Engineering-to-manufacturing handoffs are one of the most common sources of delays, rework, and costly errors in manufacturing organizations. When bills of material (BOMs) are manually transferred from CAD systems into ERP software, small mistakes can quickly turn into missed deadlines, incorrect purchasing, and unhappy customers.
In this webinar, CADTALK and Saber explain how manufacturers can streamline the engineering-to-manufacturing handoff by integrating CAD systems directly with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Why Engineering-to-Manufacturing Handoffs Fail
Many manufacturers still rely on manual processes to move engineering data into ERP systems. This often leads to:
- Engineering changes not fully reflected in ERP
- Duplicate data entry across systems
- BOM errors caused by manual keystrokes
- Incorrect parts or quantities ordered
- Rework on the shop floor due to outdated information
- Longer lead times and delayed deliveries
Even highly skilled teams struggle to balance speed and accuracy when BOM data must be entered manually. The result is data that is either slow to update or unreliable—or both.
The True Cost of Manual BOM Management
Manual bill of material management doesn’t just affect engineering teams. Errors ripple through the entire organization:
- Purchasing orders incorrect materials or quantities
- Long-lead components delay production schedules
- Inventory levels become unreliable
- Manufacturing teams assemble products with incorrect or missing parts
- Project timelines and customer commitments are missed
A single BOM error can cost tens of thousands of dollars and delay delivery by months, especially when specialized or custom components are involved.
Why Clean BOM Data Is Critical in Manufacturing ERP
The bill of material is the foundation of every manufacturing ERP system. In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, accurate BOMs drive:
- Production scheduling and MRP
- Purchasing and material planning
- Job and shop orders
- Costing and margin analysis
- Inventory accuracy
Without a structured, accurate BOM, manufacturers cannot fully leverage the capabilities of their ERP system. Clean BOM data also becomes increasingly important as manufacturers adopt analytics, automation, and AI-driven decision-making.
How CADTALK Improves the Engineering-to-ERP Workflow
CADTALK eliminates the need to manually recreate engineering data inside Business Central. Instead, it creates a direct, intelligent connection between CAD systems and ERP.
With CADTALK, manufacturers can:
- Automatically transfer BOMs from CAD to Business Central
- Create or update items, production BOMs, and routings
- Validate data using Business Central’s own business rules
- Clearly see what data is new, changed, or already in sync
- Reduce errors caused by manual entry and rework
CADTALK runs directly inside CAD tools such as SolidWorks, allowing engineers to publish production-ready BOMs without leaving their design environment.
Live Demo: CAD to Business Central in Action
During the webinar, viewers see a live demonstration showing how CADTALK:
- Connects directly to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
- Reads engineering structures from CAD assemblies
- Displays changes using intuitive color-coding
- Creates or updates production-ready BOMs in seconds
- Supports versioning and engineering change workflows
This approach eliminates the traditional “stare and compare” process between CAD and ERP systems.
Flexible Integration for Real-World Manufacturing
Every manufacturer operates differently. CADTALK is designed to adapt without custom development.
It supports:
- Production BOMs, assembly BOMs, and project-based manufacturing
- Multiple CAD, PDM, and PLM systems including SolidWorks, Autodesk, PTC, Arena, Teamcenter, and more
- Data sources such as spreadsheets, XML files, and databases
- Configurable business rules aligned with each manufacturer’s processes
Manufacturers can start with basic integrations and expand over time as their processes mature.
Start with the Data You Already Have
Perfect data is not required to begin improving engineering-to-manufacturing handoffs. Even basic information—such as part numbers, descriptions, quantities, and revisions—can eliminate a significant amount of manual work.
A crawl-walk-run approach allows manufacturers to:
- Reduce manual data entry immediately
- Improve data consistency across systems
- Gradually increase automation and validation
- Build a strong data foundation for future growth
Building a Foundation for AI and Advanced Manufacturing
As manufacturers explore AI, analytics, and automation, data quality becomes even more important. AI systems are only as effective as the data they rely on.
By ensuring accurate, validated data flows from engineering into Business Central, CADTALK helps manufacturers:
- Improve decision-making
- Reduce operational risk
- Accelerate time to market
- Prepare for future AI-driven initiatives
Watch the Webinar or Take the Next Step
Watch the full webinar above to see CADTALK in action and learn how manufacturers are reducing errors, shortening lead times, and improving ERP data quality.
To discuss your specific engineering-to-manufacturing challenges, schedule a 30-minute consultation with one of our experts.
