Shop systems, workflow, and fabrication support
Role: Senior Designer / Production Manager
Scope: shop systems, production workflow, inventory, installation support, internal tools, and fabrication documentation
Methods: Onshape, Excel, shop drawings, jigs, production instructions, vendor/order coordination
This page collects some of the systems behind Milder’s furniture rather than one finished product: hardware storage, production flow, quality control, jigs, spreadsheets, drawings, instructions, staging, and the small process decisions that helped a small shop keep complex custom projects moving. The through-line was making production easier to understand, easier to repeat, and easier to catch before small mistakes became expensive ones.
Shop Inventory
A storage wall for commonly used hardware and tools, designed to support day-to-day processing and faster assembly. Clearer visually, and easier to maintain.
The system also accounted for backstock and upcoming project needs, helping the team track what needed to be ordered before it became urgent.
Shop Workflow
Developed a workflow for processing, finishing, and staging machined parts so a small team could keep work moving without crowding the same area.
This included decisions around part stacking, oil application, tool condition, quality control, and how to catch machining issues before they moved further into production.
Coordinated shipment and delivery logistics for order fulfillment. Directed installation work when Milder’s team was on site, and developed assembly instructions for external union labor when projects required it.
Job Master
Rebuilt the “Job Master” Excel spreadsheet used in project management to more accurately predict material use and anticipated labor. This made financial forecasting more reliable and helped reduce uneven cash flow.
Shop Jigs
Designed a benchtop hand-operated jig for consistently inserting press fittings into the aluminum pipe used across many Milder products.
Addressed alignment issues from the previous outsourced process, which sometimes required new parts to be made. Positioned the anchor point close to the press fitting to reduce pipe movement during insertion, improve consistency, and give the user better feel and control.
Brought the operation in-house to reduce logistics delays and make the process easier to monitor directly.
Designed an assembly jig for Milder’s Kerel redesign to keep floating parts accurately aligned during glue-up. Added reusable toggle clamps so the jig could be placed quickly while the glue was workable. Multiple jigs let workers rotate between units efficiently and settle into a repeatable rhythm as parts dried.
