ERP for Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers
Multi-level BOMs, engineering changes, long-lead purchase, machining and assembly, commissioning and years of after-sales service — on one record per machine.
In short
ERP for machinery and special purpose machine builders handles engineer-to-order work: multi-level BOMs with revisions and ECOs, MPS and MRP for long-lead parts, routing and work orders for machining and assembly, serial traceability, and commissioning, warranty, AMC and spares for each machine shipped.
| Mode | Engineer-to-order / configure-to-order |
|---|---|
| Change control | ECOs and BOM revisions |
| Traceability | Lots and serial numbers per machine |
| Runs on | Cloud — browser and phone, nothing to install |
Machine builders work engineer-to-order or configure-to-order: each machine starts from a design that may change during the build, has a multi-level BOM of machined parts, fabricated frames and bought-out drives, motors and controls, and is followed by installation, commissioning, warranty and spares for years.
The hard part is change. An engineering change after parts are machined, a motor substituted because of lead time, a spare part needed for a machine shipped five years ago — each needs the BOM, purchase, production and service to agree on what was actually built.
What you get
Multi-level BOMs
Assemblies, sub-assemblies, machined parts and bought-outs in a BOM tree per machine.
PLM and engineering changes
ECOs and revisions recorded, so everyone works to the current design and the history stays.
MPS and MRP
Plan builds in the master schedule and let MRP net parts against stock and open orders.
Routing and work centres
Machining and assembly operations with work centres, work orders and job cards; OEE for key machines.
Traceability
Lots and serial numbers traced from receipt to the machine they went into.
Commissioning, warranty and AMC
Installation and handover, then warranty claims, AMC and service tickets per machine.
A special purpose machine, step by step
- 1The customer approves the design; the sales order creates the project and the top-level BOM.
- 2MRP explodes the multi-level BOM; long-lead motors and controls go to purchase first.
- 3Machined parts move through routing on work orders; the frame is fabricated in-house.
- 4A design change to a fixture is raised as an ECO; the BOM revision updates and affected work orders are seen.
- 5Assembly and trial run are recorded; the machine is dispatched and commissioned at site.
- 6Warranty starts at handover; later, a spare part is ordered against the machine's own BOM.
Engineering change without chaos
In machine building, changes are normal; losing track of them is not. Recording each change as an ECO against the BOM, with the revision and reason, means purchase and production work from the same version and service knows what was built.
Planning long-lead parts
Motors, gearboxes and control systems can take longer to arrive than the rest of the machine takes to build. MRP against the master schedule shows these early enough to order them first.
Service for the life of the machine
A machine is a ten- or twenty-year relationship. Keeping its BOM, serial numbers, commissioning record and service history together makes spares, AMC and warranty decisions quick and accurate.
Questions people ask.
What is the best ERP for machinery manufacturers?
One that handles engineer-to-order work: multi-level BOMs with revisions and ECOs, MRP, routing and work orders, traceability, commissioning and after-sales service.
Does it support engineer-to-order manufacturing?
Yes. Each machine can have its own BOM and project, with engineering changes recorded as the design evolves.
Can it trace parts to a serial-numbered machine?
Yes. Lot and serial traceability links received material and parts to the machine they were built into.
How are engineering changes handled?
Through ECOs in the PLM module: the BOM revision, the reason and the affected items are recorded.
Does it manage spares and AMC after installation?
Yes — warranty, AMC contracts, preventive maintenance and service tickets per installed machine.
Related parts of the system
Tell us what you make.
The useful version of a demo uses your own item list and last month's orders, not ours.
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