Workflow Wonders: Software Innovations for Surface Fabricators

By Sarah Peiper

The surface fabrication industry relies on software and technology solutions to enhance efficiency, precision and creativity. Here are a dozen of the most popular solutions used in this industry, designed to streamline processes, monitor material inventory, track jobs, review metrics and provide a richer experience for your customers — all of which lead to better margins and more sales.

ActionFlow Countertop Fabrication Management Software

ActionFlow’s intuitive countertop fabrication software simplifies operations through automated task management, end-to-end tracking, and centralized, cloud-based data storage. The advanced insights you gain with our solutions empower you to make better decisions for your business and minimize chaos and disorganization.

Key functionalities include customer relationship management and project management, allowing users to create, assign, and monitor tasks and milestones throughout the fabrication process. Inventory management is another crucial feature, enabling users to keep track of materials, supplies and equipment, ensuring that resources are available when needed.

ActionFlow also excels in production scheduling, providing tools to plan and organize production workflows, assign jobs to specific machines or workstations, and track progress in real time. Its integration capabilities allow seamless communication with other software systems, such as accounting and CAD, ensuring a cohesive workflow. Learn more at www.actionflow.net.

Flexijet Stone Software: Precision Angle Measurement Innovation

In stone fabrication, accuracy is nonnegotiable.

Flexijet Stone software offers easy and precise measurements, from wall cladding to countertops. Measuring digitally with Flexijet cuts out guesswork, capturing exact scribes even on uneven surfaces. The built-in camera ensures clarity for design and installation.

The new and improved “Find angles between pieces” feature enables operators to easily find angles between complex surfaces and stamp them onto drawings.

Complex projects with multiple planes interacting were challenging in the past. With Flexijet 3D, measure surfaces in 2D and visualize them coming together in 3D to understand how the pieces meet. Flexijet 3D allows operators to measure complex projects efficiently and accurately with multiple angles for cut and assembly.

Flexijet Stone reduces trips, minimizes risk and boosts profitability. For more information, visit www.myflexijet.com/stone.

FreePower for Countertops

FreePower provides an approach to powering devices, eliminating the limitations of traditional charging pads. This proprietary technology allows for true position-free charging, enabling multiple devices to charge simultaneously anywhere on the surface. It supports a wide range of devices, from smartphones to wearables, making it versatile for personal and professional use.

Physical spaces are always built with longevity in mind, so future-proofing embedded technologies is crucial. FreePower’s firmware is upgradeable over the air, allowing it to adapt to evolving needs and advancements. It provides peace of mind that this solution will stand the test of time and deliver longterm value to clients. Visit www.freepower.io to discover how you can embed this technology into your next project.

Job Well Done

Job Well Done is a comprehensive software solution designed to enhance communication and streamline operations fabrication workflows. It significantly improves communication between field crews and office staff, ensuring information flows smoothly and efficiently. Integrating with Moraware Systemize, Job Well Done reduces reliance on paper, facilitating a more organized and ecofriendly workflow.

Key features include Job Well Done Field and Job Well Done Dox, which provide easy access to job information. Users can log in from any mobile device to view all relevant job details. Job Well Done Ping automates communication through companybranded texts and emails for appointment reminders and post-job follow-ups. For more information, visit www.jobwelldone.com.

LT3Raptor by Laser Products Industries (LPI)

LT3Raptor is a new digital templating platform designed with a robust cloud-based management hub to make you faster and more efficient in templating and other areas of your process, including job management, programming and more.

This new platform encompasses myriad functions and tools subscribers can access, including LT3Raptor, LPI Cloud, StoneTag label system and LPI Learning Management System. This evolution is designed to revolutionize LPI’s customer experience, bringing continuous innovation, efficiency and seamless collaboration now and in the future to help grow and sustain their businesses. If you are interested in learning more about LT3Raptor, visit www.lt3raptor.com.

Moraware

Moraware’s tools help countertop fabricators easily create quotes confidently and keep everyone (at the office and in the field) on the same page about every job in the schedule.

With CounterGo, simple drag-and-draw features are used to build precise countertop drawings and calculate costs immediately. Create, print, and show professional quotes on the spot, and easily adjust quotes if needed. Moraware also integrates with QuickBooks.

Systemize is an all-in-one-place job scheduling, viewing and management tool. With Systemize, you’ll see every job — and its status — in one master list. See what’s happening, when and where with color-coded calendars for templates, fabrications and installations. See where your crews are working (and where they’re working next) so you can assign jobs more efficiently.

Moraware’s tools are web apps, so there’s nothing to install. You can use a desktop, laptop, tablet or even your phone. Moraware works on a month-to-month contract with no hidden fees or setup costs, and the company offers unlimited support. Learn more at www.moraware.com.

PHOTOTOP 5 by Fabricator’s Choice

PHOTOTOP 5 from Fabricator’s Choice just keeps getting better with added capabilities. Functionalities include the ability to auto-create miter strips, auto-create lamination, auto-dimension on PDF output and more. PHOTOTOP 5 makes templating fast and accurate, making the program easy to use. Professional training and online support are available. Integrate templating with office inventory, job management systems and shop equipment. Multiple software licenses are not required to expand PHOTOTOP 5 to additional templaters. Simply order ORGANIZE Field Kits, which include a laptop, camera and markers. The exclusive Organize On-site Tool provides immediate confirmation and file delivery of the most highly detailed digital templates in the business. For more information, visit www.fabchoice.com.

Prodim Factory Software

Prodim Factory Software connects field, office and production teams. With four available versions of the software with increasing levels of functionality, businesses can choose the software that best matches their requirements. For instance, the innovative Factory Draw Advanced provides an easy as-is multiple-plane design with insightful 2D and 3D views and solid collision alerts. By entering details like the material type, thickness and glue offset, Factory Draw Advanced can be used to make calculations, identify potential problems and make design decisions. With Factory Full Fabricator, you can even build your digital slab library and match all your slabs in your designs. Prodim’s Factory Fabricator is the complete solution for exactly what it says: Fabrication! For more information and demonstration videos, visit www.prodim-systems.com.

The Slabsmith System

The Basic Bundle of the Slabsmith System includes all essential features and modules necessary for efficient countertop fabrication management. Key functionalities encompass inventory, layout, digital slab creation and more, ensuring a streamlined workflow from start to finish.

Slab Maker is a core component that creates accurate digital slab inventories. It ensures dimensional accuracy and color consistency, minimizing the need for remakes. Slab Maker’s digital inventory facilitates live website updates and allows users to search slabs by size, view stock levels, see committed slabs, and customize queries for sales, manufacturing or accounting purposes. The system can automatically calculate slab values and adjust them when slabs become remnants, providing detailed inventory insights. Perfect Match is the layout software that simplifies arranging slabs. It allows effortless clicking and dragging to position counters and shapes for optimal yield. Job Manager organizes and provides information on all Slabsmith jobs, offering a complete history of processed jobs. Users can find slabs committed to a job, view customer information, change layout statuses and get yield statistics.

To learn how you can decrease operating costs while increasing yield using Slabsmith, visit www.slabsmith.com.

SlabVision by Park Industries

Park Industries has partnered with Taglio Software House to introduce SlabVision, a cuttingedge slab scanning system. This advanced technology enables fabricators to digitize slabs with remarkable detail, using a high-resolution industrial linear camera and an LED lighting system to capture each slab’s true colors and attributes, including thickness, quality and measurements.

SlabVision’s compact design maximizes workspace efficiency, accommodating the needs of modern stone fabrication facilities. Its advanced LED lighting system guarantees consistent image quality by eliminating the impact of environmental conditions like sunlight or shop lighting. The intuitive 24-inch touchscreen interface ensures effortless operation, allowing fabricators to achieve precise results quickly and efficiently. For more information, visit www.parkindustries.com/slabvision.

SlabWare

SlabWare is a software specialized in inventory and sales management for surface fabricator businesses. The solution is designed to transform companies by automating processes, improving organization, and making workflows much more agile and productive.

The company’s goal is to help fabricators minimize pain points. With SlabWise, you can precisely determine slab quantity and seam placement, create professional quotes and invoice customers. Job Tracker helps organize and connect the whole team in a simple and fast way to optimize the fabrication process up to countertop delivery. Users can create and edit packing lists, invoices and more. All features are linked with inventory, so your offerings update automatically online, and all information is accessible from any device. Get a free trial at www.slabware.com.

StoneAPP by StoneGrid

StoneApp by StoneGrid is a comprehensive software solution designed to streamline. The app offers multiple modules to enhance efficiency and productivity, covering inventory management, quote management, project management, purchase management and more.

The inventory management feature allows businesses to conduct quick and accurate inventory counts; it integrates with your website, providing real-time inventory to customers and staff alike. For quoting, StoneApp facilitates efficient lead management and conversion. It includes features like web-to-lead forms, follow-up scheduling and the ability to convert leads into quotes seamlessly. The app also allows for detailed countertop drawing and layout. Additionally, StoneApp supports purchase management by generating purchase orders, receiving inventory, and synchronizing with the inventory module to ensure accurate tracking of materials and supplies. This robust solution integrates with QuickBooks, Slabsmith and many other popular tools used by fabricators. Schedule a demo at www.stonegridusa.com.

Explore how software can be as game-changing as new machinery in episode 33 of ISFA’s Behind the Surface podcast. Hear from StoneAPP’s Mickey Gault, a 20-year fabrication veteran, on how to unlock the power of tech and get a roadmap to success.

If you’re considering implementing software or looking for technology that helps you streamline your workflow, this episode is for you. Listen in at www.isfanow.org/podcast-behind-the-surface.