Manufacturing inventory visibility software should make it easy to see what you have, what you will need, and where the risks are right now. So why do so many of us still have to ask, “Do we actually have the material to run these jobs?” and then answer it with a report export, a spreadsheet,… READ MORE

Manufacturing order tracking software is supposed to help us follow every job from the first quote until it ships out the door. So why does it still take three systems, five spreadsheets, and a walk around the plant just to answer, “Where is this order right now?” The short answer is that most tools, especially… READ MORE

Work order tracking software should make it easy to answer two questions: where is this order right now, and are we still okay on the due date? If those answers still require walking the floor, opening six ERP screens, or chasing people for updates, the software is not doing its job. We work with make… READ MORE

Make-to-order manufacturing software should help us keep lead times predictable without burying our shop in inventory. So why do so many discrete manufacturers still feel like every new order blows up the plan? The problem is not the people on the shop floor. It is the way traditional ERPs try to control make-to-order manufacturing with… READ MORE

Production control software is supposed to keep work moving predictably through your plant, so why does it so often feel like you are still running the shop from a whiteboard, and is there a better way? There is, but it requires shifting from static plans to real-time control of priorities. At LillyWorks, we see the… READ MORE

Manufacturing tracking software is supposed to help you stay on top of production, but why do bottlenecks still catch you by surprise, and what can you do differently? The short answer is that most tools tell you where you have been, not where risk is building right now or what to do next. We work… READ MORE

Metal fabrication software should make it easier to stay on top of every job, so why does scheduling still feel like a daily firefight, and what actually fixes it? The short answer is that most systems focus on creating a plan, not on how work really flows through the shop when every laser, press brake,… READ MORE

Engineer to order software should make your life easier, but why does it so often feel like it just adds more screens on top of the same old chaos, and what can you do about it? The short answer is that most systems stop at planning and paperwork instead of changing what actually happens on… READ MORE

Delivery cycle time is one of those metrics everyone says is important, but what does it really tell you, and where can you actually improve it? The short answer: when you calculate delivery cycle time correctly, you see that most of the delay usually lives in production, and that is exactly where you have the… READ MORE

Real time production visibility software is often sold as a prettier dashboard, but what if it is actually the missing link to smarter scheduling decisions on your shop floor? The short answer is yes: when you can see what is really happening in real time, you stop guessing, stop over-scheduling, and start making better calls… READ MORE