TFC #52: Breaking Down Production into Key Steps

When building cabinets, keeping things running smoothly is critical.

One of our readers shared an idea about splitting up the production process into separate steps.

The benefits of this method will vary depending on your shop's size and production style, but it can improve your shop's efficiency and facilitate the handling of different workloads.

Everybody knows that production scheduling can be a dynamic, intricate, and unpredictable process.

Our reader discusses a big change that helps him keep his shop flowing smoothly and steadily.

Splitting Up the Workflow

Usually, making cabinets follows a step-by-step order, which can cause slowdowns and waiting times.

For example, if you always run jobs together through the shop, what happens if a job gets delayed right before you are ready to build it? Now, you have to scramble to prepare an entirely new order to try to keep the shop busy that day.

By splitting the process into different steps, you can handle each part based on what your shop needs at the moment. Here’s an example from our reader:

1. Toekicks: These are the fastest to make, so you can focus on them during busy times to keep things moving.

2. Drawers: These take a bit longer, so you can schedule them based on your shop’s workload to keep things steady.

3. Cabinets: These need more time and materials, so you can plan them to avoid slowdowns.

4. Doors: These take the longest, so you can make them during slower times to balance the work.

Once you have defined your different steps, it's important to organize the paperwork and files so that each step can be run independently from the rest of the steps.

This is where your software comes into play.

Instead of sending out one huge pack of drawings and cultists, now you will have to separate them.

For example, let’s say we are working on the Smith job.

We need to be able to run the Smith drawers or the Smith toe kicks without sorting through and separating them from the other steps.

The Benefits

1. Better Workflow Management: By splitting production into steps, you can adjust your work based on real-time needs. This helps you maximize and balance productivity.

2. Keeping the Shop Busy: This method helps keep the shop busy instead of stopping and waiting for the next job. Having different parts ready at different times keeps the workflow smooth.

3. Combining Like Jobs: You can work on similar tasks for multiple jobs at once. For example, you can build drawer boxes or doors for several jobs together, which saves time and reduces repetition.

4. Tracking Production Time: Splitting production into steps makes it easier to see how long each part takes. This can be hard when looking at the whole job at once, but by breaking it down, you can better understand your schedule and pricing.

5. Flexibility and Quick Response: This method gives managers the flexibility to respond to how the shop is doing, making sure work keeps flowing without unnecessary delays.

6. Less Downtime: With different parts ready at various stages, you can avoid the entire production line stopping because of a delay in one area.

The Cons

1. More to Track: By splitting jobs into steps, you run the risk of getting ready to load the job into the trailer and realizing you forgot to make the toe kicks. This, of course, can be resolved with some organization and checklists, but it is a possibility.

2. Increased Waste Percentage: The more parts you have when you nest a job on your CNC, the better yield you will have in most cases. By separating steps, you will likely increase the amount of waste you have.

3. More Paperwork/Cutlists to Lose: It’s hard enough to keep the job paperwork around, but now you have to make sure that they not only can find the Smith job, but they need the Smith job toe kick papers.

Tailoring the Approach

While our reader’s example includes toekicks, drawers, cabinets, and doors, remember that the steps might be different for each shop. Here’s how you can adapt it to your shop:

1. Look at Your Current Workflow: Find out the current order of operations and spot any slowdowns or waiting times.

2. Define Your Steps: Clearly define and separate the production steps based on your shop’s needs. This could include other stages, such as finishing, cutting shelves, or assembly.

3. Train Your Team: Make sure your team understands the new workflow and the importance of handling each step independently. Train them on how to prioritize tasks based on the shop’s workload.

4. Monitor and Adjust: Start with a test run of the new workflow. Watch the results, get feedback from your team, and make any necessary changes to improve the process.

Conclusion

Using a segmented production workflow by separating key steps can greatly improve your shop’s efficiency. By managing each step independently and adjusting based on real-time needs, you can reduce downtime and boost productivity.

The big requirement for pulling this off is to be able to shift from thinking that the entire job has to go through the shop at exactly the same time.

Thanks to our reader for submitting his idea on how he helped manage production at his shop.

Submit the idea that has helped your shop here.