# Manufacturing Software Development — Custom MES, ERP Integration, Shop Floor Data, and the Software a Real Plant Actually Needs Manufacturing software development is the work of building custom software for plants — Manufacturing Execution Systems that capture real-time shop floor data, ERP integration that connects business planning to machine reality, custom inventory and scheduling systems that fit your operation, and the small but operationally critical applications that grow inside every manufacturer over time. FreedomDev has been doing this work in West Michigan since 2006. We know what an Epicor Kinetic deployment actually looks like at a 150-person discrete manufacturer. We have built MES systems for plants that grew past Excel-based tracking. We have integrated SAP S/4HANA with shop floor data collection at machine level. The work is specific. So is our experience. ## Manufacturing Software Development — Custom MES, ERP Integration, Shop Floor Data, and the Software a Real Plant Actually Needs Manufacturing software development is the work of building custom software for plants — Manufacturing Execution Systems that capture real-time shop floor data, ERP integration that connects business planning to machine reality, custom inventory and scheduling systems that fit your operation, and the small but operationally critical applications that grow inside every manufacturer over time. FreedomDev has been doing this work in West Michigan since 2006. We know what an Epicor Kinetic deployment actually looks like at a 150-person discrete manufacturer. We have built MES systems for plants that grew past Excel-based tracking. We have integrated SAP S/4HANA with shop floor data collection at machine level. The work is specific. So is our experience. --- ## Key Stats - **18+**: Years building manufacturing software - **75+**: Mid-market manufacturers served - **14**: West Michigan tier-1/tier-2 automotive suppliers worked with - **8 (2018-2025)**: Custom MES deployments - **18 (across the mid-market and enterprise space)**: ERPs integrated with --- ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is manufacturing software development? Manufacturing software development is the work of building custom software for plants — typically MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems for real-time shop floor data), ERP integration, scheduling tools, quality management systems, customer and supplier portals, and the smaller custom applications that grow inside every manufacturer over time. It is distinct from generic "custom software development" because the workflows, regulatory requirements (FDA, AS9100, IATF 16949, etc.), and integration patterns are manufacturing-specific. ### Do we need custom software if we already have an ERP? Most mid-market manufacturers do, eventually. The ERP handles planning, accounting, orders, and master data. It does not handle real-time shop-floor visibility (MES territory), specific operational workflows that do not match the ERP vendor's design (estimating for engineered-to-order, custom routing logic, multi-bin warehouse operations), or integration with non-ERP systems (e-commerce, EDI, CAD, customer portals). Custom software fills these gaps without trying to replace the ERP. ### How is FreedomDev's manufacturing software development different from generic offshore development shops? The top-10 results for "manufacturing software development" are mostly offshore-development-firms-with-a-manufacturing-page. They have generic capabilities. We are based in West Michigan and have shipped manufacturing software for the regional industrial economy for 18+ years. We know the specific ERPs (Epicor Kinetic, Acumatica, Microsoft Dynamics, SAP S/4HANA, NetSuite) that mid-market manufacturers run. We know how a Tier 2 automotive plant differs from a contract medical-device assembler. The difference matters because manufacturing software requirements come from manufacturing processes, not generic "industry experience." ### How long does a typical manufacturing software project take? ERP integration projects: 6-16 weeks for 1-3 integrations. Custom MES projects: 16-24 weeks for a single plant. Customer or supplier portal: 10-16 weeks. Multi-system rollouts (MES + portal + integrations): 30-50 weeks for a full plant deployment. We always quote flat-rate after discovery, never blind. ### Can FreedomDev work with companies outside West Michigan? Yes, and we do. Remote engagement is the standard model since 2009. We have shipped manufacturing software for companies in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Texas, California, Oregon, North Carolina, and several Canadian provinces. The West Michigan base shapes our experience profile; the engagement model is remote-first. ### What ERPs do you integrate with? Every major mid-market and enterprise manufacturing ERP. Specifically: Epicor Kinetic (heavy concentration of work), Acumatica, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365 (Business Central, F&O, GP), SAP S/4HANA (on-prem, Cloud Private, Cloud Public), SAP ECC, Infor (CloudSuite, SyteLine, M3), Sage (100, 300, X3, Intacct), Plex (now PTC), JobBOSS, ProShop, Global Shop Solutions, IQMS (now Dassault DELMIAworks), QuickBooks Enterprise. The integration pattern depends on the ERP's API surface; the build approach is the same. ### What does a typical engagement look like financially? Discovery + architecture proposal: $10k-$25k (paid scope, results in a documented proposal). Full project: $80k-$500k depending on scope, multi-phase rollouts run higher. Flat-rate per scope, no hourly billing. We do not charge retainer; we engage per-project. For ongoing managed support post-go-live, $4k-$15k/month covers operational support and enhancement work. --- **Canonical URL**: https://freedomdev.com/industries/manufacturing _Last updated: 2026-05-12_