Looking for some help with Scheduling solution

[Albion]

I work for a small to medium sized Manufacturing company. We do mostly workholding fixtures, build to print, and some plastic injection molds. For the longest time we have been struggling with "seat of the pants" scheduling and project management. We have tried quite a few pieces of software to help us out with scheduling but it always comes to head with people who are on the floor and need to get work out the door. I was wondering if anyone could help me find a solution that works for us.

We have considered hiring a full time scheduler but my boss thinks that the person would need other tasks in the company since she doesn't believe the scheduling will consume 100% of his time. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Does anyone know what to look for in a good scheduler and where to look for them? Do they have internships for this type of job in colleges?

We have tried software titles like Primavera and MS Project but have not been able to balance the fine line between the static nature of the software and the dynamic nature of the shop floor. In other words, if we need to remove a job from a large CNC to insert another job, it must be done no matter what the scheduling software says. Sometimes new hot jobs just need to get done.

I appreciate any help you can give.

Thanks

-Al

 

[IRstuff]

Well, it partly depends on what real-time data you have available. There are lots of M&P software companies that have what you seem to need. You might start with a websearch:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q="line+of+balance"+software+manufacturing

TTFN

 

[DRC1]

If you are going to pull a job for a new rush job, there is no software that is going to help you with that. Scheduling software can however help you determine the effect on the orginal project due to a disruption. Actually I think schedulers should not schedule full time anyway. Have him deal with clients updating them on the progress of their work. By staying in contact with these people he can have a better feel for whose project can get bumped with the least grief.He can call the clients who get bumped and break the bad news - thats a task no one will mind giving up. He would be the best person to do your productivity analysis and he should be able to help with expediting incomming materials and provide valuable cost data to sales.

 

[Albion]

Ok, I guess the next big question would be, where do I find a person like this? We don't have anyone in shop who can do this, so we're going to need to hire someone. Only big problem is that we probably can't afford to pay them $100k a year like I am expecting.

Any ideas?

-Al

 

[griffengm]

Albion2,
I agree with your boss but think that the ideal combination would be quoting and scheduling. I do like the customer interaction idea too.
My reason for the first combination is that the ability to quote depends on the same skills and knowledge as good scheduling - knowledge of materials and processes. If a good knowledge base is built by tracking of accuracy in quotes vs actual then both functions improve.
One advantage of the use of scheduling software is the ability to look at several "what-if" scenarios before messing with the floor. My experience has been that many machinists understand that change is okay but multiple changes and waffling are disorder, confusion and frustrating.
BTW, where do I apply?
Griffy

 

[eyec]

while you are thinking about it, try this:

use reverse scheduling - take the contract delivery date, subtract 1 week - input that into your scheduling. this gives you some slack in case of equipment downtime or other non-scheduled events.

when you get a "rush" job consider the costs of the schedule interruption and add that cost to your product.

provide daily updates to each salesperson of their orders and have them relay any schedule updates or delays to their customer where necessary.

when you find that you are getting more "rush" jobs than normally scheduled jobs, tell your salepersons to bid them more realistically. they tend to "do what it takes" to win a bid.

management should also be provided schedule updates so they can make informed decisions on either their salesforce, improvements to their work flow, or the option to increase production - thru additional facilities of manpower.

that way you spread the workload across multiple employees that are most familiar with the customer's order and minimize the need for a full time scheduler.

if you can't accomplish this, then your company may be growing and should invest in expanding - facilities & manpower. i hope that is the case in your situation.

 

[lesniowski]

$100K ! ! ! a scheduler makes $100K WOW!!!!!!!!

It sounds like you need someone to coordinate the jobs in your shop. No planning software can help you on a fast paced job shop unless you have someone to coordinate between projects.

I would suggest that you hire a planning/scheduler that would relieve your program managers from the task of planning and take some of their budgets and give it to the new guy. I don't think a scheduler/planning would make more than $50K at the most. Looking at monster jobs they are starting at $35k up to $60K.

 

[JayMaechtlen]

well, with overhead and bennies, an employee costs 30% to 50% more than the salary that they see as "gross pay" on the check stub/W2- right?

My take on scheduling- (and that's not what I do for a living)
"Guys- my job is to make things go smoothly, so you can get the work out and we can keep the customers happy. If we do that, the boss will be happy too".

cheers
Jay

Jay Maechtlen

 

[4star]

Part of my job is scheduling for our 100+ employee shop. Try this link:

http://www.production-scheduling.com/build.asp

I use a combination of MS Project and Excel, as well as a dry erase board. Project will get you close, Excel closer and "the board" is the bible. Project and Excel are really good for work load analysis, but are kind of cumbersome, especially when a machine goes down and you are forced to run alternate processes.