Metal Fabrication
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Metal Fabrication

Job Shop Transforms Quoting and Delivery with Constraint-Based Scheduling

How a precision metal fabrication company achieved 88% quote accuracy and 30% faster turnaround

88%
Quote Accuracy
Up from 65%. Quotes now reflect true capacity and historical performance.
30%
Faster Turnaround
Average lead time reduced from 18 days to 13 days through better scheduling.
18%
Throughput Increase
Same equipment, same staff - smarter scheduling eliminates hidden waste.
89%
On-Time Delivery
Up from 76%. Customers now trust delivery promises.

The Challenge

A mid-sized precision metal fabrication company serving automotive and industrial equipment customers faced growing pains. Their Excel-based planning could not keep up with increasing order complexity and customer demands for faster delivery.

1
Quote accuracy below 70% - frequent cost overruns eroded margins
2
On-time delivery at 78% - missing customer deadlines damaged relationships
3
Planners spent 5+ hours daily rebuilding schedules after disruptions
4
No visibility into true capacity - accepting orders they could not fulfill
5
Job priorities constantly shifting based on who complained loudest
6
Skilled operators waiting for materials while machines sat idle

The Solution

GenOpsX provided a complete transformation of their planning and scheduling process, from customer quote to delivery.

Constraint-based scheduling engine modeling all 12 work centers with actual capacity and capabilities
Accurate quote generation using historical job data and real-time capacity availability
Automatic schedule optimization considering setup times, material availability, and operator skills
Real-time visibility dashboard showing job status, machine utilization, and delivery projections
Shop floor kiosk terminals for operators to log progress and view work instructions
Integration with existing ERP for seamless order and inventory synchronization

Implementation

14 weeks from kickoff to go-live

1

Discovery & Data Migration

Mapped all work centers, routings, and collected historical job performance data. Integrated with ERP for master data sync.

2

Pilot Line Deployment

Deployed scheduling on CNC machining cell (4 machines). Validated constraint model and tuned optimization parameters.

3

Full Rollout

Extended to all 12 work centers. Trained planners and operators. Deployed kiosk terminals on shop floor.

4

Optimization & Refinement

Fine-tuned setup matrices based on actual measurements. Implemented advanced quoting module.

Results & Impact

Qualitative Improvements

Planners now spend time on strategic decisions instead of firefighting
Sales team can quote confidently with real-time capacity visibility
Shop floor operators have clear priorities - no more "hot jobs" disrupting flow
Management has accurate forecasting for capacity investments
Customer relationships improved through reliable delivery performance
“Before GenOpsX, every Monday was chaos. Now I publish the weekly schedule in 30 minutes and it actually holds. Our operators finally trust the plan.”
Production Planning Manager·Metal Fabrication Company

Ready for Similar Results?

Let us show you how GenOpsX can transform your manufacturing operations.