Contributed by Rob Powell, UK Commercial Director at Lantek, who explains the advantages of simplifying the quoting process for sheet metal
Preparing quotes is not an easy task and unforeseen circumstances can frequently make this more difficult and, with so many variables involved, most of the time it is necessary to carry out a complete simulation of the process including CAM, nesting, method selection, process capacity control, material selection, geometries etc.
All this assumes the availability of trained personnel who have acquired these skills through many years of experience, the consumption of resources and, of course, time. Time is an element that is increasingly valuable to customers and manufacturers due to the expectations of the market itself and the demands of the new Industry 4.0 production methodologies.
New times with digital transformation
Moving towards more intelligent manufacturing requires more than just speed. Simplicity, precision, and consistency are also important factors when it comes to preparing a quote.
These principles are only achievable if we are committed to innovation and technology, and it is here where Lantek offers real world answers to the new requirements of the sheet metal sector, making it easier to prepare proposals.
Lantek’s software enables manufacturers to analyse, plan and, of course, quote better and much more quickly and accurately! The secret: combining powerful technologies into modular and scalable software solutions that are perfectly integrated, offering comprehensive business management and greatly streamlining any process.
Our company’s quoting tools, are designed to be intuitive, easy to use, and produce automatic and highly accurate quotes in a matter of minutes. They eliminate the need for expert technical personnel as it is no longer necessary for users to have advanced technical knowledge of design or nesting by making this process more accessible, simple and standardized so that anyone can carry it out.
More details
Two advanced solutions are Lantek iQuoting and Lantek MetalShop. Lantek iQuoting is a cloud application that connects to Lantek Expert CAD/CAM, enabling fast and consistent quotes, which can be prepared from anywhere, thanks to instant access to the information needed for the job. With everything connected, it is possible to collect key information on the parameters to be considered (such as part geometry, hourly wages, shipping time, type of material, margin etc.) all in an instant, eliminating production stoppages and the long waiting times that can occur from the time a quote is requested until it is costed and then accepted by the client.
Lantek MetalShop further streamlines the process with an online store which is available 24x7. The operation of requesting and confirming a quote is totally digital. This e-commerce system also helps customers to track their orders, providing total visibility and transparency of the processes.
Analytics help manufacturers keep up to date with business performance. Lantek’s Customer Analytics software delivers KPIs which are used as feedback, further optimising the accuracy of quotations and hence customer loyalty and profitability.
Finally, many of our customers using this technology report that there is a definite correlation between the speed in returning an accurate quotation and the chances of gaining the order.
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