Getting work through.
WHAT DETERMINES THROUGHPUT
Machine availability Setup time Finishing capacity Artwork readiness Approval delays
WHY APPROVAL DELAYS DOMINATE
Jobs sit waiting for customers, occupying the schedule.
WHAT TO TRACK PER JOB
What it is waiting for Who it is waiting on The promised date
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
That jobs awaiting approval do not block production planning.
WHAT TO SEQUENCE
Jobs using the same material or setup together.
WHY
It reduces setup time and waste substantially.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Realistic turnaround times, by product.
WHY REALISTIC
Optimistic promises produce failures, and printing deadlines are frequently tied to events.
WHAT TO QUOTE
A date you can meet with margin.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH ABOUT RUSH JOBS
A premium, and whether you accept them at all.
WHY A PREMIUM
They displace other work and consume setup out of sequence.
WHAT TO DO WHEN A JOB WILL BE LATE
Tell the customer immediately.
WHY
Print is usually for a fixed occasion.
WHAT FINISHING INVOLVES
Cutting, laminating, binding, mounting, eyeleting, installation.
WHY IT IS FREQUENTLY THE BOTTLENECK
It is manual and it is under-resourced.
WHAT TO MEASURE
Time from order to delivery Jobs late, and why Reprints, by cause
