![]() By tapping on an "info" tab, he brings up the inventory data (including links to a 3D part file, technical data, order dates, and a list of mating parts/assemblies that the part has been used in - culled from the Inventor plugin described above) and assign a piece count to a job & edit quantity on hand in moments. By tapping around a set of linked photos in the app, he's directed to the bin that he's physically looking at - and he can confirm visually that the parts are what they appear to be. Then, when a mechanic takes a handful of bolts out of a drawer, all he needs to do is update the inventory count from his app. The photos would be collected and stored online, and would be linked to the customer's McM order history. An easy MVP would be an iOS app that allowed the user to snap a photo of a small parts cabinet and tag each bin with a part number & quantity. I envision a small parts cabinet full of sensors (some combination of force, optical, or proximity), which would periodically update an online database as to the quantity of parts inside each bin. For instance, Quirky has shown us that it's not that hard to keep track of the number of eggs you have in your fridge, and Tesla's iOS app shows the charge state of your car's battery. It's only a matter of time before the same is the case with things throughout our physical lives, and McMaster-Carr is uniquely positioned to take small parts management on. ![]() Small scale inventory management has historically been extremely difficult, but today it's increasingly easy. But that solution is awkward at best, and often requires simply ordering more parts, even if we have some (somewhere) on hand. With their lightning-quick delivery and vast catalog, McMaster is the cornerstone of most prototyping shops' parts management system. ![]() During PrototypingĪs a prototyping mechanic, I want real-time internet enabled inventory management, so that I can understand what parts I have on hand & prepare for shortages before they happen. McMaster-Carr is perfectly positioned to become a powerful player in the field. Look at Plethora and Sunstone Circuits (and in web development, Squarespace) - across the hardware world, the movement is towards integrating design & supply chain management. If their catalog were available as a plugin for Inventor/Solidworks, designers could browse, design, and purchase all from one seamless interface - which I believe they will demand in the near future. ![]() Moreover, there's a larger opportunity for McMaster to integrate their catalog directly into my design environment. On parts like socket cap screws, for instance, McM tracks the following data:īut their STEP files contain none of that all that's included is the part number and the material, which is often stripped of a lot of useful data (parts described as "Type 316 Stainless Steel" on McMaster's site often show up as either "Stainless" - or worse, "Generic" - in the STEP file).įor McMaster-Carr to become more fully integrated into my design and procurement process, they should include comprehensive part data in all of their STEP files. But the process is convoluted, and a lot of part data is lost. I consider this a luxury: McM's decision to include STEPs for the vast majority of their mechanical parts makes my job a ton easier. I'm constantly browsing McM for a part, then adding it to an open order, then downloading the STEP file and importing that into my model. As a hardware product designer, I want my suppliers' parts catalogs integrated into my design environment, so that I can seamlessly browse for new parts and view part data directly from my modeling software.Īutodesk Inventor is my go-to design software, and McMaster-Carr is my go-to parts supplier.
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