What is an MES, and does a small shop need one?
A plain guide to MES for small manufacturers: what the system does, how it differs from ERP, a checklist to tell if you need one, and build vs. buy.
Read the post →The HixonOps blog
Lean manufacturing, shop floor systems, and the math behind both.
Written for plant managers, ops leaders, and owners. New post every week.
You don't need a new ERP. You need to see your floor.
An ERP alternative for manufacturing that keeps your ERP: what ERP does well, what the floor needs, the ISA-95 levels, real ERP risk, and a Monday test.
Read the post →The real cost of chasing job status, with the math.
Chasing job status is lean waste with a price. Get the formula, BLS loaded-rate data, and a worksheet to see what production tracking software is worth.
Read the post →A value stream map your scheduler will actually use.
Value stream mapping for manufacturing that leaves the wall: turn the future state into routings, stages, and a pacemaker schedule. Worksheet included.
Read the post →Why 85% machine utilization can still mean late orders.
Machine capacity planning by monthly average hides peak days. Get the queueing math behind late orders and a one-week load-by-machine-by-day worksheet.
Read the post →Rework is hidden capacity. Here's how to measure it.
How to reduce rework in manufacturing and price what it returns: a rework log, the ROI calculator's two formulas, and when added throughput is real.
Read the post →Find your bottleneck from WIP data, not gut feel.
A plain method for manufacturing WIP tracking. Use Little's Law and a 15-minute morning WIP read by cell to find your real bottleneck, then fix it.
Read the post →Paper travelers vs. digital travelers: what to keep.
A fair look at paper and digital travelers in manufacturing: what paper does well, what it cannot, a migration order, and a traveler audit worksheet.
Read the post →TWI Job Instruction: the four-step method for training that sticks.
TWI job instruction explained: where the four-step method came from, how to write a job breakdown sheet, and how to run your first session on Monday.
Read the post →Building a skills matrix for a manufacturing team.
How to build a skills matrix for a manufacturing team: four levels, finding single points of failure, and a 30-minute method to fill it in on Monday.
Read the post →