Slow quotations
Every quote is recalculated by hand from material, cycle times and setups, so answers to customers take days.
Manufacturing & engineering
Custom software for CNC machine shops and precision engineering
CNC job shop software connects quoting, job cards, machine schedules, drawings and inspection so a machine shop knows what is running, what is late and what each job really cost. ImliStack builds it around your machines, routings and customers instead of forcing a generic ERP on the shop floor.
Start with a conversation: we discuss your requirements and recommend an approach before you commit to anything.
The problem
Where CNC machining businesses lose time
Revision mistakes
Old drawings reach the machine, and parts are made to the wrong revision.
Schedule guesswork
Machine loading lives on a whiteboard, so rush jobs disrupt everything.
Unknown job cost
Actual hours, scrap and rework are not captured against the job.
Paper inspection
Measurement and inspection records are hard to find when a customer asks.
What we build
Software designed around your workflow
Not a ready-made product: we design and build the modules you need, then extend them in phases.
Quotation automation
Quote calculators using material, cycle times, setups and margins, with PDF quotes and version history.
Job cards & routings
Digital job cards with operations, machines and drawings attached.
Drawing & revision control
Only the current approved revision is shown on the shop floor.
Machine scheduling
A visual plan of jobs per machine, with priorities and due dates.
Production & downtime tracking
Start, stop, quantities, scrap and downtime reasons logged from a tablet.
Inspection records
First-article and in-process inspection captured against each job.
Workflow example
One connected flow, from first record to final report
- 01Enquiry & drawing received
- 02Quote calculated and sent
- 03PO converted to job
- 04Material reserved
- 05Scheduled on machines
- 06Operations logged on tablet
- 07Inspection & dispatch
Works with your existing systems
- Accounting or ERP systems such as Tally, QuickBooks, Sage or SAP Business One, subject to their APIs
- CAD file storage and viewers
- Barcode or QR job travellers
- Email and customer portals
How we implement it
- Discovery We map your current workflow, documents and systems, and agree the first problem worth solving.
- First release A focused version that replaces the most painful spreadsheet or paper process, live in weeks.
- Integrate Connect accounting, ERP, devices or messaging where their interfaces allow.
- Extend Add stages, reports and teams in phases, based on how people actually use it.
Business outcomes
What changes when the workflow is in one system
- Consistent quotes in minutes instead of days
- Only the current drawing revision reaches the machine
- A visual machine plan that absorbs rush jobs
- Real hours, scrap and cost per job
Typical goals for this kind of system; actual results depend on your process and are agreed during discovery.
Evidence
Relevant work
Textile ERP
Shop-floor entry grids, production reports and an append-only stock ledger for a manufacturer, the same building blocks a job shop system uses.
FAQ
CNC machining software: common questions
Can quotation for CNC jobs be automated?
Largely, yes. A quote calculator can apply your material prices, machine rates, cycle and setup times and margins to produce a consistent quote in minutes. Estimators still review unusual parts, but routine quotes stop taking days.
Can operators update production status without typing much?
Yes. Shop-floor screens on tablets let operators scan a job and tap start, pause, complete, scrap or downtime reason. That gives live status and real job cost without paperwork.
Do we have to replace our ERP or accounting software?
Usually not. A custom job shop system can handle quoting, scheduling and production, and exchange orders, items and invoices with your existing ERP or accounting software where it offers an API or import.
Can we track machine utilisation and downtime?
Yes. Manual downtime logging works from day one; automatic machine data can be added where your controllers or sensors expose it, which we assess during discovery.
Next step
Tell Us Your Problem. We'll Help You Build the Solution.
Tell us what you are working on. You will get a considered reply from an engineer — with questions, a suggested approach or an honest “we are not the right fit”.