Course Overview

Cut lead times, and cost, quality, and responsiveness follow. If you run high-mix, low-volume, or custom manufacturing, this fast-paced introduction to Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) covers Manufacturing Critical-path Time (MCT), the metric that reveals where time and money are actually being lost in your operation. QRM was founded by Rajan Suri and is taught through UW-Madison's Center for Quick Response Manufacturing.

From there, you'll get an overview of QRM cell design for shop floor and office work, and POLCA, an alternative to traditional Kanban material control.

Who Should Attend

New to QRM: Professionals in high-mix, low-volume, or custom manufacturing with no prior QRM background
Managers and Team Leaders: Manufacturing, supply chain, purchasing, engineering, and office operations leaders responsible for process performance
Continuous Improvement Roles: Process engineers, industrial engineers, and improvement leaders driving organizational change and strategic decisions

Learning Outcomes

Explain why lead time, measured through Manufacturing Critical-path Time (MCT), matters more than traditional efficiency metrics
Recognize opportunities to reduce lead time in your own shop floor or office operations
Understand how QRM cell design differs from traditional functional departments
Understand how POLCA works as an alternative to traditional Kanban material control
Identify next steps for bringing QRM principles back to your organization

Course Outline

Session I: Framework & Principles

Overview of Quick Response Manufacturing: Learn the manufacturing improvement framework and the core principles behind reducing lead time

Session II: QRM Toolbox

MCT, FTMS, Cells, and POLCA: Get an overview of the core QRM tools, Manufacturing Critical-path Time, Focused Target Market Segments, factory and office cells, and the POLCA control system, plus reflection on your own next steps

Testimonials

"Gave the highlights and got me bought into learning more. Specifically addressed how QRM contrasts from other ideologies in manufacturing." – Kyle Davis, Engineering Supervisor, Altec

Instructor

Vince Clark

Vince Clark is an accomplished manufacturing leader with more than 30 years of experience driving operational excellence across global organizations. He brings a proven record of leading large, complex operations in industries ranging from consumer products to heavy equipment and mining.

Vince spent over two decades with Caterpillar Inc., progressing through roles that included Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Factory Product Manager, Global Manufacturing Engineering Director, and Operations Director. He led organizations with hundreds of employees, managed large-scale global engineering teams, and oversaw complex operations, including Caterpillar’s Ultra Class Mining Shovels and off-highway trucks, developing deep expertise in low-volume, high-mix production environments.

Following his time with Caterpillar, Vince held senior leadership roles with Enerpac, Briggs & Stratton, and Andis Company, where he most recently served as Business Unit Director. Across these organizations, he managed operations of more than 600 employees, oversaw annual capital project portfolios exceeding $60 million, and consistently delivered measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

A certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Vince is recognized for his ability to combine Lean, Six Sigma, continuous improvement, and lead-time reduction principles with a people-centered leadership style, delivering both cultural change and bottom-line results. He holds a BS and MS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and an MBA from Millikin University. As an instructor with the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Center for Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM), Vince brings a wealth of real-world expertise to help companies reduce lead times, improve responsiveness, and thrive in today’s competitive manufacturing landscape.

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QRM Introduction Fundamentals of Quick Response Manufacturing