Performance management for Tool Rooms and Die Shops: measuring one-off work without distorting it
Every die is different, so output counts do not work. Performance in a tool room has to be judged on milestones, trial results and the quality of the fit.
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Share your requirementsWhy performance management matters in tool rooms and die shops
Owners try to measure toolmakers by hours booked against the estimate. It is easy to count and misleading. A fitter who rushes leaves the die for trial rework, and one who takes extra hours to get a fit right looks slow. Breakdown repairs interrupt planned jobs, so hours drift for reasons that are not the person's fault. People then stop booking honestly.
A better approach uses a short list of measures per role. Milestones met on a job, the result of the first trial, rework hours after trial and whether the notes were written. For designers, how often the design needed a change at trial. For apprentices, progress against their stage. Reviews are held twice a year with the toolroom head, and comments come from the trial, not from the booked hours alone.
How to set it up
1. Set milestones on each job
Break a job into stages, such as design freeze, machining complete, fit complete and trial. Record the planned and actual date for each, with the reason for any gap.
2. Record the first trial result
Note whether the tool passed, needed minor changes or major changes, and what the cause was. This is a fairer view of quality than hours.
3. Separate emergency repairs
Log breakdown repairs apart from planned work so they do not distort the plan or the person's record. Allow for them in each month's schedule.
4. Review twice a year with real examples
Use two or three jobs per person as the basis for the talk. Ask the person to explain what went well and what they would change. The performance management process can help structure it.
5. Share the lesson, not only the score
After a failed trial, hold a short review with the designer and the benchman. Record what will change next time, with no search for a culprit.
Check these first
Before changing anything, find out what is true today. These take an afternoon and use your own records.
- Look at the last five jobs and see whether first trial results were recorded.
- Compare booked hours against the estimate for a fitter and note the reasons for the gaps.
- Check how many emergency repairs interrupted planned work last month.
- Ask two toolmakers what they think they are judged on.
GullyHR can do this with you. Read how we approach performance management in general, or share your requirements and we will tell you where to start.
Questions owners ask
Use milestones, first trial results, rework after trial and the notes left for the next person. Hours alone reward speed or hide it. Pair the measures with an honest talk twice a year.
Log them separately, set a rule for who is pulled off planned work and plan a buffer in each week. Tell customers what an emergency does to the planned job so the effect is shared.
It can work if the measure is fair and the team shares it, including the designer. A bonus tied to one person can lead to hiding problems, so keep it a team measure.