Time to Revisit Your Constraints

We talk a lot about constraints management in our work with customers who are implementing Demand-Driven Manufacturing (DDM) in their facilities. That’s because constraints management is fundamental for synchronizing the pace of production and keeping the demand (orders) flowing throughout the shop floor. But, our focus is naturally on physical constraints, e.g., that piece of equipment or workstation that is preventing you from delivering on time or offering

Make to Stock and demand driven manufacturing

FAQ: Can I Use Demand-Driven Manufacturing in a Make-to-Stock Environment?

Demand-Driven Manufacturing seems like it was made for Make/Assemble-to-Order and Engineer-to-Order environments. It’s true that Demand-Driven Manufacturing can be beneficial for manufacturers who already produce goods based on customer demand because it improves their responsiveness to customers and lowers lead and cycle times. Demand-Driven Manufacturing is a method of manufacturing where production is based on actual customer orders (demand) rather than a forecast. But what about Make-to-Stock environments? These manufacturers

5 Keys to Manufacturing Transformation

Almost every manufacturer we talk to these days is in the process of implementing (or planning to implement) some sort of change in the way they approach operations: Theory of Constraints (TOC), Lean, Six Sigma, just to name a few. Our focus on demand-driven manufacturing tools and applications has given us a front-row seat to their efforts. Related post: Is Demand Manufacturing Lean? While the devil may be in the

Lean manufacturing and demand-driven manufacturing

FAQ: Is Demand-Driven Manufacturing the Same Thing as Lean?

Many of our customers don’t start out looking to implement Demand-Driven Manufacturing per se. Often, they’re focused on Lean Manufacturing or at least some element of it. In fact, customers often find out about us as they search for an eKanban or production scheduling solution that will work with their current ERP system. However, at some point in the conversation, they will inevitably ask, “Is Demand-Driven Manufacturing the same thing

John Maher, Synchrono Manufacturing Software

Smooth the rough spots with TOC, then Lean – and fine-tune with Six Sigma

What Grade of Sandpaper Will You Use? Part Four Here we are at the final installment of our four-part, Sandpaper blog series about when to use the tools of Lean Manufacturing, the Theory of Constraints (TOC) and Six Sigma to address constraints, drive flow and promote continuous improvement. With regard to sandpaper, I talked a lot about what level of grit you will need to smooth out your processes—and what

Using TOC, Lean and Six Sigma to Become More Demand-Driven

What Tools to Use to Get the Most of Your Demand-Driven Changes Last time, we looked at specific companies that I have worked with and how they became more demand-driven using the Theory of Constraints (TOC) as a first step. As you saw from these real-life examples, TOC works well as a pointer to see where you need to change – and what should be the first items on the