Glossary · Manufacturing systems
Shop-floor control
Also known as: Production control, Production activity control
German: Fertigungssteuerung
In manufacturing, shop-floor control is the set of activities that release, dispatch, monitor and report work orders on the shop floor so production follows the plan and deviations are handled.
- Manufacturing systems
In one sentence
Shop-floor control releases, dispatches, monitors and reports work orders so production follows the plan and deviations are handled.
Example
Shop-floor control releases the next order to the lathe only when material and tools are available and reports progress back to planning.
How it applies
- Process: Shop-floor control covers order release, dispatching, progress tracking, capacity and WIP control, and feedback of actual times and quantities. Methods include kanban, CONWIP and load-oriented order release.
- Systems: The MES typically supports shop-floor control with dispatch lists, terminals and machine data collection.
- Operation: Good shop-floor control limits Work in process (WIP) and lead times; poor control releases too much work and creates congestion.
- Documentation: Document the release and dispatching rules, reporting obligations of operators and how deviations (missing material, breakdowns) are escalated.
Shop-floor control vs. production scheduling
Production scheduling creates the plan; shop-floor control executes and adjusts it in daily operation. Both depend on accurate feedback from the shop floor: late or missing confirmations make the next schedule unrealistic.