How Manufacturers Reduce Data Entry, Improve Data Accuracy, and Accelerate Production with QBuild Software #

Manufacturers invest heavily in ERP systems to improve planning, inventory management, procurement, manufacturing execution, and business visibility. However, many organizations still struggle with disconnected engineering and ERP systems that require duplicate data entry, manual BOM creation, manual routing updates, and labor-intensive change management processes.

Engineering teams often spend valuable time re-entering part numbers, Bills of Material (BOMs), routings, revisions, and manufacturing information into ERP systems instead of focusing on product development and innovation. These manual processes create delays, increase errors, and reduce the return on ERP investments.

QBuild Software helps manufacturers eliminate these challenges by connecting CAD, PDM, PLM, engineering, and ERP systems into a streamlined Engineering-to-ERP workflow. Across aerospace, defense, industrial machinery, robotics, laboratory equipment, construction equipment, food processing, material handling, and medical manufacturing, QBuild customers have reported measurable improvements in engineering productivity, ERP data quality, operational efficiency, and business performance.

Top Metrics Snapshot #

Measurable Results from QBuild Customer Case Studies #

Case Study Metrics Summary #

Why Manufacturers Invest in Engineering-to-ERP Integration #

Although every manufacturer has unique products, customers, ERP systems, and engineering workflows, the business challenges are remarkably similar. Across QBuild Software case studies, manufacturers consistently describe the need to reduce manual data entry, improve BOM accuracy, streamline engineering-to-production handoffs, and strengthen ERP data quality.

Common challenges reported by manufacturers include:

• Manual BOM creation and maintenance
• Duplicate engineering data entry
• Engineering bottlenecks caused by ERP administration
• Inaccurate or inconsistent ERP information
• Production delays caused by missing or incorrect data
• Limited visibility between engineering, operations, purchasing, and manufacturing
• Manual change management processes
• Engineering resources consumed by non-value-added administrative work

QBuild Software customers use Engineering-to-ERP integration to automate the flow of engineering information into ERP systems, reduce inefficient manual work, and create a more reliable digital thread between engineering and manufacturing.

Customer Success Stories #

K-Tec Earthmovers: 600% ROI and More Than $400,000 Saved #

K-Tec Earthmovers implemented CADLink to automate engineering data transfer into Infor VISUAL. By eliminating manual BOM maintenance and improving the reliability of CAD-to-ERP data, K-Tec achieved an estimated 600% ROI and saved more than $400,000.

“The quality of our data is much more reliable since we can depend on the information in Inventor making its way to VISUAL without a problem.”

Blue Giant: 270 Engineering Hours Saved Per Week #

Blue Giant reduced BOM administration by approximately 270 hours every week, eliminating about 90% of the original time spent on data entry. The company increased project throughput to the equivalent of nearly seven additional engineers while improving manufacturing cost visibility and BOM accuracy.

“Once the philosophy of modeling as built was adopted, being able to quickly upload a full assembly in one shot is most definitely the biggest benefit.”

MegaPhase: More Than 80% Reduction in BOM Entry Effort #

MegaPhase reduced BOM entry effort by more than 80%. Before CADLink, the company was dedicating more than 50 hours per week to BOM entry. After implementation, engineering data entry dropped to only a few hours per week, allowing engineering resources to focus on higher-value design work.

“Great team with great response time. Awesome – always present, with always a quality job done.”

AM Manufacturing: More Than 50% Reduction in Job Processing Time #

AM Manufacturing used CADLink to streamline the release of jobs from CAD into Aptean M2M ERP. The company reduced job processing time by more than 50%, improved CAD-to-ERP synchronization, and strengthened collaboration between engineering and parts planning.

“CADLink is the ideal solution. It has become an integral part of our process, and I will recommend it to any other manufacturer.”

Labconco: 75% Reduction in BOM Entry Time #

Labconco reduced BOM entry time by 75% while improving validation and data quality. Complex BOMs that previously took hours to complete could be processed in approximately 30 minutes after CADLink was implemented.

“CADLink made my job much easier, which reduced data entry errors, as well as stress on a personal level.”

Control Chief: ROI Expected Within One Year #

Control Chief automated Job BOM creation between AutoCAD and Aptean M2M. The company eliminated approximately 1.5 hours of manual BOM entry per Job BOM on average and expected to surpass ROI within one year based on time savings alone.

“Within a year we will have already surpassed our ROI just in the time saved from entering part numbers.”

Bascom Hunter: BOM Reviews Reduced from Hours to Minutes #

Bascom Hunter integrated SolidWorks PDM with Deltek Costpoint, reducing BOM review times from hours to minutes. CADLink helped improve data accuracy, accelerate production cycles, and reduce friction across engineering and manufacturing operations.

“Great choice if you want a company dedicated to supporting their customers and supplying a product that the customer requested.”

Genesis Systems: 210 Engineering Hours Saved Annually #

Genesis Systems used CADLink to automate CAD-to-ERP BOM generation and synchronization. The company saved approximately 210 engineering hours annually and achieved approximately $14,700 USD in annual savings.

“CADLink is great to work with, they truly understand their product and more importantly understand the integration between our ERP system and our CAD software.”

Vent-Rite: Faster Lead Times and More Consistent Product Delivery #

Vent-Rite used CADLink to improve BOM consistency, reduce manual review effort, and support faster lead times. The company expected ROI within the first year through time savings, reduced rework, fewer production delays, and more reliable product delivery.

“This program will result in faster lead-times and a more consistent product shipped.”

Additional Manufacturing Successes #

Additional QBuild Software customer success stories include:

• ABEC — reduced redundant data entry and labor costs associated with design documentation and data management.
• BTI / ASTEC — improved productivity, reduced rework, and lowered design and production costs.
• JBT — improved BOM accuracy, reduced costs, and freed engineering resources for value-added activities.
• ProMach — standardized Engineering-to-Production workflows across multiple brands using CADLink and PartCreator.
• Demcon — improved ERP data quality for engineering and production in IFS using CADLink and MBOM.
• Granco Clark — improved BOM consistency between SolidWorks and Epicor and reduced concerns about data consistency.
• Knight Aerospace — used CADLink to reduce manual data transfer risks and support more accurate ERP information.
• XL Specialized Trailers — improved BOM transfer between Inventor and Aptean M2M while reducing manual processes.
• Resodyn — streamlined BOM delivery to purchasing and improved communication between engineering and procurement.
• VMAC — established CAD files as a stronger source of truth for the organization outside engineering.

Industries Using Engineering-to-ERP Integration #

QBuild Software customers span a wide range of manufacturing industries, including:

• Aerospace and defense manufacturing
• Construction equipment manufacturing
• Industrial machinery manufacturing
• Robotics and automation
• Food processing equipment
• Laboratory equipment manufacturing
• Medical and pharmaceutical equipment
• Material handling solutions
• Heavy transportation equipment
• Packaging and processing equipment
• Mobile power equipment
• Aluminum processing equipment

What These Results Mean for Manufacturers #

Across the QBuild Software customer evidence library, one trend is consistent: manufacturers want engineers focused on innovation, product development, and customer requirements — not manual ERP data entry.

Engineering-to-ERP integration helps manufacturers:

• Reduce duplicate data entry
• Improve BOM and item data accuracy
• Accelerate engineering release processes
• Improve purchasing and production readiness
• Reduce downstream rework and production delays
• Strengthen collaboration between engineering, operations, purchasing, and manufacturing
• Increase the value of ERP, CAD, PDM, and PLM investments

For manufacturers managing complex products, multi-level BOMs, engineering changes, custom workflows, and strict production requirements, QBuild Software provides a proven path to connect engineering data directly with ERP systems and improve business performance.

Frequently Asked Questions #

What is Engineering-to-ERP integration? #

Engineering-to-ERP integration connects engineering systems such as CAD, PDM, and PLM with ERP platforms so item data, Bills of Material, routings, revisions, and related manufacturing information can flow more accurately between engineering and operations.

What business outcomes can manufacturers achieve with Engineering-to-ERP integration? #

Manufacturers can reduce manual data entry, improve BOM accuracy, accelerate engineering releases, reduce production delays, improve ERP data quality, and increase the return on existing CAD, PDM, PLM, and ERP investments.

Which QBuild Software solution is commonly used for CAD-to-ERP integration? #

CADLink is QBuild Software’s Engineering-to-ERP integration solution used by manufacturers to connect CAD and engineering data with ERP systems.

What types of manufacturers use QBuild Software? #

QBuild Software customers include manufacturers in aerospace, defense, industrial machinery, food processing equipment, laboratory equipment, robotics, construction equipment, material handling, packaging equipment, and mobile power equipment.

Why is BOM automation important for manufacturers? #

BOM automation helps manufacturers reduce duplicate data entry, improve the accuracy of manufacturing data, prevent downstream production issues, and move engineering information into ERP systems faster.

How does Engineering-to-ERP integration improve ERP data quality? #

Engineering-to-ERP integration improves ERP data quality by reducing manual re-entry, synchronizing engineering information with ERP records, validating data before release, and helping teams identify discrepancies before they affect production.