How do you define "lead time"?

Many companies use various lead time definitions: quoted lead time, planned lead time, internal lead time, etc.  The one definition that matters though, is the one that your customers experience - the time it takes from placing the order to receipt of product.  The amazing thing is that most companies do not even measure this ACTUAL lead time, so they have no idea how long it really takes to respond to their customers needs.

Many other approaches appear as a collection of disjointed ideas, whereas quick response manufacturing focuses on one theme - TIME - allowing managers to spread a consistent message.

By focusing on time, it becomes obvious how many common operating practices actually work against the ability to reduce lead time, and in fact encourage longer lead times. Think about the motivating metrics in your business - basic hours for instance.  By reducing lead time through QRM you strategically focus your resources, and favorably impact quality, cost, inventory, and on-time delivery.

At first glance QRM looks similar to many other approaches through the use of  manufacturing cells, although QRM cells are not the same as traditional, functional cells.  What other approaches are missing is an understanding of, and a method for incorporating, manufacturing system dynamics.  You can't truly reduce your lead time without this.

A QRM cell is:
A system where the production of a family of products is completed on dissimilar machines located close to each other, with a team of multi-skilled workers who are cross-trained to perform several operations in the cell, and who are fully responsible for the cell's performance.

QRM is best applied to low volume, high mix businesses, or businesses that must be flexible because of a high variability of product, such as highly engineered product businesses.

The reason many of the "proven" methods haven't worked in many companies is that they are poorly suited to your business.  There is no other comprehensive approach to address the unique problems faced by true job shops or high mix, low volume factories.  QRM is a strategy to aid these businesses and it does so by focusing on lead time.

NO!  QRM is a companywide approach and the principles can be applied throughout office operations, such as order entry and engineering, the supply chain, as well as in manufacturing.

MPX, developed by NDI, is rapid modeling technology that uses advanced mathematical queueing theory to model the complex manufacturing system dynamics in a manufacturing environment.  We use it to help facilitate lead time reduction.

How is MPX different from other modeling and simulation tools available?

MPX is focused on lead time.  It determines how lead times are affected by all the various manufacturing system dynamics, such as shop floor resources - both manpower and equipment - product volumes, mix, and processes, and it accounts for variability due to start times, process times, equipment failures, etc.  It is faster to build a model in MPX and much faster testing various scenarios than typical simulation tools available.

Is MPX a scheduling program?

No, MPX is not a scheduling program and will not replace your MRP system.  It is ideal for strategic capacity planning and long-term scheduling, especially when used with MRP.

Using our rapid modeling technology, you can quickly test different alternatives and focus on the issues that do impact your facility's performance.

MPX is best suited for manufacturing operations, as opposed to office operations, with the exception of assembly line situations.

Current production tools ask for lead time as an input, but more often than not, the lead time is not actually known and estimates are padded.  MPX tells you what the lead time will be for the current situation or for any other possible factory scenarios you want to consider.  It lets you see the effects of adding or taking away labor and equipment, changes in production volumes and mixes, lot sizes, reductions in set up or process times.  You can use use the lead time output from MPX as the lead time input  in your planning tools to more accurately plan.

MPX uses the widely available Microsoft Access database as the input format.  If you have databases that can interact with Access, whether directly or indirectly through ODBC,  you can easily get the data necessary for MPX and retrieve the MPX results for use in other programs and tools.

MPX pays for itself after the first successful application.  The cost of the software is more than offset by the decrease in lead time, the decrease in WIP, and increase in on-time delivery.  The biggest savings is in the increased confidence that managers have in truly knowing the capabilities of their system and its limits.

Yes, you can download a copy from this web site - Download MPX, or contact us by phone or email and we will send you a copy.