Managing Inventory for Metal Finishing with Steelhead
Steelhead's inventory management system keeps your metal finishing shop running smoothly with real-time updates, recipe integrations, and automated re-order alerts for efficiency.
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Product
Managing Inventory in Steelhead
Identity & metadata
Video title
Managing Inventory in Steelhead
Date published
December 19, 2023
Duration
4:59
Video type
Product tip / Short demo
Audience
Production; purchasing; operators; admin
Video summary
In one sentence
Steelhead's QR-code-driven inventory management lets operators scan a location to see everything housed there, scan
a batch label to check quantity and cost, weigh and deplete material as they use
it, and move containers between locations — all tied into quoting, production, certifications, invoicing, and
reporting.
a batch label to check quantity and cost, weigh and deplete material as they use
it, and move containers between locations — all tied into quoting, production, certifications, invoicing, and
reporting.
What this video covers
Steelhead's Chet Halonen opens on why inventory management is critical for a job shop, not
just for knowing what's on hand and where, but because it's woven into quoting (material
surcharges), production (how much powder, chemical, or masking material a job consumed), certifications (lot numbers,
expiration dates, mix times), invoicing (material surcharges based on consumption), and reporting (daily, weekly, monthly
trends for reorder timing).
He then demonstrates powder management: QR codes assigned to storage locations (as granular as needed)
and printed batch/box labels generated whenever powder is ordered or entered as a consumable. Scanning
a location's QR code shows everything housed there, including batch IDs and quantities, even when
powder is stacked several layers deep.
He walks through the operator flow: pulling a box of powder before a job, powder
coating, then weighing the box on return. Scanning the batch label opens the inventory item
showing name, lot number, expiration, last-used date, and procurement cost, with options to manage the
inventory. He depletes the quantity remaining to reflect the new weight, which decrements the inventory
item and keeps levels accurate. He closes by showing how to move a container to
a new location by scanning the batch's QR code, clicking Move Container, and scanning the
destination location.
just for knowing what's on hand and where, but because it's woven into quoting (material
surcharges), production (how much powder, chemical, or masking material a job consumed), certifications (lot numbers,
expiration dates, mix times), invoicing (material surcharges based on consumption), and reporting (daily, weekly, monthly
trends for reorder timing).
He then demonstrates powder management: QR codes assigned to storage locations (as granular as needed)
and printed batch/box labels generated whenever powder is ordered or entered as a consumable. Scanning
a location's QR code shows everything housed there, including batch IDs and quantities, even when
powder is stacked several layers deep.
He walks through the operator flow: pulling a box of powder before a job, powder
coating, then weighing the box on return. Scanning the batch label opens the inventory item
showing name, lot number, expiration, last-used date, and procurement cost, with options to manage the
inventory. He depletes the quantity remaining to reflect the new weight, which decrements the inventory
item and keeps levels accurate. He closes by showing how to move a container to
a new location by scanning the batch's QR code, clicking Move Container, and scanning the
destination location.
Problem it solves
Manually tracking consumable inventory (powder, chemicals, masking material) across storage locations makes it easy to
lose track of quantity, cost, lot traceability, and reorder timing. QR-code-driven location and batch scanning
gives operators an instant, accurate view of what's on hand and where, while automatically feeding
that data into quoting, certifications, invoicing, and reporting.
lose track of quantity, cost, lot traceability, and reorder timing. QR-code-driven location and batch scanning
gives operators an instant, accurate view of what's on hand and where, while automatically feeding
that data into quoting, certifications, invoicing, and reporting.
Key capabilities shown
• Inventory tied into quoting, production, certifications, invoicing, and reporting
• QR codes assigned to storage locations, as granular as needed
• Printed batch/box labels generated on order receipt or manual entry
• Scanning a location to see every batch and quantity housed there
• Batch item detail: name, lot number, expiration date, last-used date, and procurement cost
• Depleting quantity remaining to reflect actual usage and decrement inventory levels
• Moving a container between locations by scanning source, Move Container, then destination
• Daily, weekly, and monthly consumption reporting to inform reorder timing
• QR codes assigned to storage locations, as granular as needed
• Printed batch/box labels generated on order receipt or manual entry
• Scanning a location to see every batch and quantity housed there
• Batch item detail: name, lot number, expiration date, last-used date, and procurement cost
• Depleting quantity remaining to reflect actual usage and decrement inventory levels
• Moving a container between locations by scanning source, Move Container, then destination
• Daily, weekly, and monthly consumption reporting to inform reorder timing
How the demo flows
• Scans a location QR code and shows the powders housed at that location
• Scans a batch tag to open the inventory item and shows the remaining quantity in
the box
• Weighs the box after use and scans the QR code to return to the inventory
page
• Depletes the powder quantity remaining to reflect the new weight
• Scans the new location to move the container from one spot to another
• Scans a batch tag to open the inventory item and shows the remaining quantity in
the box
• Weighs the box after use and scans the QR code to return to the inventory
page
• Depletes the powder quantity remaining to reflect the new weight
• Scans the new location to move the container from one spot to another
Full transcript
Speaker
Chet Halonen, Steelhead Technologies
Transcript
[00:00] Hello, my name is Chet Halonen from Steelhead Technologies.
[00:03] With a quick overview of the inventory management capabilities in Steelhead Inventory management to manufacturing
jobs shops is, is such a critical aspect of the process.
[00:20] Not only just knowing what we have on hand, what's located here or there, when
we need to order certain different certain things, certain different, consumables, but it's also so
integrated into everything that we, that we do, right?
[00:33] We quote, we might include some material surcharges.
[00:37] We look at production, okay, how much of this powder, how much of this chemical,
how much of this, how many of these masks did we use to process these
parts?
[00:45] It's integrated to certifications.
[00:47] You might tie in, okay, what was the lot number, the expiration of this powder,
this chemical that we used?
[00:53] What was the mix time on this liquid tank paint?
[00:56] It's also integrated to invoicing.
[00:58] We might tie in some material surcharges based off of the amount of powder or
the amount of material or metal that we use to process these parts.
[01:07] Lastly, it's also heavily used in reporting.
[01:10] So we can look at daily, we can look at weekly, monthly reports, trend those
over the year and see, okay, when should we order more of this?
[01:17] When should we order more of that?
[01:19] What months do we consume more of this?
[01:21] All just analytics and data that we can use to run our business and boost
our profitability.
[01:26] The powder management that we have here, you'll see that we have QR codes assigned
to the location.
[01:32] So this can be set, throughout your powder room as granular or as specific as
you wish to get.
[01:38] And then we also have tags or QR codes, labels printed for each batch for
each box of powder that we have received in.
[01:47] So these labels are generated when we order powder, that powder comes in, we enter
it into the system, whether we receive it from a purchase order or if we
just enter it in as a, a consumable material and print out that label at
that time.
[02:01] [scans the location QR code] So then what that looks like in Steelhead is if we take our camera here,
first of all, we can scan the location and see, okay, what is all housed
in this location?
[02:14] [shows the powders housed at that location] So in B eight, once this Loads here we can see, okay, here are all
the powders, the pounds, the powder itself, the batch ID for this specific powder that's
housed at location B eight.
[02:30] So just one quick snapshot.
[02:32] We might have three layers of powder deep, but we can get a quick view
at, okay, what exactly is, is in this location that we have defined from a
powder, or from an operator perspective and dealing with powder and managing inventory.
[02:47] If I'm going to pull this powder from inventory, I, I pull it out before
I process my job.
[02:55] I'd go do my powder coating, and then when I'm bringing that powder back in,
I would weigh, weigh that box where, first of all, I'm gonna show if I
scan this tag and this label, what I see.
[03:07] [scans the batch tag to open the inventory item] So I hold my device up there, open this link, and I'm opening up the
batch item, for this, this inventory, this box of powder.
[03:18] And we can see, okay, we might have a name.
[03:20] We might have a lot number expiration date when it is last used, what it
costs us to procure the procure, this powder, and then some options for managing this
inventory.
[03:30] [shows the remaining quantity in the box] So you can see here that okay, we have 35 pounds left in this box.
[03:33] So as an operator, then I take this box 'cause ready to, to go powdercoat
some parts and then I bring it back.
[03:40] Once I'm done powder coating, I put it on my scale.
[03:44] Okay, I see that instead of 34.7, I now have 20 pounds of powder.
[03:49] So I throw this back in my, my location.
[03:53] [scans the QR code to return to the inventory page] I scan that QR code and it brings me back to my inventory page at
this point.
[03:58] Then I go, okay, I'm gonna deplete this.
[04:01] [depletes the powder quantity remaining] I'm going to deplete this powder quantity remaining, and instead of 34.7, I now have
20 pounds of powder.
[04:08] I save this. Then that documents decrements that inventory item and actively manages my inventory
levels for this powder.
[04:17] Other items that we might do, so say this shelf is overloaded, or maybe we
wanna reorganize our powders.
[04:25] So I'm gonna take this box and I'm gonna move this over to a four.
[04:31] So when I do that, I move that box and I take my iPad.
[04:37] [scans the new location to move the container] I scan that QR code, it brings me to my inventory batch, and I click
Move Container At this point, then I open up my handy to the end camera
and scan that location.
[04:48] Click save. Now I've moved that box of powder from B eight, the original location
to a four.
[00:03] With a quick overview of the inventory management capabilities in Steelhead Inventory management to manufacturing
jobs shops is, is such a critical aspect of the process.
[00:20] Not only just knowing what we have on hand, what's located here or there, when
we need to order certain different certain things, certain different, consumables, but it's also so
integrated into everything that we, that we do, right?
[00:33] We quote, we might include some material surcharges.
[00:37] We look at production, okay, how much of this powder, how much of this chemical,
how much of this, how many of these masks did we use to process these
parts?
[00:45] It's integrated to certifications.
[00:47] You might tie in, okay, what was the lot number, the expiration of this powder,
this chemical that we used?
[00:53] What was the mix time on this liquid tank paint?
[00:56] It's also integrated to invoicing.
[00:58] We might tie in some material surcharges based off of the amount of powder or
the amount of material or metal that we use to process these parts.
[01:07] Lastly, it's also heavily used in reporting.
[01:10] So we can look at daily, we can look at weekly, monthly reports, trend those
over the year and see, okay, when should we order more of this?
[01:17] When should we order more of that?
[01:19] What months do we consume more of this?
[01:21] All just analytics and data that we can use to run our business and boost
our profitability.
[01:26] The powder management that we have here, you'll see that we have QR codes assigned
to the location.
[01:32] So this can be set, throughout your powder room as granular or as specific as
you wish to get.
[01:38] And then we also have tags or QR codes, labels printed for each batch for
each box of powder that we have received in.
[01:47] So these labels are generated when we order powder, that powder comes in, we enter
it into the system, whether we receive it from a purchase order or if we
just enter it in as a, a consumable material and print out that label at
that time.
[02:01] [scans the location QR code] So then what that looks like in Steelhead is if we take our camera here,
first of all, we can scan the location and see, okay, what is all housed
in this location?
[02:14] [shows the powders housed at that location] So in B eight, once this Loads here we can see, okay, here are all
the powders, the pounds, the powder itself, the batch ID for this specific powder that's
housed at location B eight.
[02:30] So just one quick snapshot.
[02:32] We might have three layers of powder deep, but we can get a quick view
at, okay, what exactly is, is in this location that we have defined from a
powder, or from an operator perspective and dealing with powder and managing inventory.
[02:47] If I'm going to pull this powder from inventory, I, I pull it out before
I process my job.
[02:55] I'd go do my powder coating, and then when I'm bringing that powder back in,
I would weigh, weigh that box where, first of all, I'm gonna show if I
scan this tag and this label, what I see.
[03:07] [scans the batch tag to open the inventory item] So I hold my device up there, open this link, and I'm opening up the
batch item, for this, this inventory, this box of powder.
[03:18] And we can see, okay, we might have a name.
[03:20] We might have a lot number expiration date when it is last used, what it
costs us to procure the procure, this powder, and then some options for managing this
inventory.
[03:30] [shows the remaining quantity in the box] So you can see here that okay, we have 35 pounds left in this box.
[03:33] So as an operator, then I take this box 'cause ready to, to go powdercoat
some parts and then I bring it back.
[03:40] Once I'm done powder coating, I put it on my scale.
[03:44] Okay, I see that instead of 34.7, I now have 20 pounds of powder.
[03:49] So I throw this back in my, my location.
[03:53] [scans the QR code to return to the inventory page] I scan that QR code and it brings me back to my inventory page at
this point.
[03:58] Then I go, okay, I'm gonna deplete this.
[04:01] [depletes the powder quantity remaining] I'm going to deplete this powder quantity remaining, and instead of 34.7, I now have
20 pounds of powder.
[04:08] I save this. Then that documents decrements that inventory item and actively manages my inventory
levels for this powder.
[04:17] Other items that we might do, so say this shelf is overloaded, or maybe we
wanna reorganize our powders.
[04:25] So I'm gonna take this box and I'm gonna move this over to a four.
[04:31] So when I do that, I move that box and I take my iPad.
[04:37] [scans the new location to move the container] I scan that QR code, it brings me to my inventory batch, and I click
Move Container At this point, then I open up my handy to the end camera
and scan that location.
[04:48] Click save. Now I've moved that box of powder from B eight, the original location
to a four.
Taxonomy tags
Steelhead product area
Inventory; Supply chain
Feature / module
QR-coded storage locations; batch and box labels; inventory batch detail; deplete quantity; move container
Workflow category
Inventory tracking; consumable material management; QR-code scanning workflows
Topics covered
QR codes for locations and batches; scanning to view inventory; depleting quantity remaining; moving containers
between locations; how inventory ties into quoting, certs, invoicing, and reporting
between locations; how inventory ties into quoting, certs, invoicing, and reporting