Dictionary for on-demand manufacturers

Dictionary for on-demand manufacturers
TL;DR

Don’t know all the abbrevations yet? Don’t worry we have covered some of them below:

  • API – Application Programming Interface
    Interface available between software and cloud services for data exchange and interaction
  • ATO – Assembled TOrder
  • BIM – Building Information Modeling
    Process to capture digital representations (3D, info, meta) of buildings and their components (3D, meta, etc). Commonly uses the open file format .ifc for data exchange.
  • CAD – Computer Aided Design
    Software that helps with the design of a product in 2D and 3D.
  • CPQ – Configure Price Quote
  • CMS – Content Management System
    The system providing a website or intraweb
  • CRM – Customer Relationship Management
  • CTO – Configure TOrder
  • Customer self service app
    An application that enables the customer to do work that otherwise a sales person would have done for the customer
  • Design Automation
    Automated software for automating processes around CAD. Most commonly used when designing a product but can also be used for with product configuration.
  • ERP – Enterprise Resource Planning
    Software that helps to manage the main business processes in a company.
  • ETO – Engineered TOrder
  • GenAI Generateive Artificiall Intelligence.
    Synonym for engineering headache
  • Knowledge-based configuration
    Synonym for Product Configuration
  • Mass Customization
    On-demand manufacturing of configured and customized products with a high level of automation that enables pricing comparable to traditional mass-manufactured products.
  • MTO – Made TOrder
  • PIM – Product Information Management
  • RFQ – Request For Quote
    Enable clients to send in a request for a quote. Commonly done with a web form or e-mail.
  • SaaS – Software aa Service
    Software services commonly run in the cloud that is billed regularly
  • Space Planner
    Software where the user moves around objects freely in a space. Can contain product configuration. Usually supports import of CAD files (dxf, 3D-BIM/STEP) and can exports CAD drawings with dimensions.
  • STEP – Standard for the Exchange of Product model
    File format .stp or .step for 3D CAD information according to ISO 10303
  • Visual Configuration
    Product Configuration with visual feedback of the final product with every choice made during the configurationCan also refer to configuration by interacting with a 2D / 3D visualization directly.
  • VPS – Virtual Private Server
    Common hosting alternative for web services
  • UI – User Interface
  • UX – User eXperience