality of fabrication, which reflects the pathway each product takes through the shop. Additionally, keeping the quantities small can help avoid lengthy delays at bottlenecks—those critical workstations or operations that restrict the flow of production.
For example, consider a customer order consisting of a set of channel letters, a post and panel sign, and a digital graphics package. These product types are considered “misfits” because they each follow different processing paths through your shop. As a result, they should be planned, scheduled, and fabricated using distinct job travelers to ensure an efficient workflow and prevent unnecessary delays.
Step 2: WORK IN PROGRESS – Release Queue
It’s crucial to resist the urge to push additional work onto the shop floor simply to keep employees occupied. Instead, take a moment to ensure that your Travelers are meticulously prepared. This means checking that every detail is in place so that when you commence the job, you can smoothly transition from start to finish without any interruptions.
Beginning work too prematurely can lead to a cascade of problems, including costly disruptions and the need for rework. This not only affects your throughput but can also result in missed deadlines for customer orders. Furthermore, it contributes to an atmosphere of chaos that permeates throughout the company.
To manage this effectively, you need to establish clear prioritization and sequencing rules—these are essential guidelines that will help optimize the completion process for the products you plan to manufacture. These rules will dictate how you release work from the release queue into the fabrication queue, typically based on factors such as the number of jobs or the existing capacity constraints.
Once your Travelers are fully prepared, they should be placed into the release queue. This can be organized as a dedicated rack on the office wall or within a clearly labeled bin. Think of this release queue as a carefully curated “reservoir” of work that you draw from only when you have the capacity to engage with it fully, ensuring a productive and uninterrupted workflow.
Step 3: WORK IN PROGRESS – Fabrication Queue
Fabrication is where everything comes together, and managing task completions is Priority One. This involves a daily process of determining the mix, priority, and sequence of task assignments while balancing workflow with existing constraints. To achieve this, it is essential to check the availability of resources—people, machines, and materials—and align them with the priorities established in previous processes, which are displayed on a Fabrication Job Board in the shop for everyone to see.
Oversight and management of daily task assignments occur on an hourly basis. This real-time oversight helps move products, materials, and information through the production process more quickly, thereby increasing productivity. The focus should be on completing ongoing tasks rather than starting new ones based on workforce convenience. A proactive approach is far better than a reactive one.
Your team should concentrate on finishing what you start. Once the first half of a project is completed, you can release the second half, and so on. This approach will result in a significant reduction in lead time within your shop and an immediate improvement in cash flow, as jobs will spend less time idle.
Additionally, it’s important to master what can be termed “good” multitasking. Multitasking refers to stopping work on one task before completing it in order to start another. This can be neutral; it is neither good nor bad in itself. However, if task switches occur without contributing to the earlier completion of any project, it’s classified as “bad” multitasking. On the other hand, if stopping work on a lower-priority project enables the completion of a higher-priority one more quickly, this is generally considered “good” multitasking.
Consider this example in a multi-project environment, which is common in many shops. Resources often need to switch between tasks across various projects or within the same project to show progress. However, this kind of multitasking usually extends the duration of all projects. While showing “progress” may help improve your efficiency metrics, it does not necessarily facilitate quicker job flow through your shop. This concept can be challenging for owners to grasp, as they have often been conditioned to equate efficiency with success, but that is not the case.
It’s acceptable to have idle resources, and this should actually be planned for. Not every person needs to be working simultaneously. Instead of beginning a job that hasn’t been officially released, which should be avoided at all costs, assign those resources to scheduled maintenance, housekeeping, or inventory stocking.
In conclusion, I want to emphasize that while these strategies may not seem glamorous or groundbreaking, they are critically important for the health of your business. You might feel reassured by your current systems, but it’s time to reevaluate. If you find yourself consistently struggling to meet customer promise dates and facing dwindling time and resources at the end of each month, there’s a good chance that something is missing from your operations.
From my extensive experience, I have observed that shop owners who implement these essential strategies can experience remarkable improvements in their bottom line, often with little to no financial investment.
Establishing a top-tier manufacturing operation involves many facets, but if you focus on the key aspects I’ve discussed today, you’ll be on the path to not only increasing your profitability but also enjoying a more balanced and fulfilling life.
True efficiency is fundamentally achieved by pursuing maximum flow, which is more than just a basic requirement for success. It involves optimizing every aspect of your operations to create a seamless and productive environment. By embracing these principles, you will enhance your processes and inspire a transformative journey that elevates your entire organization. For more information, please check out my new book titled “Lean Shop Makeover”, available on Amazon.
