Last updated: November 9, 2025 TD;LR Core: "AI sprinkled on top of old ERP logic and scheduling systems won’t create reliable velocity in a custom job shop. It will create faster oscillations." Proof: 52 of 86 manufacturing industries saw labor productivity fall in...
Articles
SMART Manufacturing Goals Don’t Work
By Dr Lisa Lang, TOCICO Certified Expert and developer of the Velocity Scheduling System Originally published January 7, 2025 | Updated August 2026 TL;DR: Manufacturing goals fail for three specific, predictable reasons, not because SMART goals are the wrong...
Does Lean manufacturing work in job shops and machine shops?
Lean manufacturing and lean scheduling do not work for high mix low volume custom job shops or machine shops. Here's why and what DOES work. Lean Manufacturing | Lean Scheduling Why? Lean manufacturing was developed most notably in Toyota. In Toyota's environment...
Step-by-Step Setup Reduction for Job Shops
Setup Reduction to Increase Flow and Productivity for Job Shops and Machine Shops Setup Reduction for Job Shops can be a challenge, no doubt. We often hear job shops explain that they can’t increase FLOW & PRODUCTIVITY because they have long setups. We’ve found...
Drum Buffer Rope (DBR): The Complete Implementation Guide
By Dr Lisa Lang, TOCICO Certified Expert and developer of the Velocity Scheduling System Originally published December 13, 2023 | Updated September 2026 Newsweek has named Dr Lisa a "Manufacturing Champion" for helping custom job shops improve flow; her work has also...
The Goal book by Eliyahu Goldratt SUMMARY
By Dr Lisa Lang, TOCICO Certified Expert and developer of the Velocity Scheduling System Last updated: September 1, 2026 Dr Lisa was named a "Manufacturing Champion" by Newsweek and the 2012 Manufacturing Trendsetter by USA Today for her work applying Goldratt’s...
How to measure Due Date Performance so you CAN improve it!
Last updated: Aug 27, 2025 TL;DR: Most job shops track due date performance with “percent on-time,” but that metric is misleading (it's an effect), and it doesn't help you to improve (find the causes). Here's what to measure instead. Due date performance (DDP, also...
How to Recession Proof Your Job Shop
Recession Proof Your Job Shop or Machine Shop Whether you think we are already in a recession, or one is coming, most economists and talking heads agree that things are going to get worse before they get better. I contend that your participation in any recession or...
Here’s why it’s hard to REALLY improve
Theory of Constraints Continuous Improvement It's hard to improve because it's difficult to get perspective on your own business. Here's a demonstration of perspective ... What's this picture of: (Hover on the picture to see the answer.) And what's this a picture of?...
Job Shop Schedule: Getting On Time & Reducing Lead Times
Job Shop Schedule: The SECRET to Getting On Time & Reducing Lead Times There's no question that the job shop schedule has it challenges. And every time we encounter one of the many challenges, our schedule is out of date, and we need to update the schedule. In...