Manufacturing & Engineering Bespoke Web and Software Development

Understanding business needs in Manufacturing & Engineering

If you work in manufacturing or engineering, you'll already be well aware of how complex things can be -  intricate workflows, specialised equipment, compliance regulations that are unfathomable to some industries and a constant pressure to stay competitive in a what is now, a very saturated market. Off-the-shelf software might work for some, but when your processes are this specific, it is somewhat of a rarity.

Bespoke solutions are designed to fit you business needs only, helping you integrate your systems (whether bespoke or existing), automate repetitive processes and improve your operational efficiency tenfold. For manufacturers, that might mean production planning tools, inventory management systems or quality control platforms. For engineering teams, it could be design automation, project management or simulation software. Regardless of your setup and how complex it is, bespoke software gives you the flexibility to make your technology work the way you need it to.

Development team and platform expertise

As with any industry, having a team of developers who have specific expertise in the manufacturing and engineering field is always going to beneficial to your project. When developers have this specialised, working knowledge, they are much better positioned to understand the intricacies and challenges of your business  than those without the sector specific knowledge.

Let's take a closer look at some of the benefits of selecting a development team with industry specific knowledge for software projects and how they can make the development process a more streamlined and effective one for your business.

They understand your industry's specific workflows - From processes such as CAD integration to machine automation, experienced developers know how things actually play out in reality on your shop floor.

They solve problems quicker - By using developers with readily available experience in these sectors, you can be assured they are familiar with the common challenges your industry faces which in turn, enables them to propose innovative and practical solutions quickly and effectively.

They build relevant solutions - Having engineering and manufacturing working knowledge allows developers to create targeted, role specific software by having the knowledge to address issues that are unique to manufacturing and engineering environments.

They plan for the future - Developers familiar with your world can anticipate future technology trends and build solutions that preemptively encompass them.

Management systems in manufacturing & engineering

Management systems form the backbone of the majority of operations in these industries. From supply chains to quality assurance, these systems can help to keep your operations running fluidly. Let's take a closer look at how bespoke versions of these tools can benefit your business:

Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems

SCM systems allow organisations to co-ordinate their logistics, inventory and supplier relationships to ensure production flows are efficient and in some cases, automated whilst giving the business the ability to manage all of their supply chain elements from one single platform.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems

ERP systems allow businesses to integrate core business processes including procurement, production planning and inventory management. They are particularly useful in the Manufacturing and Engineering industries as they tend to be production driven and for this to be effective they need a streamlined and consistent way to obtain the components they need, to keep track of said components to avoid shortages and because the production process can be quite complex with multiple stages, they offer a one stop shop for monitoring and controlling these processes end to end.

Quality Management Systems (QMS)

QMS are widely used across the Manufacturing and Engineering industries and provide organisations with a centralised platform from which they can manage all aspects of quality control can be managed. Through the use of a QMS software system businesses are able to digitise the documents and processes that organisations adhere to when pushing out products to market that are safe and viable, that meet any relevant regulatory requirements and that meet their clients expectations.

Production Management Systems (PMS)

PMS are software solutions that are commonly use to plan, monitor and ultimately optimise production workflows. They usually consist of the end to end production based workflows of an organisation including the planning, scheduling, resource allocation, inventory tracking, quality control and reporting. Essentially, PMS take these activities and digitise them helping to increase efficiency via automation all whilst ensuring the consistent quality of the products in question.

Inventory Management Systems (IMS)

Inventory Management Systems (IMS) are critical tools in the Manufacturing and Engineering industries. They are use to track, manage and ultimately optimise the use of materials, components and finished goods and encompass everything from raw materials through to finished products and are particularly useful for multi-site organisations in that they can consolidate the inventories across all sites.

Cost effectiveness of bespoke solutions

It’s only natural to expect a return on your software investment whether that’s through time saved, processes improved or costs reduced. Off-the-shelf systems can be cost effective for some but for manufacturing and engineering businesses with more complex operations, bespoke software more often than not delivers far better long term value. Let's take a closer look at how:

Relevant features only

Every feature is built for a reason meaning you’re not funding unnecessary functionality or licences you’ll never use.

Built to last

Custom software can grow and adapt as your business grows so you don’t need to replace it every few years.

Integrations

Because it’s built from scratch, it can be built to integrate with your existing software - no more clunky workarounds or unexpected compatibility issues.

No licensing fees

Once it’s built, it’s yours. You own it outright, without recurring fees or forced updates you didn’t ask for.

It makes your business more efficient

By automating tasks, removing duplication and improving workflows, bespoke systems free up time for your employees to work on other, more important stuff.

How can we help?

Cool Code Company have worked closely with the Manufacturing and Engineering industries for over 15 years, developing and implementing bespoke solutions that streamline workflows, enhance productivity and provide cost savings.

We’ll take the time to understand your business, map out your goals and show you exactly how technology can help you achieve them. From there, we’ll design and build a custom solution that’s tailored to your operations, integrates with your existing setup and gives you full control over how your business runs.

Whether you’re dealing with inefficient workflows, disconnected systems or no longer fit for purpose tools, we’ll help you modernise, streamline and future proof your processes.

Further reading

Everything You Need to Know About Manufacturing & Engineering Bespoke WFM Systems

Everything You Need to Know About Manufacturing & Engineering Bespoke CRM Systems

But don't just take our word for it....

Why not take a look at how we helped Leicester based Metalworking suppliers Westermans International transform their operations with a fully bespoke hybrid CRM/WFM system that increased productivity in the workplace upwards of a whopping 75%!