Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a powerful tool for 3D printing businesses. Implementing a good ERP system can improve customer experience, save money, and improve your business’s operations.
Understanding the fundamentals of how to properly deploy an ERP solution is essential, and this article will explain how to implement an ERP in any 3D printing business successfully. We will also discuss the benefits of an ERP system and give tips on what you should consider before choosing one.
By reading through this piece thoroughly, 3D printing businesses will better understand how to get their ERP system up and running in no time.
What is Enterprise Resource Planning?
Enterprise resource planning, or ERP, is an integrated information system that makes a business more productive and efficient. Through its centralized database, ERP makes it easy for businesses to access data and information about resources like materials, labor, supplies, inventory, and capital assets.
With features such as financial management, customer relationship management (CRM), supplier relationship management (SRM), and demand planning tools, ERP is a valuable asset for businesses looking to streamline their processes or gain insight into complex operations.
Benefits of Using ERP in Your 3D Printing Business
There are many reasons why an ERP system is important for running a 3D printing business. Here are some of the most important ones:
Streamlined Operations
ERP systems help streamline processes by providing a comprehensive view of all operational areas. This allows 3D printing businesses to better plan and manage their production, inventory, customer orders, and financials.
Also, ERP streamlines the order-to-shipment workflow, cutting down on time and effort normally spent manually tracking orders. This reduces processing cycle times, paperwork, and overhead costs associated with traditional order fulfillment methods.
Increased Visibility
ERP systems provide real-time visibility into the operations of the business. This enables businesses to make better decisions, increase customer satisfaction, and improve their bottom line.
With advanced analytics, business owners are able to analyze usage trends as well as sales, service, and support activity. Not only does timely insight limit waste, but it also helps examine customer preferences and needs more accurately.
Enhanced Collaboration
ERP makes it easier and more efficient for teams to work together because it lets every employee see up-to-date information in real-time and access all processes from one central location. That way, teams can quickly exchange important data such as designs, execution plans, production schedules, and inventory levels with little extra effort.
This structure eliminates tedious manual data entry and encourages deeper conversations between team members about task progression and upcoming deadlines. Also, since 3D printing is becoming a more collaborative field, ERP helps businesses break down barriers between departments to give customers a better experience.
Reduced Cost of Operation
ERP software acts as a central hub for all of a business’s data, which makes product planning easier and helps keep track of materials better. This creates more efficient operations that use resources optimally; fewer supplies used over time lead to far reduced material costs and wider profit margins.
Furthermore, ERP automates many aspects of operations, from inventory counting to project delivery schedules, reducing the need for manual labor and other personnel-related expenses.
Increased Efficiency
ERP is an integral part of any 3D printing business that helps it become more efficient in many ways. The team benefits from the efficiencies gained with instant access to up-to-date information on parts availability, manufacturing processes, and inventory visibility, while customers benefit from reduced lead times and improved customer service.
ERP also provides managers with deep insights into their workflow process, allowing them to track progress and adjust operations in real-time. These benefits add up quickly and increase efficiency, saving time and money while improving production turnover rates.
How to Set Up an ERP System for Your 3D Printing Business
Follow this step-by-step guide to implement an ERP system in your 3D printing business:
1. Evaluate Your Current Processes
Evaluating existing processes is the first step in implementing an ERP system for any 3D printing business. The goal is to identify gaps where streamlining, technology integration, and automation can improve production efficiency.
Making a note of which processes need attention will help pinpoint areas for improvement, so detailed documentation should be top of mind when evaluating current processes in a 3D printing business.
2. Select an ERP system
Once you’ve identified the areas where ERP can help, you’ll need to select a system that fits your business needs. Typically, an ERP system should provide seamless connectivity across all business functions, automate manual processes, and help reduce costs.
It should also offer features like project cost management, inventory tracking, production scheduling, and material purchasing to ensure the timely delivery of 3D-printed products.
To read our comprehensive review of the top ERP software solutions, click here.
3. Customize the System
From ensuring efficient resource management to creating a customer-centric approach for business success, customizing a system allows you to create something around your core competencies, facilities, and processes that ensures everything runs seamlessly without false starts or confusion.
Once customized, the entire organization, from top to bottom, will benefit from improved communication and visibility, reaping rewards that drive growth in various areas while also providing the scalability needed to keep pace with future changes in the marketplace.
4. Train Your Employees
Training employees is essential for any 3D printing business that wants to use ERP. It helps ensure that everyone fully understands the new system and their responsibilities when using it.
Training should include a thorough overview of all the basic modules and functions, like order management, inventory control, customer relationship management, and analytics.
Additionally, clearly explain the roles of each department, why you are implementing ERP, and how it will affect their workflow. This will ensure that all team members understand their roles and can effectively utilize the system when it is operational.
5. Monitor and Adjust
During this stage, the performance of the ERP is tracked and evaluated, and any problems found are fixed. Through continuous evaluation and adjustment of goals, roles, communication channels, and technology, businesses can identify areas where further improvement is needed to manage data usage better and streamline processes.
Factors to Consider When Choosing an ERP Software for Your 3D Printing Business
Scalability
The ability to scale up operations should be a key factor in determining which software will work best for your 3D printing business. A good scalability plan should offer upgrades and extra features so you can stay up-to-date and maximize performance.
To ensure quality service as your operation expands, it’s essential to choose ERP software that can easily adjust to changing needs.
Automation
An automated process minimizes human interaction and errors while emphasizing cost efficiency and accuracy, streamlining production cycles, and enabling the production of customized items quickly and precisely.
Automation increases visibility into the entire process by providing real-time access to data from all departments, allowing you to plan and forecast quickly, improving agility in the face of rapidly changing customer demands.
Cost
Before purchasing ERP software, doing a cost comparison will help ensure you’re getting the best value for your money. Evaluate the features of each provider carefully; this may reduce the overall cost.
Find out what services are included in each package and ensure that they meet the needs of your business. It can also be helpful to estimate implementation time and other associated costs such as setup, user training, etc.
Consider upfront versus recurring payments and maintenance costs too. When assessing cost, it’s not just about finding the cheapest solution; it’s about finding the perfect fit for your 3D printing business.
Integration
Having the ability to connect many different types of systems and applications with the ERP package can save hours of extra manual work by automating processes and keeping data in sync across departments. This can help streamline operations, reduce inaccuracies, maximize profits, and increase customer satisfaction.
Furthermore, the ability to extend the application’s functionality beyond its original purpose can save money in the long run if the business needs change and require additional features or options from the system.
Security
Since so much sensitive information about customers is stored and shared between different users and teams, companies should choose the most secure option. From the encryption of crucial documents to two-factor authentication processes, the right ERP software should ensure that all information remains safe and private.
Robust access control systems also allow businesses to limit permission levels as needed, which increases security even more.
Support
Customer service that is thorough and quick to respond can make the difference between a smooth and effective workflow and one that is chaotic. Such support should meet the specific needs of a 3D printing business, offer continued maintenance, provide reliable technical assistance with problem-solving, and deliver detailed training courses on product use.
Conclusion
Implementing ERP in a 3D printing business will prove beneficial for any company. With the implementation, businesses will have access to tools that help them plan their materials and operations more cost-effectively, improve their workflow, and keep better track of their orders.
The easier management of operations can provide peace of mind for employees and customers alike and allow for a more streamlined system that gets results quickly. Overall, using an ERP system in your 3D printing business will surely have multiple positive outcomes that will contribute to a thriving business.
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Implement ERP in a 3D Printing Business
ERP systems are used in the manufacturing industry to help streamline and coordinate production. They can be used to manage materials, inventory, scheduling, and resources for production, as well as track costs and quality control.
The time it takes to implement an ERP system varies depending on the size and complexity of the project. Generally, it can take anywhere from 6 to 18 months to plan, design, configure, and deploy an ERP system.
The answer to this question depends on the specific ERP system being implemented and the size and complexity of the organization. ERP systems can be complex and require extensive customization and resources to implement. However, some ERP systems are designed to be more user-friendly and easier to implement.
The first step in ERP implementation is to define the business objectives and requirements of the organization. This includes understanding the current processes, identifying areas for potential improvement, and determining the desired outcomes of the ERP implementation.
One key to a successful ERP implementation is strong project management. This includes setting clear goals and objectives, developing a comprehensive project plan, and assigning tasks and roles to project team members.
With close to 5 years of experience, Oluwatosin has honed his skills as an SEO content writer, editor, and content marketing manager. He has written articles, conducted extensive research, and managed projects for clients in the Tech, Finance, Web3, Real Estate, E-commerce, Education, and Health industries. His expertise extends to SEO content optimization, content re-purposing, keyword research, competitor analysis and web content management.
