Probe Oil Case Study
The Challenge
Probe Manufacturing & Fabrication Ltd – Next-generation CRM and ERP. Users: Managers, Sales, Admin Staff, Accounts, Machine Operators.
Probe Manufacturing & Fabrication (formally Probe Oil Tools) builds precision components for offshore oil and gas, where traceability, certificates and delivery dates all matter. More than 15 years ago we inherited a legacy database that struggled with day to day operations.
Certificate packs were assembled by hand and could take hours because test data lived in multiple places. Scheduling was largely manual, machine status was unclear and managers lacked a reliable live view of WIP.
The replacement system we developed was a great success and in 2024 were given the go ahead to build on this success and develop the third generation. The goal was an updated CRM and ERP that integrated with a mobile tablet app used by the shop floor machine operators. This would improve planning, shop-floor workload, quality and dispatch, with clear dashboards and even faster flexible reporting.
The Development Process
For the latest version of Probe’s CRM and ERP we referred back to our original specification and looked at what needed to be updated and enhanced. From this we produced an updated specification for screens, roles, data, workflows and reports, plus the migration plan.
We also prototyped how the new machine operators tablet app would work. We met with several of the machine operators to better understand their needs. We found way that planners could see capacity and constraints at a glance. Rapid screen prototypes were built and tested.
We moved CRM and order intake first, then planning and shop floor capture, followed by quality and certificate generation. Live machine status boards and a mobile app for operators were tested on rugged tablets, with training and shadow runs before going live. Power BI dashboards and alerting were added once clean data was flowing.
Key features
- Modern CRM and ERP for customers, quotes, orders, routings and work orders
- Machine operators use an app to start, pause and end operations, log faults and add notes
- Live machine and job tracking with status boards, downtime reasons and escalation
- Finite scheduling with constraint views, change impact and what-if scenarios
- Certificate packs auto-generated from live test data, material heats and calibration records
- Non-conformance, NCR and CAPA workflows with approvals and full audit trail
- Inventory and batch traceability from goods-in to dispatch, with serial and heat numbers
- Power BI reporting for OEE, WIP, OTIF, scrap and rework, plus customer and part numbers
- Roadmap for QR code job tracking, maintenance logs and natural language queries
Outcome
At time of writing the platform has just gone live and delivering great results, with further enhancements in development. Manual certificate assembly has been replaced by one-click packs, planners have a clear picture of capacity and constraints, and operators record progress and issues on the move. Management reporting is faster and more consistent, and the system scales with new work.
Ongoing Development
The next phase involves further enhancements to the mobile app allowing for QR code-based job tracking and live machine assignment. The tablets will also be expanded to support deeper integration with maintenance logs and inventory control, ensuring greater efficiency on the factory floor.
Additionally, we are working on AI-driven solutions that will allow Probe managers to query the system using natural language. This feature will enable managers and operators to simply ask questions like “What’s the status of Job P12345?” or “Which machines are under maintenance today?” making data retrieval faster and more intuitive.
This going partnership with Probe Manufacturing highlights RD Research’s commitment to continuous innovation, ensuring that their manufacturing processes remain at the cutting edge of digital transformation.
““RD Research provided us with a fully detailed specification prior to commencing what was a technically demanding project. They were also able to suggest improvements to our original plan. These were incorporated during the development process and we now have a fully functioning system which has improved our work flow and the satisfaction of our clients”
Dave Good, Quality Manager