ToolStats™

  Industry leading platform for tool tracking & #manufacturing data management | Track your tools & projects - anywhere, anytime | DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP TODAY! | Available on Google Play & App Store  |  @TOOLSTATS

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3 Key Innovations Showcased at K 2016

With a successful K 2016 Trade Show wrapped up in Dusseldorf, Germany this past month, over 230,000 attendees received a plethora of information regarding industry trends, new technologies and evolutionary innovations. In the plastics industry, a wide range of technologies present themselves as solutions to thousands of businesses across the world. At ToolStats, we offer solutions for tool tracking, data management and collaboration. Showcasing new specialty technologies was a top offering at the K 2016 Trade Show. What were attendees and exhibitors seeking? Was it a solution for manufacturers to implement industry 4.0 into their practices? Was it merely an occasion to reach out to all interested parties through simplicity? The K Show provided an excellent opportunity as a collaboration and communication platform – just as the ToolStats technology offers.

 KEY INNOVATIONS SHOWCASED AT K SHOW

·        TECHNOLOGY – As industry 4.0 becomes a highlight and focus for businesses across the world, companies are seeking innovation and simplicity in their practices. As the top successful businesses continue to grow, technology plays a crucial role in this development. Companies need methods of producing more - faster and better - than competition and even compared to their own business. Technology serves as the quickest and most efficient method in improving production time, communication, accessing and sharing of information and innovating operations. A cloud based application such as ToolStats allows companies to collaboratively share, collect and track information regarding any tool or asset.

·        DESIGN INNOVATION – What sets apart competition more than the design of their business model and operations? Businesses at the K 2016 Trade Show showcased their current and futuristic designs of machines, materials, and manufacturing processes. The slightest change in design of a process can be the solution for a business to reach immense success or suffer loss to a business with a better offering. Pushing performance in design is more than an engineering change – it’s inclusive of how the design is created, communicated and produced. ToolStats allows users to store and share this information to simplify the design process while maintaining consistency across the entire operation.

·        COLLABORATION – When considering the purpose of the K 2016 Trade Show, thousands can agree that it served as an opportunity to gather countless companies and people across the world to one event for endless reasons. With hundreds of methods of communicating, businesses still use a handful of programs and processes to operate business – which can often cause miscommunication, delayed results or an inability to reach efficiency and effectiveness. A collaborative technology such as ToolStats serves as a platform for collaboration and communication for businesses and affiliated parties. Enabling individuals and companies to work together to achieve a common purpose instantly takes any business to the next level.

Even after the K 2016 Trade Show, individuals have taken information back to their company with the intent to reform, review or repeat their work. A motivation to innovate becomes inevitable after an inventive show such as K 2016. Consider the technologies your business is seeking and how a collaborative technology such as ToolStats improves communication, simplifies processes and allows for better tracking of your tools. For more information regarding the ToolStats technology, contact our team via ToolStats.com.

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Emerging technology in the manufacturing spotlight

A month full of manufacturing affiliated events and news consumes the media and as those in the manufacturing industry are adapted to – each passing minute is just another opportunity to make something happen. Financial analyses, quarterly reports, yearly overviews and an abundance of different quantitative data evaluations are conducted around this time of year in preparation for the next and in lieu of learning, growing, and overcoming the past. As the manufacturing industry continues to employ millions and provide the world economy with trillions of dollars annually, competition of the most competent companies becomes more scrutinizing and challenging - from the small tool shop to the globally renowned OEMs. To collaborate and communicate, companies spend thousands – even millions – on tools that provide a useful platform for affiliated parties to be connected.

A multitude of businesses seek having a uniform channel to be able to track and communicate with OEMs, suppliers, customers, or tool shops. In an ever-changing market, having readily available and accessible information to connect users to assets and/or suppliers and vendors provides a strategic change for an efficient business practice. In addition to standing out from competitors, ToolStats’ technology serves as an advanced technology that is not only transforming modern life for businesses but also revolutionizing the manufacturing industry in countless ways. Through the implementation of technology like ToolStats, manufacturers are reducing costs, increasing efficiency and productivity, enhancing communication and improving the quality of work.

Industry 4.0 – the fourth industrial revolution – is accelerating business growth and optimizing operations; thus, allowing for all companies the opportunity to enhance business through the implementation of modernizing their practices. A smarter solution is provided by having a platform that all parties can utilize for communication. With technologies creating a hub for users all over the world to access the same information at anytime from anywhere, companies want to ensure that the most updated and accurate information is what is accessible. Even with situations that are frequented in the manufacturing industry and a particular file from years ago is needed, it is necessary that documents are readily available and maintain the correct information; therefore, technology provides the best solution. Furthermore, ToolStats continues to lead the industry with its tool tracking and data management technology.

Feature of the Month:

Real Time Updates By having fingertip access with the ToolStats Technology, users can easily input and retrieve information regarding any tool! Projects can be updated or modified at any time and therefore, allowing project information to remain up-to-date and readily available to all of the teams affiliated with the tool. Additionally, reduce the time wasted on phone calls, e-mails, and paper trails of communication. Various alert capabilities come standard with each project allowing users to be notified when new data for the program becomes available or if a catastrophic maintenance issue occurs with the tool.

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Bridging the Gap: ToolStats + PPAP

Design records, performance reviews, process flow diagrams: all common and required automotive PPAP elements, along with many others. A checklist composed of five different PPAP levels makes up a PPAP manual that serves as an ultimate resource for those in quality management in the automotive industry. Across multiple industries, standardized practices help businesses communicate and maintain information regarding processes and procedures before, during, and after their operations. While the aerospace industry’s elements vary, eighteen possible elements that are to be checked off for those in the automotive industry. How is your company maintaining all of its processes and procedures?

Making Sense of the Elements

Whether your company employs 5, 500 or 50,000, the development, planning, and design part of the production process can be maintained differently or not even maintained without uniformity or organization. Accessing information or communicating regarding the process poses difficulty and inconsistency. Some companies use multiple different programs internally in order to keep track of their compliance records, process studies, or design files; on the other hand, other companies may still store this information in binders and notebooks. Ensuring that the PPAP elements are up to industry standards allows for efficient processes and consistency in reproduction. A data management and file storing application such as ToolStats lets companies implement their work plan and also track design records, performance reviews, process flow diagrams and countless other types of information. Features of ToolStats include production tracking, project timeline tracking, maintenance management, real-time updates regarding projects or communication and an abundance of other benefits allowing for efficient and organized work flow.

Great Sense Makes for Greater Cents

In sustaining a quality system, having a uniform platform to access information regarding any of a company’s operations is essential. Companies lose billions of dollars each year due to careless errors, manufacturing flaws, or inefficient operations. Audits occur and companies must access information regarding their business – how prepared and accessible is your company’s information? With ToolStats, the technology at the user’s fingertips connects the user to the data instantly. By saving time, energy and the information, companies save money.

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The Solution of Simplicity

From conceptual designs to process implementation, industry 4.0 supplies solutions of simplicity. Companies across the globe – small businesses to fortune 500 companies – are pursuing simplicity. With digital technology the solution to this era of innovation, thousands of apps are now available on all kinds of devices that allow individuals to better manage tasks, communicate to others across the globe, or even find quick recipes for dinner. Nevertheless, the list of technologies that are created to continue the pattern of creating ‘simple’ is epidemically growing. When considering the user and customer experience, a common desire is for a product, service or experience to be simple – particularly in today’s market. Multiple generations actively work alongside each other across various industries; therefore, a simple work ethic and environment tends to not only be preferred, but also expected. With a technology application such as ToolStats, companies and individuals in need of asset tracking and data management can easily access this technology solution right through any mobile device or desktop.

  POWERING ON Simplicity

The connection between technology and modern life is one that offers simple solutions. Whether an individual is tech-friendly or lacks knowledge of the most basic technology, technology is serving technology by making complicated simple and making the uncommon common. Perhaps an injection molding company is seeking a software that can be utilized to locate its tools and communicate with its customers, one might question what solutions are available. One answer might include the original method of keeping track of information by writing the data down on sheets of paper and keeping track of binders and files; on the other hand, a more advanced company might use excel documents for each task the company is trying to manage. Nevertheless, these methods are becoming too time-consuming, producing a high margin of error, and cause complications in implementing, updating or even communicating with others. The fast growing and leading companies are seeking and implementing solutions that involve a simpler and more innovative technology. ToolStats offers GPS tracking and allows users to send notifications via the ToolStats application, and for the companies seeking more features, ToolStats includes an abundance of project management and tool tracking capabilities that appeal to those in the industry.

Simplicity, Software, Solutions

Getting started on a search for the perfect software solution? Seeking to replace the current overwhelming software program? Regardless of the current situation, companies can utilize technology to find the technology that’s a perfect fit for business. Traditional legacy software presents too many features, too many installation procedures, too many versions, too many troubleshooting errors and simply put, one too many reasons to implement as the right software solution. Solutions that are seemingly too complicated tend to produce an adverse effect and complicate the average user experience thus becoming disadvantageous to nearly all the parties utilizing the software.

A perfect software solution is advantageous due to the following:

Simple to use

Simple to share

Simple to collaborate (internally and externally)

Simple to implement

Simple to on-board

Simple to learn

Simple pricing structure

Simple data storing

With an application like ToolStats, simplicity is not just a part of the solution – it is the solution. The power of simplicity is allowing companies to create a streamlined operation that includes any parties the company prefers to collaborate with and with such standardization, growth becomes a result of the efficient workflow. By having an easy-to-use solution that abides by simplicity, there is no more losing money over time due to re-implementing any software solutions. Moreover, become more efficient by not wasting time in searching for how to align all different software or programs that are no longer helping the business. With ToolStats, the solution simply powers off confusion and complications and powers on simplicity.

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The New Tool Trend: ‘Smart’ Tools

Consider the components of success – how does your business define success? B2C companies are acquainted with their customer base – what they’re seeking, when they’re seeking it, how it should be sought, etc. In contrast B2B companies, view the market and the consumer world differently. Nevertheless, there are several commonalities within success: growth, profit, results, efficiency, performance, quality, innovation, vision, personnel and a great variety of other descriptive words unique to your company. Consider the components of success, smarter.

Across all industries, companies are striving for the “smarter” route. No longer are we in the times of working harder, but rather, working smarter. Setting growth priorities and innovative plans are becoming a standard for the leading companies that are achieving higher levels of growth – all with smarter success.   What is smart success?

Considerably a transformative answer, at ToolStats, we define ‘smart’ success through the process and result. Our innovation provides solutions for companies seeking to produce results better, faster and smarter. The manufacturing world has witnessed a shift in the industry – from the technology in the cloud to the labor on the plant floor. Smart success within the plastics, manufacturing, or supply chain industry is aligned with the plethora of technological platforms available. The ‘smart’ route is one that is pervasive and readily available; it’s one that is parallel to Industry 4.0 and the future trends. Achieving smart success can be accomplished by having smarter processes and programs.

Smarter Tools

Whether you are a B2B or B2C company, having a unique characteristic to your company allows you to differ from competitors. Going one step beyond knowing where your tools are, ToolStats implements a technology that encompasses multiple features allowing companies to work, produce and be smarter. By offering a cloud-based system that optimizes and streamlines everything from project management, data storage, GPS tracking, maintenance reporting and a collaborative platform, ToolStats makes working smarter simple. With better technology to ’smarten’ your tools, wasting time trying to search for information or manually keeping track of files and excel sheets on your own are a thing of the past.

With ToolStats, the tool information always remains with the tool and the data is accessible anywhere at any time; therefore, efficiency comes naturally with our technology.

Tips for Achieving Smart Success • Create your own definition of smart success • Evaluate what is cost/time/energy consuming • Enhance your tool tracking methods • Replace stability with agility • Consider simplicity for a solution • Aim for automation, as needed

As this answer and method for achieving smart success can be defined and accomplished differently, consider the components of success. With ToolStats, evaluating what is time consuming can be evaluated through various measures – whether it’s the reporting features or the application in its entirety. Automated alerts are a standard feature and GPS tracking provides users with tracking the location of the tool along with all of its’ information. The ToolStats application provides the tooling solution simply and smartly.

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Finding Solutions in a Software

What Should I Look for in a Tool Management Software?

SEEKING THE RIGHT SOLUTION

Looking to find the missing elements from the company’s current utilized software? With thousands of ERP, data storage and business software options on the market, possibilities are seemingly endless. Perhaps there is a software that appeals to you and after delving deeper into the research, you discover that it costs a fortune or would be too time-consuming to install on each device for each user. More than ever, companies are seeking simplistic, efficient and success-breeding products and services.

To find the right software solution for your company, begin with the following:

Define the functionalities needed in your industry

Determine the needs and prioritize by importance (Keep it realistic!)

Consider all pros and cons of a new software solution.

What’s the ROI?

What is cost-effective?

What is easy to use?

What is user-friendly? 

Who can/will benefit from this?

How does this relate to the business, customers and/or employees?

After evaluating the needs and requests for a software solution, take the time to consider why your current operational methods are not working. Is your company still using Microsoft Excel to keep track of your tools and log information? Although Excel can be a useful tool for compiling data and creating charts, it is not intended to be a tool management program nor can it provide the features of a tool management program. Sync all the information that you need for your tools in one place with the right tool management software.  

SELECTING THE RIGHT SOLUTION

Adopt a software that proves to be as valuable as your tools. Go one step beyond the software and find the software provider right for your business. Separate companies can provide a seemingly identical product; nevertheless, depending on the company, one could deliver a drastically different experience. Ensure that you choose the right solution and solution provider by reviewing the points listed here:

Maintenance: Does the software need to be routinely maintained? Is it self-sufficient? What is the maintenance process inclusive of? How long does it take to implement product updates or changes?

Technical support: What methods of communication are available? What type of training/support is provided and available? Who has access to technical support? What types of technology is compatible with the product? What are the hours of support?

Costs: How does this product and/or service fall into the company budget? What additional costs are there? Are there extra costs for routine maintenance, training, or implementation of the software?

Industry/ Terms of Service: What limitations are defined in the Terms of Agreement? What happens to your business after the Terms of Agreement expire? Does the service provider specialize in the industry? 

Security: Where is your information stored? How can information be accessed? What happens if privacy or security is breached? How is your company’s information protected? Are there third-party providers involved?

Beginning with these questions can help you in assessing if the software and software provider are going to truly be a solution rather than a remedy. Take the time to evaluate what can benefit your business now and later; moreover, search for the solution that seamlessly binds the gaps in your business’s current practices. Take advantage of free trials and demos and use the internet and personal recommendations when seeking additional insight. For all other inquiries, contact a ToolStats representative today!

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When Green is Gold

Sustaining practices while practicing sustainability is a common occurrence in today's world. Companies across the world are implementing more policies regulating efforts of "going green." Using flash drives to store information and collaborating via landlines are a thing of the past. Industry 4.0 has presented a modern and very tech-savvy world that many in the manufacturing industry haven't adopted. Nevertheless, the fastest growing and highly successful companies are going for the gold by going green.

How can your business improve? Are there financial expenditures that can be eliminated due to current wasteful operational practices? Could the business have better communication outlets to relay information and store data internally and for customers? Are there certain departments that are spending an abundance of money on shipping costs inclusive of bulky binders that are just full of unorganized information in lieu of “keeping track of information”? Are packages full of paper arriving to your plant floor only to collect dust?

With the rise of more efficiency-focused innovations and countless companies “going green,” manufacturers are also being pressured to produce more with less and eliminate waste by any means necessary. With ToolStats, users can access all information that is relevant to any tool or project – right through a mobile device. The industry is transitioning into a production future and with multiple companies in a company’s production process, utilizing several means of data tracking could hinder growth and productivity.

As a sustainability epidemic continues a contagious spread across manufacturers worldwide, companies and employees from the C-Suite to the shop floor are reflecting upon their own operations. What processes are implemented that streamline daily activities? How have your company’s internal communication methods developed over time? How are you as an individual and as a company representative communicating to other partners, businesses, or customers?

Going green is no longer about recycling and driving fuel-efficient vehicles; in the manufacturing industry, it’s about revolutionizing the supply chain from start to finish. More innovative practices are stemming from Industry 4.0 and making their way into manufacturers’ business models. In the quest for finding an innovative, revolutionary, smart service, learn about ToolStats and how the platform will supplement the success that your company is pursuing.

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Celebrated 50 years of success with #KraussMaffei in Florence, KY! 

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DMDII Invests $12 Million To Bring Augmented Reality To The Industrial Workforce - Manufacturing Talk Radio

The Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDII) based in Chicago just invested $12 million into a number of new projects to help bring new technology to the employees on the manufacturing shop floor. Augmented reality (AR) is one of the technologies that is a prime focus of these projects with hopes of developing new …

Bringing augmented reality to the manufacturing workforce. Why industrial sectors stand to gain so much for augmented reality and how DMDII is ensuring the technology becomes readily available.

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ToolStats | Industry Leading Platform for Managing Tooling & Manufacturing Data

Business Name: ToolStats

Business Address: 13780 E. Eleven Mile Road, Warren, MI 48089

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Website: http://toolstats.com

Industry:

- Information Technology

- Manufacturing

Plastics Injection Molding

Injection molding

Stamping

Machinery

Secondary equipment

Gauges and fixtures (tools used to measure the parts that are produced)

Blow molding

- Cloud Management, Cloud Services

- Data Management, Data Services

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Going for the Green

Is your company still transferring information on paper or on flash drives?

Are you spending an abundance of money on shipping bulky binders full of unorganized information in lieu of “keeping track of information”? Are packages full of paper arriving in your office only to collect dust? 

With the rise of more efficiency-focused innovations and countless companies “going green,” manufacturers are also being pressured to produce more with less and eliminate waste by any means necessary. With ToolStats, users can access all information that is relevant to any tool or project – right through their mobile device. The industry is transitioning into a production future and with multiple companies in your production process utilizing several means of data tracking, it could hinder your growth and productivity.

As a sustainability epidemic continues its spread across manufacturers worldwide, companies and employees from the C-Suite to the shop floor are reflecting upon their own operations. What processes are implemented that streamline daily activities? How has your company’s internal communication methods developed over time? How are you as an individual and as a company representative communicating to other partners, businesses, or customers? 

Going green is no longer about recycling and driving fuel-efficient vehicles; in the manufacturing industry, its about revolutionizing the supply chain from start to finish. More innovative practices are stemming from Industry 4.0 and making their way into manufacturers’ business models. In the quest for finding an innovative, revolutionary, smart service, learn about ToolStats and how the platform will supplement the success your company is pursuing.

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The Manufacturing Skills Gap: How Manufacturers Will Overcome - Manufacturing Talk Radio

The skills gap that continues to hold the manufacturing industry back is the number one concern for businesses in 2016 and many fear there is no end in sight for this unfortunate issue. It’s predicted that over 3 million new manufacturing job openings will be available within the next 10 years and more than half …

How manufacturers will close the skills gap. What it will take and why it exists.

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Recent Manufacturing Trends and Reports reflect Influence of Industry 4.0, boosting growth for ToolStats

Data management and tool tracking application, ToolStats, experiences rapid growth in digital era

Advanced manufacturing trends and developments are steadily transforming Industry 4.0 into a familiar existence in today’s manufacturing industry. The advancement of manufacturing has become more broadly recognized from the small tool shops to the large OEMs. With data management and analytics being maintained across numerous platforms, ToolStats aims to streamline its service and product across the industry in an effort to enable companies and businesses to clearly communicate and maintain effective and efficient practices.  

ToolStats, a tool tracking and data management software is driving transformative change through its cloud-based application available to users across the world. When it comes to the manufacturing industry, tool tracking is not a streamlined practice that all companies maintain similarly. Recently, ToolStats has attained multiple new customers seeking its technology for various purposes including maintenance management, operational oversight, GPS tracking and file sharing. A notable amount of companies are adopting and adapting to the technologies of Industry 4.0. ToolStats integrates these technologies and channels to a centralized system for manufacturing companies to better track information and access the data faster.

According to Forbes, the manufacturing industry consistently produces more data than any other sector of global economy. Consider how many parties are involved with the full cycle of manufacturing a product. From the c-suite to the tool makers, ToolStats offers technology in the cloud for any company to integrate and standardize their processes and procedures within the system. From the labor to the distribution, any part of the operation can be assigned and reviewed via the application. When communicating with any customers or partners anywhere in the world, information can be accessed through the cloud allowing for readily available information at any time.

Data management in the cloud allows for increased capabilities of information sharing, communication and can reduce spending and lost time. Through leveraging today’s cloud data management technology and tools, manufacturers will be able to better deliver service and product and also remain competitive. Multiple services are offered via ToolStats that will allow companies and business to remain competitive and continue to grow in the manufacturing technology revolution. In this digital era, the ability to log in at any time and simply transferring data allows for businesses to selectively choose how to leverage cloud computing.

In addition to the forward-thinking and streamlined internal operations, the customer relationship management often experiences considerable advancement as well. With the economic progression, the cloud-based communication and business operations play an instrumental role within companies and their entire network of influence. ToolStats allows users to assign tasks, receive instant alerts and track progress of any project; furthermore, a reliable and available application for any and all communication is provided for the users. Moving towards a mobile market and providing a product and service that coexist with a company’s operations allows for ToolStats to continue as a leading platform for manufacturers and directly grow along with the industry.