20 Best Manufacturing Software Systems for Your Business in 2023

What is Manufacturing Software?

Manufacturing software automates and orchestrates traditional manufacturing processes. In a nutshell, the software helps digitize the manufacturing operations of a business. These processes range from order forecasting to inventory management and logistics operations.

Besides simple automation, manufacturing system also helps to integrate multiple discrete processes into a single flow. The software helps make the staff’s life easier by providing them all the information they need within a single window.

Modernization of Manufacturing With Manufacturing Software Solutions

The manufacturing industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Much of the development talk in this sector is focused on the 4th Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0. This will pave the way for a technological disruption within the manufacturing vertical.

The manufacturing process system is one such disruption that will revolutionize this vertical. With an emphasis on process automation, manufacturing software will help save many operational expenses for companies while significantly improving their process efficiency. Here, we’ll take a look at manufacturing system in detail and how it can help improve your business.

Benefits of Using Manufacturing Tools

Now that you know what manufacturing software is, let us take a look at how this software can be beneficial to your workforce and business.

1. Improve Efficiency

The biggest selling point for top manufacturing software is how it positively influences efficiency. Reducing the amount of human intervention can greatly influence the productivity of the entire value chain.

Since the software helps integrate multiple processes, it can also identify process gaps to further improve efficiency. The software provides access to data collected across multiple processes; thus, improving efficiency and making informed business decisions.

2. Improved Process Visibility and Traceability

A manufacturing system can be used to track a process spanning across different departments and systems. All those who have access to the software can monitor performance and status across various points on this process. This makes it easier to troubleshoot issues and improve the overall process.

3. Cost Reduction

For the operations manager working at a manufacturing plant, the key benefit of the best manufacturing tools systems is cost reduction. Improved efficiency implies a reduction in overhead costs, such as labor overtime costs or a decrease in the number of resources required to work on a particular task. Manufacturing software also helps identify inefficient processes, ensuring further improvement and cost-saving.

A fully automated process can even help reduce costs by preventing wastage. This includes more accurate demand planning, reducing excess raw material ordering, or costs incurred due to excess inventory produced.

4. Increased Customer Satisfaction

Having a fully streamlined process ultimately results in happier customers. Thanks to the best manufacturing software, the complete process functions like a well-oiled machine. This results in accurate demand planning, and thereby, on-time delivery. Fixing process inefficiencies through the software will also pave the way for better product quality. Both of these factors can help dramatically improve customer satisfaction.

Key Features of Manufacturing Management Software

It is equally important to understand what to expect from such online manufacturing software, and the following segment gives us a comprehensive view of some of its key features:

1. Inventory Management

Inventory management helps track all the material required and continues uninterrupted production. The inventory management feature also keeps track of the quantity of the finished product and its storage in warehouses or transport to consumers. This helps businesses account for their products and keep a check on meeting customer expectations.

2. Quality Control

No process is perfect. Every manufacturing process has an associated error rate. However, a consumer will never entertain receiving a defective product. Once a consumer is subject to such a product, it creates a dent in the company’s reputation.

The quality control feature prevents such a scenario. This feature helps automate the diligent monitoring of products to ensure that the highest quality reaches the customer. The feature offers more reliability when it comes to quality control as opposed to doing the same manually.

3. Product Lifecycle Management

The manufacturing of products is a complicated process, often comprising multiple stages and departments. The product lifecycle management feature helps track the journey of production across each of these stages. The cloud-based manufacturing software system can help businesses improve product quality, reduce costs, resolve issues quicker, and optimize the wastage of resources.

4. Robust Reporting

Data tracking through robust reporting helps businesses and stakeholders make data-driven decisions. The reporting feature allows the stakeholders to obtain real-time data and transform it into actionable insights. This gives manufacturers important information on the different process efficiencies, thereby identifying and resolving issues proactively.

What Should You Consider When Buying Manufacturing Management System?

Here are some factors to consider that can help you get the best out of your manufacturing management system:

1. Simple User Interface

The software should be easy to use and should not require any complex training for the workforce. This will help offer maximum utility as it does not require any additional investment in a skilled workforce.

2. Easy to Implement

The best manufacturing software can be installed without needing any external help. Plug-and-play software ensures that there is no need to make large scale changes to your legacy systems. 

3. Built to Scale

Considering the promise of the manufacturing system is improved efficiency and growth, the software should be able to function seamlessly to handle this growth. Manufacturing software should scale as the company grows. Businesses need to understand how the software can be augmented to accommodate this growth.

4. Reporting and Analytics

Detailed reporting and insights on the data are critical to any manufacturing system. This would simplify the task for management who can focus their energy on how to action these insights. Using the software to define threshold values to raise alerts to the floor staff would also help the staff to act proactively.  

Top 5 Software For The Manufacturing Industry

With the numerous benefits that the best manufacturing software provides, there is a vast demand for such a market solution. Consequently, there is also a great supply of software to help meet this demand. The following are the top 5 software for the manufacturing verticals:

1. NetSuite Manufacturing

Oracle NetSuite is the leading cloud-based manufacturing tool for manufacturing production. Its primary focus is to specialize in the automation of back-office processes, such as accounting, CRM, audit trail, etc.

Key Features:

• Finance Management (including accounting, budgeting, and audit trails)

• CRM and Customer Management

• Inventory and Warehouse Management

• Sales and Marketing Tools

Pros

• Works well across both SMB and enterprise business use cases

• Versatile and works across multiple business models

• Adaptable across the manufacturing value chain

Cons

• Expensive compared to its competition

• Limited to manufacturing-specific use-cases, cannot be extended across other verticals of the company

2. Fishbowl Manufacturing

Fishbowl manufacturing software for manufacturing companies that specializes in automation and inventory management. The entire manufacturing platform emphasizes the criticality of inventory management with its inventory-centric system and features.

Key Features:

• Assets Management

• Raw Material Tracking

• Order Management

• Manufacturing System

• Customized Reporting

Pros

• Complete inventory visibility

• Extensive documentation

• Manage multiple warehouses using interchangeable systems

• Responsive support team

Cons

• Not enough financial management support

• Complex software

3. IQMS

Ideal for batch processing manufacturers, IQMS manufacturing software for the manufacturing industry comes with 21 pre-configured automation modules to digitize multiple manufacturing processes. The comprehensive manufacturing solution enables a modular and scalable approach to process automation.

Key Features:

• Customer Relationship Management

• Order Management

• Inventory Management

• Supply Chain Management

• Reporting and Analytics

Pros:

• Supports multiple business functions and processes

• Easy to implement and use

• Limited external support requirement

• Seamless switching across modules

Cons:

• A basic interface that does not have high utility

• Time and attendance modules are missing

• Broad scope, not well-tuned to tackle specific issues

4. Acumatica

Acumatica is another robust back-office manufacturing software for small businesses catering to the manufacturing industry. Its core expertise revolves around financial management and inventory management.

Key Features:

• Financial Management

• Inventory Management

• Order Management

• CRM

• Supply Chain Management

Pros:

• Easy to use, simple UI

• Resource-based pricing (as opposed to user-based pricing) makes it affordable

• Available on the cloud, on-premises, or hybrid environments

Cons:

• Poor error reporting

• The pricing structure can become complicated as resources increase

5. Plex ERP

This web-based manufacturing software caters to the modern manufacturer, where the plant floor comes first. The solution suits companies using lean manufacturing principles. 

Key Features:

• Inventory Management

• Account Management

• Order Management

• Project Management

• Supply Chain Management

Pros

• Quick and responsive interface

• Robust account management modules

• Well rounded features for more advanced customers

Cons

•  Complex software requires training

• Technical issues need constant support

• Not very flexible

The manufacturing system has seen a technological shift and left manufacturers in a rush to adopt the new-age tech. The adoption of the best manufacturing system into daily operations and activities is one such shift. It provides a plethora of advantages, primarily improving the company’s efficiency and reducing its costs and wastage.

Types of Manufacturing Software

1. ERP

The most common and one of the oldest types of manufacturing software in the market is the ERP solution or Enterprise Resource Planning. This solution covers end-to-end operations, from contacting vendors to filling customers' orders. It keeps a tab on inventory management, order management, and other processes of the sales cycle.

2. Manufacturing Execution System

MES solution covers the production process like engineering processes, design, production planning, personnel scheduling, packaging, storage, and others. Some variants of MES also include quality control of raw material and end product.

3. Process Control Software

Process control software manages the machinery involved in the manufacturing process. This solution focuses on manufacturing, machinery maintenance, and quality control (via maintaining machinery).

Beyond these, we have industry-specific software, like pharmaceutical manufacturing software, chemical manufacturing software packages, and others with specific features for formulae and others. Another major classification is on-premise vs. cloud. It is a misconception that on-premise is the best manufacturing software type. There are many alternatives that businesses can consider according to their requirements.

The choice between SaaS and on-premise depends on the budget and size of the enterprise. Small organizations with little to no IT resources and a smaller budget can choose SaaS. On the other hand, large enterprises should choose either an end-to-end solution like ERP or other on-premise solutions.

Latest Market Trends of Manufacturing Software

The ERP solutions market size will reach $48.21 billion, with a 7.88% CAGR by 2025. Among the different types of manufacturing systems, the ERP solutions will have a 40% or more market share by the end of 2025, according to an IndustryARC report. The MES solutions market size will increase to $14.9 billion by 2025.

1. Low Code Solution

Configuring and managing the document transfer between partners who use different types of manufacturing software is a tedious process. Thus, the companies favor new options with little to no-code solutions that offer drag-and-drop options for configuration. Such a solution will increase the coordination between partners without the need for intensive IT involvement.

2. Direct Selling

The market has solutions for both B2B and B2C business models. However, the new trend of e-commerce introduced the B2B2C model, wherein the firm can sell to other businesses and customers via the same supply chain. The direct selling method allows the firm to use the same solution to support both the channel and offer customer service, shipment tracking, order management, payment processing, etc.

3. Big Data, Machine Learning, and IIoT

IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) allows the companies to use the manufacturing system to control the entire warehouse process via sensor-enabled tools and glasses. This process increases visibility and reduces the error margin. IIoT is not a stand-alone solution as it is heavily dependent on data. The machine learning module allows the manufacturing software to offer good visibility and better automation through utilizing Big Data. Such AI-powered manufacturing software packages are in demand by larger enterprises.

4. Predictive Maintenance

Predictive management is a part of IIoT. Machine learning will allow the user to predict the downtime and breakdowns, and with maintenance alerts, it is possible to conduct preventive maintenance.

5. Universal Connectability

Each business is different, and so is its manufacturing process. Thus, businesses need software solutions that fit their manufacturing process, which tends to vary with trends. Thus, system-agnostic products are in demand. For instance, Omnidirectional AMR allows the user to fit the device, operating technologies, and others to suit their business process, without the expense of choosing a complete custom software solution.

6. Mobile Solutions

The manufacturing software is not desktop-restricted anymore. The solutions are available in mobile devices to have better visibility and control with no regard for the user's location. According to an MS Group report, the companies that incorporate mobile applications in the manufacturing process can save up to 42 minutes per employee per day. Moreover, mobile-friendly solutions offer real-time messaging between employees and machines, allowing instant decision-making.

Challenges to Manufacturing Software Implementation

People often consider that the major challenge is finding the best manufacturing software suitable for the requirements and budget. However, even the simplest software could cause troubles during implementation.

1. Right Process To Integrate

The priority is to identify the processes that should come under automation. It is possible to cover all the processes, but the overall cost would be tremendous. It is essential to understand the improvement in efficiency and reduction in error in each process and choose the ones that would benefit the most when automated.

2. Flexibility

The manufacturing process directly alters the inventory management, distribution, pricing policies, talent hiring methods, and more. Thus, the manufacturing software should communicate well with the other departments. The usage of legacy systems is unavoidable. It would be best to either have the right tools to integrate the manufacturing software throughout the workflow or pick the solution with better integration features.

3. Employee Resistance

The reason for resistance could be politics in the workplace, fear of the unknown, fear of robots replacing workers, or lack of training. Most companies focus on allocating resources and time to choose the best manufacturing software and implementing it well. They also will assign resources and budget for training. However, most firms forget to allow adequate time for the employees to familiarize the new process and accept feedback from the employees regarding the new changes.

Some software packages come with detailed tutorials and help documents for easy induction. Some offer training programs for the employees. It is essential to choose the vendor with adequate training facilities and knowledge transfer documents.

4. Maintenance

Installing manufacturing software is not a one-time process. The software needs upgrades and maintenance. While trying to cut corners for the software budget, companies fail to check customer support quality. The vendor's support team should be readily available during business hours. Moreover, to implement the troubleshooting steps directed by the support team, the company should have IT professional support.

5. Utilizing Reports

The best manufacturing software has multiple vital features that generate reports for better decision-making or assessment. The inability or lethargy to use this data could lead to failure to meet the objective.

Related Research Article:

• Manufacturing Technology Trends That Will Rule The Future
• Best MRP Planning Tools to Streamline Your Supply and Demand
• The Fourth Industrial Revolution For Digital Manufacturing