Manufacturing Software is an umbrella term used to describe software used within manufacturing. Whilst each manufacturing vertical is likely to have its own specialised tech stack depending on its industry, in this blog post, we will be focussing on the higher-level types of software that are applicable to most small manufacturing businesses.
Types of Manufacturing Software for Small Businesses
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Integrates production, accounting, inventory management, HR, sales and CRM in a comprehensive software solution.
- Material Requirements Planning (MRP)
Reads through the demand in the system and generates a list of recommendations to purchase and manufacture goods to satisfy the due dates required.
- Manufacturing Execution System (MES)
Focuses on real-time monitoring to help manufacturers track the status of jobs, resolve production issues, and collect data for continuous improvement.
- Inventory Management Software
Tracks the flow of materials and products throughout the manufacturing process, preventing running out of stock and optimising inventory levels.
- Quality Management System (QMS)
Helps track and manage quality control processes to ensure products meet their quality standards.
- Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
Enables the quick and efficient creation of digital models of products.
- Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM)
Creates instructions for machines and ensures that products are manufactured to their precise specifications.
By using a combination of these types of software, small manufacturing businesses can improve both their efficiency and accuracy.
Currently looking for a new comprehensive Manufacturing Software to use within your small manufacturing business? Here are some features and functionality that you should be looking out for…
Functionality to look for in Manufacturing Software:
- Stock Management: Track stock levels in real-time, helping to avoid running out of stock and overstocking. This functionality also helps with ordering materials just in time for production.
- Quality Control: Monitor quality control metrics and identify and address any issues early in the production process, helping to reduce waste and improve product quality.
- Supply Chain Management: Manage relationships with suppliers and ensure you receive the materials you need on time and at the right price.
- Bill of Materials: Manage and build multi-level assemblies while ensuring your inventory records and production schedule are up to date.
- Production Scheduling: Create and manage production schedules, ensuring that products are made on time and to budget. This considers the availability of materials, labour, and machines.
- Traceability: Track the movement of materials and products throughout the production process and retain all data for compliance.
- Analytics and Reporting: Collect and analyse data from operations and easily identify areas for improvement. Make better decisions about production, stock, and pricing.
- Manufacturing Accounting: Keep track of costs and the value of stock in real-time, enabling better financial reporting and smarter purchasing decisions.
Our Manufacturing Software Solutions
CIM Software are award-winning manufacturing software developers. Our solutions, Cim50 and Cim200, integrate with Sage 50 Accounts and Sage 200 Professional respectively. They are designed with small manufacturers in mind and incorporate a wide range of functionality including Stock Management, Scheduling, Quality Control, Traceability, Accounting, Analytics and Bill of Materials. Cim50 is suitable for businesses with up to 20 concurrent users and Cim200 is suitable for businesses with up to 100 concurrent users.
To find out more about our Manufacturing Software, and how it can help your business work more efficiently, just enter your details in the form below…
