CNC Subcontract Machine Shop Consultancy, Nationwide

Your machines are capable of more than they are delivering.

The capacity is already there. It is being lost to setup times nobody has challenged, downtime nobody is tracking and scheduling driven by whoever shouts loudest. That is what we fix.

Book a Free 30-Minute Call Get the Free Capacity Guide
What we find in most shops
Setup times that have never been timedThe same setup has taken the same time for years. Nobody has questioned it.
Downtime with no root causeMachines stop. Operators restart them. The same fault repeats next week.
Reactive schedulingJobs are run in the order they are shouted for, not the order that makes the machines work hardest.
Poor programmer handoverSetup sheets are incomplete. Operators spend time figuring out what to do instead of cutting metal.

Sound familiar? Most CNC shops we speak to recognise all four immediately.

19 Years on
the shop floor
90 Day structured
programme
CNC Specific, not
generic lean
UK Nationwide
coverage
PI Professionally
insured
What We Fix

Four problems. One structured solution.

01
Setup Reduction
Every setup is timed, every step challenged and SMED methodology implemented to reduce changeover time across all machines in scope. In most shops 30 to 50 percent of setup time is recoverable without buying a single new piece of equipment.
02
Downtime Root Cause
A downtime categorisation system is introduced, every stoppage is analysed by machine and shift, and the top causes are eliminated within the 90-day programme. You finish knowing exactly what was stopping your machines and with a plan to keep it that way.
03
Scheduling and Throughput
Reactive scheduling is replaced with a data-driven system that sequences jobs by setup family, maximises spindle utilisation and gives every operator a clear plan for their shift before they step onto the shop floor.
04
Programmer-Operator Workflow
The handover process between programmers and operators is redesigned: setup sheets standardised, first-off procedures clarified and tool lists confirmed so operators spend their time cutting metal rather than figuring out what to do next.
How It Works

A structured 90-day programme, delivered personally.

Michael Martin delivers every engagement. Not a junior consultant. Not a subcontractor. The person you speak to on day one is the person on your shop floor on day ninety.

1
Audit and Baseline
Phase 1, Weeks 1 and 2
A half-day on-site audit scores your shop across eight CNC workflow areas. You receive a written findings report within five working days showing exactly where capacity is being lost and what to fix first. This is also the entry point to the full programme.
Time Study RAG Scorecard Written Report
2
Improvement Delivery
Phase 2, Weeks 3 to 10
On-site delivery of targeted improvements across setup reduction, downtime root cause, scheduling and programmer-operator workflow. Weekly progress reviews keep management informed. No theory. Everything implemented live on the shop floor.
SMED Root Cause Priority Boards
3
Embedding and Close
Phase 3, Weeks 11 to 13
Improvements are embedded into standard operating procedures and handed over to your team. A final report documents what changed and calculates the financial value of the improvement. Close-out presentation delivered to management.
SOPs Written Value Calc Final Report
The audit stands alone. If you want an objective view before committing to a full programme, the audit is available as a standalone engagement. The fee is credited in full against the programme cost if you proceed.
Why Throughput Engineering

Not generic lean. Not borrowed from another industry.

Every CNC subcontract machine shop is different. The problems are usually the same. The methodology has to be built for the environment, not adapted from automotive, aerospace or food manufacturing.

🏭
19 Years on the Shop Floor
13 years operating CNC lathes and mills. 6 years in management. The experience behind the methodology is real, not academic.
🎯
CNC Subcontract Specific
Built entirely for subcontract CNC environments. Every tool, every framework, every audit area designed for how a machine shop actually operates.
👤
One Person, Fully Accountable
No subcontractors. No account managers. No junior consultants. Michael Martin delivers every engagement personally from first call to final report.
📊
Measurable Results Every Time
Every programme ends with a financial value calculation showing what changed and what it is worth in pounds per week. If we cannot measure it, it has not worked.
🔧
On the Tools Not in the Office
Improvements happen on the shop floor alongside your team, not in a conference room. Changes are implemented and embedded, not presented and forgotten.
🏢
Properly Constituted Business
Registered in England and Wales. Company number 17198003. Professionally insured. Formal contracts with every client. Nationwide coverage.
Free Download

The 5 Reasons CNC Machine Shops Run Below Capacity

A practical guide covering the five most common bottlenecks we find in CNC subcontract environments, and exactly what to do about each one. Written from 19 years on the shop floor.

Why your setup times are probably twice what they need to be
The real cost of untracked downtime in pounds per week
Why reactive scheduling destroys machine utilisation
The programmer-operator handover problem nobody talks about
Why most improvement initiatives fail to stick
Get the Free Guide
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If you have any questions in the meantime give Michael a call on 07810 091413.

Free 30-Minute Diagnostic Call

Find out where your capacity is going.

A 30-minute call with Michael Martin. No pitch, no pressure. Just an honest conversation about what is happening on your shop floor and whether we can help.

1
Tell us about your shop
Machines, current challenges, what is costing you capacity. We listen first and ask questions second.
2
We identify where capacity is going
19 years in CNC shops means we can usually identify the main bottlenecks from a 30-minute conversation.
3
You decide what is next
No obligation. You take the insight from the call and decide whether to go further. No pressure either way.
Book Your Free Call Now

Or call Michael directly: 07810 091413

About

Michael Martin

13
Years operating lathes and mills
6
Years in production management
19
Total years in CNC machine shops
UK
Nationwide coverage from Barnsley

I set up Throughput Engineering because I had spent nearly two decades watching the same problems cost the same shops the same money. I knew how to fix them..

Thirteen years operating CNC lathes and mills gave me a genuine understanding of what happens at the machine. Six years in management gave me an understanding of why those problems persist even when everyone can see them. That combination is what the methodology is built on.

I work exclusively with CNC subcontract machine shops. Not because I cannot work elsewhere, but because the specificity is what makes the difference. Generic lean does not work in a subcontract environment. Something built for it does.

Every engagement is delivered personally by me. That is not a marketing line. It is a commitment made before the work begins and kept until the final report is handed over.

Registered Ltd Company Company No. 17198003 PI Insured Formal Contracts Nationwide Coverage
Get in Touch

Start with a conversation.

Fill in the form and Michael will reply within one working day. Or call directly. No gatekeepers, no switchboards..

Phone
07810 091413
Email
michael@throughputengineering.co.uk
Based
Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Working nationwide across the UK
Company
Throughput Engineering Ltd
Registered in England and Wales
Company number 17198003
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Michael will be in touch within one working day. If it is urgent call 07810 091413.