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...
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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 And every time we encounter one of the many challenges, our schedule is out of date, and we need to update the schedule.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...
Flow Based Scheduling | Flow Manufacturing
In Velocity Scheduling System we are focused flow based scheduling or flow manufacturing which is the physical flow in manufacturing. In Velocity PRICING System we focus on the flow of money and information. For this article we are referring to physical flow....
Increase Job Shop Productivity NOW!
Whether you’ve continued to manufacture or you’re ramping back up after COVID-19, you may find yourself with fewer people for any number of reasons: People out sick People not wanting to come to work Fewer people can work at one time for social distancing Layoffs you...
Backlog Problems – Max Profit Part 9
Job Shop Scheduling - Sales Backlog, Is it too Big or too Small? Brad: “It is common for job shop owners and managers to keep a close eye on the size of their Sales Backlog. It is a barometer of how things are going. Usually it is expressed in dollars. It is also...
Job Shop Strategy – Max Profit Part 5
Maximizing Profitability the TOC Way #5 of 9 Brad: “Let’s talk about job shop strategy. After all, it’s that time of year again when many stops start looking ahead. It's time to start planning for next year!” Dr. Lisa: “Yes, in the big companies you and I used to...
Job Shop Productivity – Max Profit Part 4
Maximizing Profitability the TOC Way #4 - Job Shop Productivity & Machine Shop Productivity Brad: “So you have recommended that improving productivity is a great first step for maximizing profitability for highly custom job shops and machine shops. But that...
Machine Shop Profitability the TOC Way – Max Profit Part 3
This is the third in the 9 part series of conversations on the maximizing profitability of job shops and machine shops the Theory of Constraints way! Brad: “If a job shop or machine shop business owner could start (1) by improving company productivity, or (2) by...