Greenwood Village, CO -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/21/2012 -- Engineer-to-Order (ETO) product designers face challenges to provide "mass customization" of their products better, faster, and cheaper than their competitors. An ETO automation system allows many or all portions of the ETO process to be automated, providing quicker turnaround, lower engineering costs, and consistent adherence to product rules and standards.

Systems that automate the ETO environment include several of the following capabilities:

- 3D CAD Systems used by engineering to design and model end products to customer specifications

- PLM or Product Life Cycle Management Systems to capture historical product and part attribute data for reuse and historical management

- Document Management Systems provide complete description and cataloging of drawings, specifications and part data

- Product Configurators which enable rules based configuration of end products from the collection of part and sub assembly information for optimal reuse, this is often used in connection with Order Management systems and Quotation Systems a part of ERP solutions

- ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) Systems to automate and integrate Bill of Material, part, routing, quotation, estimating, requirements planning, procurement and finance information

Engineer-to-Order manufacturers are looking at business process automation; the practice of analyzing, documenting, optimizing, and automating business processes. The business process is the flow of information, modified by value-added tasks that begins with the first contact with a prospective client and continues through delivery of a finished product. Well-developed business processes can create a seamless link from initial client interface through the supply chain. Automation of those processes improves the accuracy of the information transferred and ensures the repeatability of the value added tasks performed.

Larry Cohn, General Manager of Streamline Systems suggests, “The decision to invest in business process automation is significant and often part of a project-based manufacturers’ lean initiative. ETO companies must consider the value of significantly reducing bidding, engineering, and manufacturing cycle times; reducing product rework; improving customer service and internal communication. There is additional value to the clients of ETO manufacturers when their product is designed precisely to meet customer requirements and is achieved with high quality and delivered on time and within budget.”

ETO manufacturers face a much higher potential risk in underbidding projects with thin margins, knowledge capture and reuse of historical information to fulfill customer-specific orders more accurately and efficiently is vital.

Streamline Systems is the AX 2012 expert that best understands the ETO sector and can help to ensure profitability in the way jobs are bid and scheduled.

The Streamline Systems’ ETO blog has quickly become the leading source of information about how AX 2012 serves engineer-to-order manufacturers. This content rich conversation is found at http://www.streamlinesys.com/blog/.

Additionally Streamline Systems just published a vital tool for Engineer-to-Order manufacturers; the white paper is objective and looks at the history, trends, and future of ETO manufacturing. The Streamline Systems ETO ERP white paper may be requested at: http://www.streamlinesys.com/engineer-to-order.php.

The most important interactive resource being offered currently is the engaging daily conversation about the unique characteristics and challenges of ETO manufacturers via Twitter. Tweets reveal how Dynamics AX 2012 is the most powerful, agile and simple ERP available.

Followers of ETO Tweets go to Twitter @StreamlineSysAX.