The best way to learn what works in digitization is to just do it.
For the past ten years I have been working with metal on a daily basis, first as a machinist, then mechanic, then welder, then draftsman, and finally in the last year of my mechanical engineering studies I started developing CAD templates and configurators.
With such a data model, among other things, you could generate CAD files for Solidworks from Excel spreadsheets, which were automatically converted to laser files in .DXF files so they could be nested immediately.
When I saw how much time I could save with a simple automation system, I was completely sold for this field And this has been 8 years already!
Here is a sampling of the projects I have done:
- Knight iQ implementation, as first 10 users(2013)
- Knight iQ coupling with TruTops Nest / Laser(2014)
- Automatic scheduling in Excel in conjunction with ERP(2015)
- Knight iQ coupling with TruTops Fab/Boost further developed(2016)
- Implementation of Ridder iQ – TruTops links at over 8 companies(2017-2019)
- Project management at 10+ metalworkers for linkages between ERP and CAM(2018-2022)
- Start-up experiment for online quotation platform ‘PlaatwerkDirect.nl’(2018)
- Design and implementation of custom QRM planning software(2019)
- Design and guidance in the construction of 3 sheet metal plants (software + machinery)(2019-2021)
- Design and implementation of Business Intelligence (BI) dashboards via Power BI(2020-2022)
- Strategic advice and guidance for startup QuotationFactory / Rhodium24(2020-2021)
- Development of linkage QuotationFactory and TruTops Fab(2021)
- Development of linkage QuotationFactory and TruTops Boost manufacturability control(2022)
- Development of linkage between Knight iQ and Azumuta(2022)
The reason I tell you this is that through these projects I have learned what can go right and wrong.
And I’d like to share that with you through practical tips.
The point is
Most business problems are usually no longer limited to what software can technically do. It’s about solving the right problems and being able to ask the right questions. And for that, you need knowledge and experience.
But there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. A lot has changed since 2013. For example, information is now freely available, such as on my blog, various events and other youtubers. But I understand that sometimes you just don’t have time.
Want to get started?
But if you want to move faster, not have to figure everything out all the time and really stay in control, you can of course hire a part-time specialist.
If you find that interesting, as of early September I have room for another improvement project, like the one above. To meet without obligation, book an introductory appointment.
