Notes from the team. Short posts about the operational problems we see day-to-day, the product calls we're making, and what early customers are telling us.What we're building and thinking about.

Operations16 Jun 20265 min readBy Andrew Longman

Ask AI Your Manufacturing SOPs: Cited Answers on the Shop Floor

Most AI document tools make you rebuild your procedures in their system first. Promptable reads the SOPs you already have and answers questions on the floor with a citation back to the source. Here's how AI on your existing manufacturing documents actually works.

Read the post

Compliance16 Jun 20265 min read

Control of Documented Information: ISO 9001 Clause 7.5.3 Explained

Clause 7.5.3 is where most ISO 9001 audit findings come from: obsolete procedures still in use, no version control, uncontrolled copies floating around. Here's what 7.5.3 actually requires, in plain English for a UK manufacturing SME.

By Andrew LongmanRead

Operations16 Jun 20265 min read

How to Capture Knowledge From Retiring Employees Before It Walks Out the Door

When an experienced operator retires, decades of undocumented know-how leaves with them. Here is a practical way to capture that tribal knowledge while they are still on the floor to explain it.

By Andrew LongmanRead

Operations16 Jun 20265 min read

How to Keep SOPs Up to Date (Without It Becoming a Full-Time Job)

SOPs drift out of date the moment the work changes. Here's a practical system for keeping procedures current — review cadences, ownership, version control, and the triggers that catch drift before an auditor does.

By Andrew LongmanRead

Compliance16 Jun 20264 min read

ISO 9001 Document Control Software for UK Manufacturers

Document control is where most ISO 9001 audits are won or lost. This is what clause 7.5.3 actually asks for, the findings that catch UK manufacturers out, and how AI on your existing documents keeps control without a heavyweight QMS.

By Andrew LongmanRead

Compliance16 Jun 20266 min read

NCR vs CAPA: What's the Difference?

An NCR records that something didn't meet requirement. A CAPA is the systematic action to fix the cause and stop it coming back. An NCR often triggers a CAPA, but not every one needs to.

By Andrew LongmanRead

Operations31 May 20264 min read

Work Instruction vs SOP: What's the Difference?

An SOP describes the whole process for a task. A work instruction spells out exactly how to do one step inside it. Here's how they fit together on a real shop floor, and when to write each.

By Andrew LongmanRead

Operations20 Feb 20265 min read

Why Your Manufacturing Documentation is Already Out of Date

Monday, 6:15am. Sarah pulls up the assembly procedure for Line 3. Three weeks ago, your engineering team cut 15% off the cycle time with a new fixture design. Sarah's screen shows the old method.

By AndrewRead

Operations13 Feb 20265 min read

What Happens When Your Best Machinist Retires?

Your best machinist is retiring in six months.

By Andrew LongmanRead

Want a heads-up when the next post lands? Drop us a line and we'll add you to the list. We send one email per post, never more.

Talk to us