Shop floor chaos can feel inevitable when priorities change by the hour and everyone is chasing the latest crisis. Why does it keep happening, and can you actually stop it? Yes – when you give people clear, real-time priorities they can trust. At LillyWorks, we see the same pattern in discrete manufacturers of all sizes.… READ MORE
The Misunderstanding About Throughput Most manufacturers equate an increase in throughput with running machines faster or adding capacity. But that approach often leads to more work-in-process (WIP), more chaos, and the same output at the end of the day. The truth is, throughput in manufacturing isn’t just about doing more – it’s about keeping flow… READ MORE
Manufacturers today are often inundated with dashboards displaying a dizzying array of key performance metrics for manufacturing. From overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and yield rates to first-pass quality and inventory turnover, the sheer volume of data can be overwhelming. But amidst all the numbers and charts, which key performance metrics for manufacturing truly signal the… READ MORE
Every manufacturer knows they need to calculate process capacity to understand their production limits – how many units can a machine produce per hour, how many orders can a work center handle in a day. These calculations provide a theoretical ceiling, a benchmark against which performance is often measured. But knowing your theoretical maximum is… READ MORE
Today’s manufacturers are awash in shop floor data. Sensors, systems, and reports generate more information than ever—machine performance metrics, real-time inventory levels, and employee productivity tracking. The promise is that this wealth of data will deliver greater visibility and more effective shop floor management. But is it really improving decision-making and outcomes? Or are we… READ MORE
Many manufacturers invest in sophisticated advanced planning and scheduling (APS) systems, hoping to create the perfect production blueprint – a meticulously crafted sequence of operations designed to optimize resources and ensure timely completion. The promise of these systems lies in their ability to foresee potential bottlenecks and proactively allocate capacity. But what happens when the… READ MORE
In the world of manufacturing, efficiency is paramount. One of the biggest hindrances to a smooth manufacturing process is what’s known as a ‘bottleneck’. This term refers to the point in the production line where work accumulates faster than it can be processed. Fortunately, scheduling software has emerged as a powerful tool to address and… READ MORE
We recently spoke with Rory Lee, Vice President of Operations and Business Develop Manager with Saturn Industries, Inc. Rory, who has been with Saturn since 1997, talked about his company’s experiences before and after implementing Protected Flow Manufacturing™ (PFM) by LillyWorks. This is Part 2 of a 3-part series, you can read Part 1 here: Saturn Industries Gets Acquainted with… READ MORE
Ready to Rethink the way you’re Managing Production? If you’re like most manufacturing companies, you’re managing production with a combination of whiteboards, spreadsheets, and outdated ERP functionality. These approaches are tedious, time-consuming, and difficult to maintain. Take Control of your Production Environment! Learn a New Approach to Managing Production by attending any or all 3… READ MORE
What we’re seeing right now with manufacturing and COVID-19 is that an already very limited resource — people — are now even more strained and limited in manufacturing production. Which means now is not the time to simply double down on existing production management strategies and processes that may not translate easily to a remote working… READ MORE
For the last 40 years manufacturers have been looking to their ERP’s Finite Capacity Scheduling or bolt-on “Advanced Planning & Scheduling” (APS) tools to help them deliver their production orders (“jobs” or “Work-orders”) to their customers on time. The everyday process to use these traditional scheduling tools comprises running a software program that looks at… READ MORE
IndustryWeek webinar: Why Current Production Scheduling Tools Aren’t Helping You Deliver On-Time – and How to Fix It Date: Thursday, August 9, 2018 Time: 2:00 p.m. EDT (GMT -4, New York) Duration: 1 Hour Event Type: Live Webinar Cost: Free REGISTER TODAY! Description Tremendous strides have been made over the last 50 years in Production Scheduling. Once an extremely manual and time-consuming process, most of… READ MORE