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Replace spreadsheets with a single platform to manage quoting, production scheduling, shop-floor tracking, and job profitability.
Many fabrication businesses still run critical operations across spreadsheets, disconnected tools, and manual processes.
This creates operational challenges that slow growth and reduce profitability.
Common issues include:
As fabrication companies grow, these systems become harder to manage and increasingly error prone.
Modern manufacturers need a system that connects sales, production, and operations in one place.
That’s where manufacturing ERP comes in.
Manufacturing ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is software that connects the key processes required to run a manufacturing business.
For fabrication companies, ERP systems typically manage:
Instead of running operations across multiple spreadsheets and tools, ERP creates a single operational system.
This provides real-time visibility across the entire production workflow.
Not all ERP systems are designed for fabrication workflows.
Fabrication companies require capabilities that support high-mix, project-based manufacturing. Important ERP capabilities include:
Automated Quoting
Generate quotes faster by calculating material costs, labour, and machine time automatically.
Production Scheduling
Plan and schedule jobs across machines while managing production capacity.
Shop Floor Visibility
Track job progress in real time and monitor the status of work orders on the factory floor.
Job Costing and Profitability
Understand the true cost and margin of every job by tracking materials, labour, and production time..
Connected Operations
Link sales, operations, and production so that information flows across the organisation.
A modern manufacturing ERP platform connects the entire fabrication workflow.
Typical workflow:
1. Quote: Create detailed quotes based on materials, labour, and machine time.
2. Plan: Convert quotes into production jobs and schedule work across available machines.
3. Produce: Track work orders and job progress on the shop floor.
4. Deliver: Complete orders, manage deliveries, and invoice customers.
This end-to-end visibility helps fabrication companies operate more efficiently and make better operational decisions.
Different types of fabrication companies have slightly different operational requirements.
Explore how ERP supports specific fabrication workflows.
ERP for Sheet Metal Fabrication
ERP for Job Shops
ERP for Precision Machining
ERP for Laser Cutting Shops
ERP for Custom Manufacturing
Manufacturing ERP helps fabrication businesses improve efficiency and visibility across operations.
Typical benefits include:
Faster Quoting: Reduce the time required to generate quotes and respond to customer requests.
Improved Production Planning: Schedule jobs more effectively and reduce machine downtime.
Better Job Profitability Tracking: Understand which jobs are profitable and identify cost drivers.
Reduced Administrative Work: Automate manual processes and reduce spreadsheet management.
Real-Time Operational Visibility: Monitor production performance and job status across the organisation.
Most fabrication companies begin evaluating ERP when they experience challenges such as:
ERP provides the operational infrastructure needed to support continued growth.
Selecting an ERP system requires careful consideration.
Fabrication companies should look for platforms that:
Modern ERP platforms like Tangle are increasingly designed to be more flexible and easier to implement than traditional ERP systems.
Tangle provides a modern ERP platform designed to help fabrication companies manage operations more effectively.
The platform enables teams to:
This creates a single operational system that supports better decision-making and more efficient manufacturing operations.
"Other Vendors could not match our needs - Tangle met 100% of our requirements"
