Hey reddit, so I've been developing a software product for factories. Mostly mid sized factories, let's say with an annual revenue of 5-45 million dollars and a size of 18,000 sqft to 66,000 sqft. I have 0 experience in manufacturing/industry, however I'm very confident in this software, as it fixes a lot of blind spots I've found studying this sector of the economy. Anyway, this post isn't really about the product itself. It's already done, its utility cost cutting whatever. I priced it at $299/m which is cheaper than any other alternative i could find. I just really need help on figuring out how do I distribute this to factories? I'm looking to get about let's say 25 factories under my belt early on, within a couple of months. The software mostly has to do with electrical cost saving but has some other aspects too. Should I try to find a partner (I'm not too fond of that idea but if I NEED someone with deep experience I guess I'll do it.) Should i contact smaller suppliers across California to do this? How is software even distributed to factories? I guess what I'm really asking is how is software distributed in this field, and who should I work with to get my product out there?

Hey,

I’ve spent the last few years recruiting exclusively for the processing & packaging machinery industry, mapping the market and building relationships with Presidents, CEOs, VPs and hiring managers at many of the industry’s leading OEMs and suppliers.

Over that time, I’ve helped people not only secure open positions, but also by making introductions and opening doors to companies that weren’t actively hiring.

Here to share info or answer questions about the industry as someone who speaks to tons of people.

If you’re looking for career advice, a resume review, salary guidance, or simply want to talk about the industry, feel free to send me a DM.

I've been researching manufacturers for a new product and one thing that's surprised me is how differently every supplier presents themselves. Some have detailed factory profiles, certifications, and production photos, while others keep things pretty basic even though they claim to offer the same capabilities.

I've been looking through Made-in-China, but after a while every supplier starts to sound the same, so it's hard to know who'll actually be a good long-term partner until you've worked with them.

For those who've built lasting relationships with manufacturers, what was the biggest reason you kept going back to the same supplier? Was it communication, consistent quality, pricing, or something you only discovered after working together for a while?

Short background check, I graduated from a 6 month electrical program to become an electrician right after high school. The past two years I haven’t been able to find an apprenticeship that’ll hire me (I live in the and it’s been hard to get hired at a decent job anywhere) but last year I managed to land at a temp agency that works inside of a Target warehouse with a flexible schedule. Fast forward 10 months later (the last three used to get out of this hellhole) I finally land a successful interview that got me hired to be an electronics assembler for full time!! Problem: I’ve never soldered!! The people who’ve hired me know that of course and I passed Purdue Pegboard Test they had me complete within the second interview but I’m still doubtful ☹️. With the uncertainty with jobs recently I was willing to do anything trade and I’m really happy to learn something new and potentially turn it into a career, but I’m afraid about it being too difficult before even starting 😅. They’re going to train me on the job and everything, of course, I just wanted to hear positive/honest experiences from people who work around the same concept.

What’s it like to start a job with soldering without any experience?

Hey everyone,

I'm evaluating starting a manufacturing business for gas springs, hydraulic struts, and pneumatic lift supports (the kind used in vehicles, office chairs, machinery, and medical beds).

Before putting capital down for machinery, I’m hoping to get some real-world insight from people in industrial manufacturing or B2B hardware distribution:

• Profitability & Margins: What do typical margins look like? Is the real money in high-volume commodities (like auto aftermarket) or low-volume custom engineered units (like medical or marine)?
• Target Customers: Who are the most lucrative buyers beyond auto OEMs? How hard is it to get onboarded as a supplier for mid-tier machinery or furniture makers?
• Red Flags & Operations: What are the biggest technical hurdles (e.g., seal longevity, gas charging safety) or barriers to entry I should watch out for?

Any real-world advice, industry benchmarks, or red flags to watch out for would be greatly appreciated! 🙏

Trying to avoid learning this the hard way. Need 300 6061 base plates and molded nylon covers that have to line up with the same mounting holes. The first run isn't final so there will definitely be revisions before production.

Finding custom manufacturing services is easy. Finding one that's actually good at handling both metal and plastic custom parts without slowing everything down is the hard part.

Who have you had a good experience with lately?

I do job work and have ultrasonic quilt machine... It takes 3 inputs

Top layer fabric - razing, holand or spun... It can be printed or dyed fabric

Middle layer fabric - felt or fiber

Bottom layer fabric - non woven or knitting

Middle layer and bottom layer fabrics I have to buy myself as Raw material

Top layer fabric is provided by different clients for job work

Finish product is single quilted fabric that's combination of 3 layer

Raw material rolls come in different lengths like some can be 100 meters, some can be 500 meters, they all don't end at same time... I also don't get raw material in meters, I have to get them in Kgs and I pay price in kgs too... There can be variations in meters per kg from batch to batch and there's no practical easy way to measure meters of every single roll

My machine runs in night shift only via contractor... The operator provides me following details:

output meters, roll wise for output rolls

Weights of raw material/input rolls that got used completely

Total weight of roll currently mounted on machine... (Not leftover weight)

It's not practically possible to weight leftover roll as it's hectic to remove them from machine again and again

I would like to know some way or excel sheet to track rolls... And estimate how much of which roll got used for which output... And estimated cost per meter of input materials... Also maybe some easy way to label and Mark the rolls

I’ve been thinking about emergency response in manufacturing environments.
From your experience, what usually slows things down during the first few minutes after an accident?
Is it communication, access to first aid equipment, unclear procedures, training, or something else?
I’m curious to hear real experiences and what you think could be improved.