How an Inspection Workflow Review Exposed the Real Bottleneck

Situation

A manufacturer believed the CMM was the bottleneck because work was stacking up at inspection.

Constraint

The team needed a practical path forward without turning the issue into a larger production disruption. The exact customer, part, and program details are anonymized to protect confidentiality.

What was found

The review looked at intake, missing information, programming priority, fixture readiness, report review, escalation path, and ownership. The issue was not only CMM capacity; it was the workflow around the CMM.

What changed

• The problem was separated into process, program, fixture, report, and ownership risks.
• The team identified which items needed correction before more production pressure was added.
• The next step was tied to inspection readiness instead of a vague request for CMM help.

Result

The customer had a clearer inspection path, fewer unresolved questions, and a more practical way to decide whether the issue required programming, troubleshooting, training, or workflow support.