Many people end up managing a machine shop because they started it. When they started, their shop was small. However, as their shop grew, they hired more people until they were doing more managing than they were working the machines. For others, they came into a management position more directly. No matter how you got…
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No shop wants to have scrap material. It is possible to sell or recycle scrap, but it’s better not to have it in the first place. Reducing your shop’s scraps can raise your bottom line and improve the flow of work on your shop floor. Quality Control One of the easiest ways to reduce scrap…
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With a subpar accounting program, it can be hard to tell how much money your shop is making. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if your shop is making money at all! Using the right accounting program will make it easier to protect your shop from economic trouble and raise your bottom line. Surviving the Recession…
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A job can’t run without materials. That necessity is part of why purchasing and ordering are so important, but they can have an even bigger impact on your shop. It’s critical your shop has a program for purchasing and ordering that can keep up. Otherwise, you could be spending too much money and sending out…
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The best part of having an ERP system is how much it improves your shop. How it makes your shop better depends on what you need it to do and how you use it. For example, you may need an ERP system that tells you exactly where your jobs are so you can meet tight…
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We’ve all heard that technology can make our lives better, but it can be hard to know, specifically, what technology to use. There are plenty of examples of technology that can be used in a job shop. Some things, however, work better than others. Below are five examples of technology that can do wonders for…
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You probably already know how getting ISO certified can help your shop. Potential customers like to see that your shop is meticulous enough to have earned this certification, and in some cases, they require it before giving your shop work. So, it’s understandable that shop owners would like to have this certification. However, shop employees…
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Who would have thought that keeping old records would save the day? For Dan Rozwadowski at Eagle Grinding and Plating, those scanned-in records helped save a customer and get them more business. Sharing Knowledge Recently more and more Baby Boomers are retiring and they’re taking knowledge with them that was never written down. This is…
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As anyone who’s ever worked in a group knows, communication is key. It’s no good telling someone to use the press brake if they bend the material in the wrong place. It’s even worse if someone tells you there’s enough sheet metal for a job, but they were looking at the wrong numbers, and you…
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ERP systems make many things easier in manufacturing shops. However, there are still gaps in some software packages. For example, if a manufacturer gets a CAD file from one of their customers, it would be easiest for the manufacturer if that CAD file could update in their ERP system. However, for many ERP systems, this…
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As it gets closer to the end of the year, accounting savvy manufacturers will be thinking about how to maximize their tax deduction under Section 179. Not accounting savvy? No problem. Section 179 is essentially part of tax law that allows manufacturers to write off their purchase price for qualifying equipment and/or software that they…
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Many people have the idea that manufacturing has left the US. While it is true that many plants have been moved offshore to other countries, manufacturing as a whole is still alive and well in the US. In fact, it’s getting stronger. Manufacturing is Getting Stronger Far from dying away, manufacturing in America is growing….
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IT costs can add up quickly, but shop owners rarely sit down see how much they’re spending. It can be surprising how much everything costs when you put it all together, especially if you host your ERP software yourself. Below is a list of IT costs that accompany an ERP system if it’s hosted at…
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No one is really ready when disaster hits their shop. However, the more you can prepare before a disaster hits, the better off you’ll be if one does happen. If you have a plan in place, then you don’t have to try to figure out what to do in the middle of a disaster. You…
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Whether you’re changing a process in your shop or implementing new software, there are specific ways to address change in every kind of shop. For instance, just because some things work well for repetitive manufacturers, doesn’t mean they’ll work well for a job shop. You need strategies that work with your shop’s operations. Below are…
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There’s a lot to think about when you’re replacing your legacy ERP system with a new one. One of the biggest considerations is how you’re going to get your data out of your old ERP system and into your new one. While there is no absolute rule that works for everyone when it comes to…
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When you start looking at ways to make your shop more efficient, lean manufacturing is one of the first strategies that come up. Lean manufacturing is a strategy to eliminate waste from your shop. Waste can come in the form of wasted time or resources. Job shops typically find it difficult to use lean manufacturing…
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ERP systems are an integral part of a shop. However, they are less useful when you have to walk back and forth to a computer every time you want to use them. With this in mind, Shoptech has made a number of mobile apps for E2 SHOP available in the App Store or in Google…
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When you think of growing your shop, you probably think about getting more square footage. Sometimes this is the best move for your shop, and sometimes it isn’t. However, there are several ways to find growth in your shop and not all of them involve moving or building an addition. Four ways to grow your…
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If you’ve been using the same ERP system for several years, it might be time for an upgrade. When you bought your system, it was probably on the cutting edge of shop management systems, but technology changes quickly. If you’ve had the same ERP system for several years without updating it, you have a legacy…
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Have you been looking for an easy way to keep your crew on the shop floor informed? Shoptech has come up with a solution that would stop you from having to run down to the floor to deliver news, updates, schedule changes, etc. The Monitor Application is a standalone program, included with the purchase of…
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ERP systems have had a huge impact on manufacturing. Whether you have an ERP system or not, you’ve probably heard about how much they’ve changed the industry. Because of how important they are, it’s a good idea to learn about them. However, ERP systems can be fairly complex, and there’s a lot to know. Continue…
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In an ideal world, every price you quote would be accurate and your shop would always have a high profit margin. However, that sometimes isn’t the case. Quoting jobs can be difficult to do by hand, and having a quick way to look up previous, similar jobs would make it much easier. This is where…
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There is an array of articles about Millennials in the workplace. Now, another generation is coming of age. Gen Z (whose members were born between the mid-1990s and early 2000s) are the “new kids” in the workforce. Fortunately for manufacturers, there are some similarities between what Millennials and what Gen Z want in a workplace….
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Everyone can agree that ERP software makes it easier to run a shop. However, it has to be the right kind of software for your shop, otherwise, everything becomes more difficult. For example, a job shop where every order is unique would need different strengths in their ERP software than a repetitive manufacturer. E2 Software…
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