Projects to do

A packing line may be running but still lose output through stops, slow running and rejects, which one measure called OEE brings together.

A small unit either runs out of an item in the middle of a job or orders too much, because nobody has a signal for when to reorder.

Adding a new product to a running line can cause errors, stoppages and rejects if materials, training and checks are not ready on day one.

An imported material may look cheaper per kilo, but freight, duty, waiting time, stock and quality problems can turn the comparison around.

A cluster of toy or textile artisans gets orders larger than it can fill by hand, yet fears that machines would erase what makes its work special.

A sweets maker's orders jump sharply before a festival, and without a plan the unit either runs short of hands or pays idle staff afterwards.

When a key raw material disappears for weeks, small units panic-buy, stop production or change recipes without thinking through the effects.

A family-run unit keeps stock, orders and wages in paper registers, so it cannot see what is selling, what is running out or who is owed money.

A kettle sells for much more than its materials, and few buyers know what separates the two numbers.

A small unit reorders by feel, which leads to stock-outs for some materials and cash tied up in others.

A food unit throws away peels, rejects and wash water every day, and each of these is both a cost and a burden on the environment.

A small parts unit that wants to supply a large carmaker must show it can make the same part the same way every time, and many small units cannot.

Annual reports describe how a manufacturer thinks about plants, suppliers and safety, but few students know how to read them for that.

Workers on a small assembly line see many small problems but have no simple way to suggest and test fixes.

Metal workshops combine sparks, noise, heavy loads and sharp edges, and small owners seldom write down hazards, so controls stay informal.

A growing pickle brand must decide whether to keep buying printed cartons or set up its own small printing and cutting, and the answer depends on volume.