CIMx Blog

choosing an MES for wire harness manufacturing in 2026

Wire harness manufacturers manage a combination of engineering complexity, material variability,...

the best production system features for small manufacturers

Small manufacturers rarely struggle because they lack data. They struggle because the data required...

choosing an accessible MES for high-mix discrete manufacturing

For years, manufacturers evaluating production software faced an uncomfortable choice. They could...

why visibility matters in manufacturing

Things are really moving. If your manufacturing business is in the SMB sector, it has gotten very...

9 Signs Spreadsheets No Longer Run Your Shop

Spreadsheets are often the first serious system inside a small manufacturing business. They are...

how to connect QuickBooks to manufacturing in 2026

QuickBooks is one of the most common accounting systems used by small and midsize manufacturers. It...

MES software selection guide for small and midsize discrete manufacturers

For many small and midsize discrete manufacturers, the need for a manufacturing execution system...

why Excel falls short for aerospace serialized component tracking

For many aerospace suppliers, Excel starts as the easiest way to track serialized components. A...

top 8 QuickBooks manufacturing add-ons for 2026

QuickBooks is a strong accounting system for small and midsize businesses. But for manufacturers,...

what is real-time shop floor monitoring?

For many small and midsize manufacturers, the shop floor is where the business either stays in...

spreadsheets to production software for small shops 2026

Spreadsheets are often the first production system a small manufacturer ever uses.

They are...

why wire harness production schedules fall apart (and why it's not just capacity)

Wire harness production schedules have a way of looking reasonable right up until they don’t.

On...

why process compliance falls apart without one connected production system

Every manufacturer has a way they do things. It may be written in a procedure, captured in a work...

how to replace paper travelers without disrupting production

Paper travelers have a way of surviving longer than they should.

They get folded, marked up,...

ITAR compliance for small manufacturers explained

For small and midsize manufacturers working in defense supply chains, ITAR compliance isn’t...