Prestim launches new Web-based quotation software for PCB manufacturers

Citation

(2001), "Prestim launches new Web-based quotation software for PCB manufacturers", Circuit World, Vol. 27 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/cw.2001.21727aad.006

Prestim launches new Web-based quotation software for PCB manufacturers

Prestim launches new Web-based quotation software for PCB manufacturers

Keywords Prestim, Internet, Quotation, Printed circuit boards

Prestim Computer Systems, a supplier of specialist enterprise resource planning systems to the PCB electronics industry, announced the availability of E-Quote its new and unique Web-based quotation system for PCB manufacturers. E-Quote is an intelligent and open quote system developed to the meet the specific needs of PCB fabricators and Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) companies. Harnessing the power of the Internet, E-Quote integrates fully automated CAM data analysis with knowledge-based cost engineering to produce automatic, accurate costings and sales prices for instant transmission to customers.

E-Quote integrates directly with the CAM system to analyse data files and extract pad specification information. It passes the customer's RFQ data together with the pad information to its costing engine which automatically returns accurate costings and prices, formatted in a quotation template, ready to send back to the customer, via the Web, e-mail, direct modem, telephone, fax, or independent Web portal. Whether the RFQ comes with or without CAM file attachments, it can be processed using the totally automated and accurate E-Quote environment.

"Taking in customer feedback we needed to provide a solution that removed the reliance on CAM engineering for technical support in the quotation process. E-Quote eliminates this bottleneck. It allows the sales team to complete a quotation from start to finish using E-Quote's knowledge-based engine to analyse and integrate all the multiple forms of CAM data typically received with an RFQ", said Chris Robinson, managing director at Prestim.

"This means manufacturers can respond faster to RFQs, increase the number of quotations generated and deliver, with confidence, optimised quotes that are based on accurate product data and therefore accurate costs. E-Quote eliminates today's problem of hidden costs downstream and projects running over budget," added Robinson.

Process CAM Data in sales – not engineering

With E-Quote, customers who send CAM data for quotation purposes will no longer present a delay and challenge. E-Quote's powerful data handling routines efficiently prepare and process CAM data for analysis by the CAM engine, without relying on the CAM department for engineering knowledge and assistance. The analysis of CAM data, which is essential in preparing the quotation, can now be handled automatically by the sales team – freeing up the engineering department to focus on production.

E-Quote's integrated environment minimises manual data handling and enables the user to return a quotation to the customer by e-mail or fax within minutes of receiving the RFQ. Sentinels within E-Quote immediately alert the engineer when an RFQ arrives, and can be set up to monitor specific directories, e-mail inboxes and even Web sites.

Intelligent CAM file recognition

When an RFQ arrives with CAM file attachments, a single click unzips the files and loads them into E-Quote's intelligent file recognition system (IFR Explorer). This immediately determines the file types to enable the system to process and display them accordingly. Each CAM file component needs to be identified so that only the appropriate files are presented to the CAM engine and that these are in a format which enables the data analysis routines to function without error. When CAM data is sent in the ODB++ format, the single TGZ (compressed database) file is presented directly to the Genesis 2000* CAM system without further preparation. If the data is in Gerber, the files may need to be prepared manually, but for regular customers, rules and templates can easily be set up to perform automatic data alignment.

Pricing and availability

E-Quote is available now and supports the following CAM systems: Genesis 2000, UCAM and Power Platform. E-Quote is a Windows application but interfaces seamlessly with Unix-based CAM systems. E-Quote is modular and pricing for a single user starts from entry-level £4,975 up to high-end configurations.

For further information contact: Chris Robinson, Managing Director. Tel: +44 (0) 1249 814555; E-mail: chris@prestim.co.uk