Efforts put in by quality control inspectors, dozens of technicians, and several machines that work in tandem result in millions of items rolling out of assembly lines across the world. Thankfully, technological innovations in multiple stages of the manufacturing process are constantly advancing levels of efficiency, precision and output in the manufacturing sector.
The single most significant technological advancement in recent times is undoubtedly the mobile app, especially those that are designed to assist specific industrial procedures, thus saving millions for manufacturers in cost and resources.
1. CPQ apps for generating price quotes
Sales representatives meet several prospective clients, and a real-time inventory data of all available supply depots helps these reps give their clients pragmatic delivery timelines and also ensures that they do not lose any sales opportunities due to incorrect labeling of out of stock items. Such real time data also enables the sales team to provide product quotes to prospects within a short period.
They can also take into account other important factors such as closest supply depots which will ensure quicker delivery of items, while also enabling them to provide additional discounts due to reduced transport costs, all-in-all empowering them to create a win-win for clients as well as increase business opportunities.
CPQ (Configure, Price, and Quote) mobile applications make the job easy for such reps as they can generate a price quote for the client within minutes during the meeting and close the sale. Industry experts suggest sales conversion rates can improve by as much as 70% if reps manage to provide a quote within minutes from the sales pitch.
2. Tracking inventory on a real-time basis
Until recently, warehouse managers often found counting and tracking inventory a challenging task. Executives working at warehouses scanned items with hand-held scanners to track inventory and manage order fulfillment. The only way to track pick, receive and issue goods and materials was via desktop-based software that receives constant updates from field officials.
Mobile inventory management apps have made counting and tracking easy. Managers can access extensive analysis and statistics for slow and fast-moving items to manage stocks effectively.
Inventory tracking apps for Android and iOS devices are available as extensions for inventory management softwares, ERP solutions, and they also work as standalone systems connected to tracking devices. These apps can be tweaked to display a list of items, classify them based on categories, and highlight their storage location. Small and medium-sized businesses benefit immensely from such practices.
3. Improved production programming with the help of digital twins
Thanks to the combination of IoT (Internet of Things) technology and modern apps, managers can program and monitor a production run even while working remotely.
Manufacturers can show digital copies of physical objects to clients and beam the data to the IoT-enabled manufacturing units to begin the production immediately. Most importantly, these measures help in reduction of time consumed for production planning; improve product quality, which in turn leads to happy customers.
4. Mobile apps for real-time machine monitoring & preventative maintenance
Both small and large manufacturing units face substantial financial losses due to machinery failure. However, engineers can drastically reduce this downtime if they receive alerts concerning possible problems in a machine or equipment in their production line.
Mobile apps work as the IoT predictive maintenance system interface and can help technicians monitor equipment health, foresee possible issues and perform necessary corrective repairs. Data retrieved from IoT sensors is presented in a readable format via apps and provide detailed diagnostics for each aspect of machinery.
Engineers can also track usage hours for various parts and monitor the decrease in the machine’s output due to wear and tear of components. With such precise data, technicians can perform maintenance activities between production runs to ensure zero downtime, thus optimizing production which can also lead to increased production output.
Mobile app integration with IoT systems also ensures faster response time in case of issues. Such prompt action helps manufacturing units resume operations quickly. Besides preventing pauses in production runs, organizations can save a considerable amount on scheduled maintenance runs that can otherwise be postponed if the machine health is robust as indicated in the diagnostics.
Put simply, a combination of camera images, data analytics, and information retrieved from sensors can help engineers in predicting machine failure before it happens, all of which can be done via mobile apps. A reputed mobile app development company can help in integrating IoT powered sensors with apps designed to cater to the manufacturing sector.
5. Data accuracy for compliance checks
Using apps to control and monitor production and product distribution stages also ensures strict compliance with quality and safety regulations. The overall inspection process becomes easy for officials who perform compliance checks.
Ease of using a single app
Manufacturers can use a single device to register sales, monitor production, inventory, order fulfillment, and interact with clients.
There is no need for the team to invest and upgrade computer hardware as mobile apps allow them to perform various tasks even while working from home. They can also send product manufacturing and delivery stage notifications to clients.
From healthcare, e-commerce, home decor, entertainment, to the automobile industry, almost every sector uses mobile apps for business growth. Advanced apps have drastically changed the way the manufacturing industry works. If you are searching for a software vendor involved in mobile app development for manufacturing industries, you can reach out to Smart Sight Innovations. The firm has developed several IoT, Android, and iOS applications for clients across multiple sectors.
