How PBC Linear Saved Millions by Using CADTALK

If you don’t innovate, you lose.

Companies must constantly evolve to stay ahead. Let us introduce you to one of those companies: PBC Linear. A leading manufacturer of linear motion components, PBC Linear is based in Illinois.

For them, the path to manufacturing excellence wasn't just about creating better products. It was about transforming their process. They completely automated how those products were engineered, documented, and manufactured.

And this automation saves them millions of dollars annually.

THE CHALLENGE OF COMPLEXITY

When you're managing a product catalog with over 126,000 potential configurations of a single product, traditional engineering approaches simply break down. Before their automation revolution, PBC Linear's engineers were drowning in busy work. They were creating drawings, updating specifications, and generating manufacturing documentation for standard products.

This left little time for innovation, custom solutions, or new product development.

The company faced a critical decision: continue hiring more engineers for the growing workload or find a way to automate the process.

They chose automation.

This decision would ultimately save them millions and position them as a leader in manufacturing efficiency.

This classic example of manufacturing serves the masses with impressive speed. It’s downside, however, is inventory risk. Do we have enough in stock? Do we have too much in stock?

In response to these risks, the MTS model has evolved significantly with technology. To the point where make-to-stock may become obsolete. The speed with which some organizations are able to manufacture has enabled them to nearly do away with MTS.

As Scott Brickler noted in our recent podcast, "One of the things that Walmart did with some of their tracking systems was turning a lot of make-to-stock into make-to-order because they were able to track transactions at checkout to trigger ordering." This data-driven approach has made MTS more responsive while reducing inventory risks.

BUILDING THE AUTOMATION ECOSYSTEM

PBC Linear's approach involves creating an integrated system with three key components:

  • A powerful product configurator: Using Infor CPQ to handle the front-end configuration process and generate the initial engineering data
  • CAD integration: SolidWorks models created dynamically based on configuration inputs
  • ERP connectivity: CADTALK to push the engineering data directly into their ERP system

This integrated ecosystem allows them to achieve what manufacturers dream of: true end-to-end automation from customer configuration to shop floor production.

THE MODEL-BASED ENTERPRISE APPROACH

Central to PBC Linear's strategy is adopting a Model-Based Enterprise (MBE) philosophy. Under this approach, the SolidWorks model becomes the single source of truth. It drives the drawing, the ERP system data, and eventually the CAM system that produces the parts.

This eliminates the traditional problem of having multiple copies of design data that could potentially diverge over time. When a change is needed, it's made once in the configurator rules, and all downstream documentation and specifications automatically reflect that change.

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MEASURABLE RESULTS

The impact of this automation strategy has been dramatic:

  • Labor savings equivalent to 6-8 full-time engineers, representing approximately $2 million annually in salary and benefits
  • Reduction in engineering change management staff from 9-10 people to just 2.5
  • Dramatic time compression for updates and changes—what once took months now takes hours
  • Enhanced consistency across all products and documentation
  • Improved ability to respond to supply chain disruptions by quickly implementing material substitutions

BEYOND THE NUMBERS

While the financial benefits are impressive, the transformation goes deeper. By freeing engineers from routine tasks, PBC Linear has enabled them to focus on innovation, custom applications, and new product development. And this is the creative work that engineers truly value.

The automation has also improved the customer experience. Configurations are consistent, pricing is uniform and explainable, and manufacturing times are predictable. Custom configurations that previously required weeks of engineering now start from an automated baseline, with engineers only needing to add the specific custom features from time to time.

PRACTICAL LESSONS FOR MANUFACTURERS

PBC Linear's journey offers valuable insights for other manufacturers considering similar automation:

  1. Start with a holistic vision that considers the entire process from customer interaction to production
  2. Understand that integration is key—ensure your configurator can connect with both your CAD system and ERP
  3. Combine IT and engineering expertise on your configurator team to address both technical and domain-specific challenges
  4. Look for commercial solutions rather than building everything from scratch
  5. Don't assume your product is too complex—if PBC Linear can automate a product with 126,000 variations, your products can likely be automated too

THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING

As the manufacturing industry continues to evolve, companies that embrace comprehensive automation will gain significant competitive advantages. PBC Linear's journey proves that with the right vision, tools, and implementation strategy, manufacturers can achieve remarkable efficiency while enhancing product quality and consistency.

The lesson is clear: in the new era of manufacturing, automation isn't just about machines on the shop floor. It's about creating digital systems that streamline the entire product lifecycle from concept to delivery.