Job Shop Scheduling – The Velocity Scheduling System

The Velocity Scheduling System (VSS) is a complete visual system for machine shop and job shop scheduling. It is NOT software but works with any ERP or no ERP. It is a visual scheduling board, visual planning board, key metrics and includes a process for on-going improvement. It is based on the Theory of Constraints Drum Buffer Rope and Lean flow concepts — it is the best of FLOW based scheduling and flow manufacturing but designed specifically for job shops.

If you’re here because you need help NOW –> Immediately sign up for the scheduling webinar to learn How to Get More Jobs Done Faster and what you can do immediately to make a difference. After that, come back here to learn more about job shop scheduling and how our Velocity Scheduling System Coaching Program works.

Job Shop Scheduling : Machine Shop Scheduling

Scheduling is the process of deciding which jobs should run in which order to optimize on-time delivery and shop productivity.

This system was developed for highly complex and custom job shops and machine shops because these shops struggled with:

Clients who change their mind
Vendors who aren’t always reliable
Mix that can vary wildly and moving constraints
Employees who do not always have the right skill and whose discipline is lacking
Processes that are not reliable
Machines & tools that break
Quality that is not perfect
Data that is not readily available nor accurate nor communicated
And, communication between silos that is difficult

Job Shop Scheduling System Using Theory of Constraints

In addition to these 9 Challenges, custom job shops and machine shops have struggled with implementing the traditional Lean and Theory of Constraints DBR / SDBR (Drum Buffer Rope / Simplified Drum Buffer Rope) solutions you read about in The Goal. Algorithms and various software have also proven to require constant rescheduling. These struggles are caused by 2 main issues 1) in these high complex/custom environments the constraint can move day-to-day or week-to-week; and 2) the starting condition of this type of environment IS much different.

Visual Scheduling System with a Production Scheduling Board

After working with a number of job shops Dr Lisa figured out:

the order to implement. What to do first, then second and so on.
that the first steps we take need to provide BIG results to get the buy-in and support to continue.
that the scheduling and priority of the shop needs to be visual.
that the visual scheduling system facilitates everyone’s involvement and the desperately needed communication throughout the shop.
how to create an effective scheduling system that does not require massive computing and manpower to run.
how to accommodate a complex environment where the constraint moves frequently.
how to implement the Theory of Constraints process of on-going improvement so that we continuously improve.
and, how to coach managers and supervisors to get it done.

Shop Scheduler | Manufacturing Planning and Control

This approach led to the big results for the shops that had the courage to implement and turned into the VELOCITY SCHEDULING SYSTEM (VSS).

We also found that our job shop scheduling system, VSS, created faster buy-in and helped the changes to stick.

VSS is a total scheduling, management, and improvement system including:

Velocity Board – the visual shop scheduling board which is a large physical board that goes in the shop. This board is simple, just communicates our priorities and directs us to what we should be working on.
To Be Released Board – the visual shop planning tool. This is also a physical board that goes into the shop. We use this board to make sure we are ready to work on a job.
Detailed Planning – the off-line planning tool (we use Excel) to monitor load vs capacity and to plan our release order and to monitor constraints.
VSS Dashboard – the Excel tool we use to measure our results and track our financials.
POOGI – we track why we go into the red zone of our Velocity Board and use this information to direct our continuous improvement efforts. POOGI is Process Of On-Going Improvement.

In addition you learn:

The 8 steps to implementing the Velocity Scheduling System, with examples and coaching to help YOU apply it to YOUR situation.
What key metrics to measure (operational and financial) to ensure you stay on track and how to use the pre-programmed Excel that is provided.
How to conduct a 5 Minute Meeting to communicate to the entire team.
How to get agreements within your team on the actions you want to take.
How to get your customers to supply missing information to complete their job.
How Theory of Constraints is similar and differs from Lean.
How to use the provided Excel file for detailed planning and how to customize it for you.
How to determine how much raw material stock to hold and how/when to replenish.

The wiki definition of job shop scheduling can be found here.

Flow Based Scheduling and Quick Response Manufacturing

Velocity Scheduling System is flow based scheduling and a quick response manufacturing system focused on increasing the flow through custom job shops, machine shops, and custom manufacturers.

About Dr Lisa Lang, Job Shop Scheduling Expert:

“Dr. Lisa” Lang is one of the foremost Theory of Constraints experts in the world and a sought after job shop scheduling expert having been named the "Manufacturing Trendsetter" in the USA Today, "Manufacturing Champion" in Newsweek and having appeared in CBSNews’ Moneywatch.com, Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch.com, Yahoo Finance.com, About.com, NYDailynews.com, CNBC.com, The Boston Globe.com, The Miami Herald.com, Morningstar.com, and others.

She is active in the NTMA, PMA, and AMT communities having helped over 500+ highly custom jobs shops to reduce their lead-times and improve due date performance.

She worked with Dr Goldratt who is the father of Theory of Constraints and author of the bestselling book, The Goal. Dr Lisa is past Chairman of the Board for the Theory of Constraints International Certification Organization (TOCICO.org).

Dr Lisa's lends her expertise and supports the Reshoring Initiative and www.ReshoringMfg.com, a website that culls reshoring and onshoring information, news, and articles from around the web.

Dr Lisa is the President of the Science of Business specializing in increasing profits of highly custom manufacturers by applying Theory of Constraints, Lean and Six Sigma to operations with Velocity Scheduling System and to engineering/design with Project Velocity System and to marketing with Mafia Offers.

Before becoming a consultant, Lisa was in operations, strategic planning, purchasing, and R&D while working for Clorox, Anheuser-Busch and Coors Brewing. In addition to consulting, Dr Lisa is a highly sought after Vistage/TEC speaker on “Maximizing Profitability”. Dr Lisa also provides professional keynote speeches and workshops for organizations like: TLMI, ASC, NTMA, NAPM and private events for corporations like: TESSCO, Bostik, GE, and Sandvik Coromant and (more importantly) many small shops you've never heard of.