Why buy a starter solution package?
Shoestring’s starter solution packages** are designed to give companies an easy way to get started with digitalisation. They enable companies to build and deploy simple, low-cost digital solutions in their factory so that they can see how digitalisation benefits their business, building in-house digital skills along the way. Each package includes a 6-8 week training programme, topped and tailed with a workshop with weekly catch-up meetings and proactive feedback in between. Each package uses a starter solution which is designed to provide a practical learning experience.
Each starter solution package:
- Is supported with a technical training and support programme, instructions, an online forum for problem solving
- Facilitates peer-to-peer support as well as access to experts
- Provides a detailed shopping list of the low-cost electronic components (all available online from major resellers)
- Includes the software required to connect the components and deliver easy-to-understand dashboards
- Is accessible to non-technical staff who learn how to build and deploy a low-cost digital solution,
** We are currently offering a special early adopter offer on a first come first served basis – £400 for a starter solution package (saving £400 on full price).
Choose a starter solution
The starter solutions used in each package are designed to provide a practical learning experience. Companies choose a solution that addresses one of their most pressing business needs, keeping employees engaged and invested in the activity. We currently offer training around two starter solutions, power monitoring and job location tracking, with more solutions coming soon.
Power monitoring (up to 50A)
Solves questions such as:
- Which equipment uses the most energy?
- Are machines using power out-of-hours (phantom load)?
- Which parts, products or operations have higher energy usage?
- Would new, more efficient machines save power and money?
Provides company benefits:
- Reduces energy usage and bills
- Contributes to sustainability goals
- Enables more accurate reporting on the carbon footprint of parts / products
Job location tracking
Solves questions such as:
- Where is a particular job right now?
- How many jobs are waiting at a location or are in production, how long they been there?
- Has a job been delayed or forgotten at a location?
Potential benefits:
- Quickly identify and address misplaced or delayed jobs
- Spend less time finding jobs
- Provide customers with instant updates on job progress
Scrap monitoring
Solves questions such as:
- How much scrap is produced?
- Which parts/products or operations have higher scrap rates?
- What are the most frequent reasons for scrap across production
- Is our scrap control improving?
Potential benefits:
- Produce more good parts
- Quickly identify and address problems
- Improve stock planning accuracy
Downtime monitoring
Solves questions such as:
- What is my machinery utilisation?
- Which machines or operations have the most downtime?
- What are the most frequent reasons for downtime across production?
Potential benefits:
- Reduce downtime
- Quickly identify and address problems
- Improve machine utilisation
Temperature monitoring
Solves questions such as:
- How hot is this process getting?
- What is the optimum temperature for this operation?
- When does this temperature exceed safe limits?
Potential benefits:
- Helps you optimise production processes
- Helps you stay on top of quality control of materials and components
Air quality monitoring
Solves questions such as:
- What is the air quality like in my factory?
- What is the CO2 concentration in my workplace?
- Is my ventilation effective at improving air quality?
- How does the air quality change through the day?
Potential benefits:
- Helps create a safe and comfortable working environment
- Helps you evaluate the effectiveness of ventilation solutions
How to get started
Choose your starter solution and purchase the Shoestring early adopter package from our ecommerce site (or email your sales enquiry to contact@digitalshoestring.net). This gives you access to everything you need: the step-by-step guide, the list of low-cost components you need to buy, software download, places on the workshops and technical support.
Purchase the low-cost components, build and deploy the solution. The Shoestring team will be on-hand to advise you through a programme of technical support and workshops.
- Review the solution and consider next steps in the final Impact workshop, using data collected to demonstrate how digitalisation can benefit your organisation.
Starter solution package
Special early adopter* rate of £400 (reduced from full cost of £800).
As an Early Adopter* you will get the starter solution package including:
- Bill of Materials – list of all the low-cost components you need to buy (costing you under £200).
- The starter solution’s software download.
- Full instructions on how to build and deploy the starter solution.
- Access to the online forum for support with problem solving.
- Places on the technical support programme led by the Shoestring engineer, with a cohort of 3-5 businesses, which includes:
- Specification and planning workshop (run online, c. 1.5 hours).
- Access to a series of online check-in sessions (each usually lasts 10-30mins).
- The Impact and review workshop (run online, c. 1.5 hours).
*Shoestring early adopters work in collaboration with Shoestring. They are among the first to trial the Shoestring starter solution package, receive direct support from the Shoestring technical team, and help Shoestring improve and develop the starter solution offering.
Tried and tested
Shoestring solutions have been deployed in over 70 companies, helping them to improve productivity, reduce waste and energy usage, and also to give their staff the digital skills and confidence they need to introduce more digitalisation throughout the business. Read or watch some of the industry case studies >
Job tracking solution | David Smith Ltd
Temperature monitoring | Kemdent Dental Products Ltd
Get started today
Buy your starter solution package now via our ecommerce site, and if you are a manufacturing company, take advantage of our half-price early adopter offer .
If you would like to talk to us, email contact@digitalshoestring.net or fill out our contact form.
Contact usComing soon
Drawing on the range of tried and tested solutions built and deployed in over 50 companies, Shoestring will release more starter solutions over the coming months. Tell us which solutions you would like, or register your interest to be one of the first to know about new releases.