Odoo Manufacturing, Switzerland

Routings and planning for small precision batches

Swiss precision workshops run many short orders across expensive machines. Setup time can exceed run time, and a single bottleneck machine decides delivery dates. Odoo models this with work centers, operations, setup and cycle times, and schedules work orders against capacity.

Choices I make with the production lead:

• Work center granularity. Each CNC machine as its own work center, or groups of similar machines, depending on how planning really happens.
• Setup versus cycle. Separate setup times so batching similar orders shows its benefit in planning.
• Alternative machines. Which operations can move to another machine when the preferred one is busy.
• Planning depth. Whether Odoo's scheduling is enough or a finite capacity planning tool is needed on top.

Many Swiss workshops also depend on outside processing: coating, heat treatment, polishing or cleaning. Odoo's subcontracting handles this by resupplying the outside firm with parts, buying the service and receiving finished parts back. I test it with partial returns and rejects, since tracked parts must keep their serial or lot history through the trip.

The general approach to bills of materials and planning is on my Odoo Manufacturing consultant page.

Measured inspections and quality records

Customers of Swiss component makers often require first article inspection, in-process measurements and a release record for each batch. Odoo's Quality app can define control points on operations, with pass or fail checks, measurements against tolerances, instructions and photos. Failed checks create quality alerts with an owner.

Design topics I work through with the quality lead:

• which characteristics are measured at first piece, during the run and before release
• whether measurement values are typed in, imported from measuring equipment or attached as reports
• how nonconforming parts are segregated, reworked or scrapped and recorded
• what the inspection record sent with a delivery must contain

Quality, together with the shop floor interface and Maintenance, has historically been part of Enterprise. Ask Odoo or the partner what your release includes before operator training is planned around it.

Statistical process control, automatic data capture from measuring machines and calibration management of gauges often need specialist software. Odoo can hold summary results and link to detailed reports. I identify early which parts of your quality system stay outside Odoo, so the project does not try to rebuild a measurement system inside the ERP.

Serial and lot genealogy for medtech and watch suppliers

For medical technology producers and suppliers to the watch industry, traceability is not optional. A customer or authority may ask which raw material lot, which machine and which inspection record belong to a delivered part. Odoo can track components and finished goods by lot or serial and record which component lots were consumed in each manufacturing order.

What I design:

• Material certificates. Supplier certificates attached to the receipt and linked to the material lot.
• Consumption. Lots recorded at each production step, so the genealogy is complete rather than estimated.
• Serial assignment. Rules for when finished units get serial numbers and how they are marked.
• Trace queries. Forward and backward traces tested with realistic orders before go-live.

Medical device rules in Switzerland and the EU set requirements on quality management, identification and records. Whether an Odoo-based record meets them, and whether system validation is needed, is for your regulatory and quality lead to decide. Some medtech companies keep production in a validated specialist system and use Odoo for sales, purchasing and finance. I lay out that option openly.

Stock and serial handling outside production is covered on Odoo Inventory Switzerland.

Costing in francs with materials bought abroad

Swiss producers frequently buy steel, alloys, precious metals or components in euros while selling in francs and euros. Product cost therefore depends on exchange rates as well as on machine hours. Odoo calculates cost from the bill of materials and routing, and actual cost from consumed materials and recorded operation time, valued in the company currency.

Decisions taken with the controller:

• Machine rates. Hourly rates per work center covering depreciation, energy, labor and overhead, reviewed on a set cycle.
• Material prices. Whether cost uses the latest purchase price, an average or a standard updated periodically when rates move.
• Outside processing. Service charges from subcontractors added to product cost.
• Precious metals. Where gold, platinum or similar materials are used, how weight, recovery and price fluctuations are handled, which often needs specific design.

I run a costing test on several real orders and compare Odoo's figures with the controller's calculation. Differences usually trace back to missing setup times, outdated rates or scrap not booked.

Accounting for exchange differences and revaluation is described on Odoo Accounting Switzerland. For order-level costing, see ERP for job costing.

When Swiss production needs something other than Odoo

Odoo Manufacturing works for many Swiss workshops and smaller producers. I recommend a different route, or a hybrid, when:

• Validated production under pharmaceutical or strict medical rules requires electronic batch records and formal computer system validation.
• Machine data must be collected automatically from controllers and measuring equipment; a dedicated MES fits better and feeds Odoo.
• Complex scheduling across many constrained machines and shifts needs advanced planning software.
• Process manufacturing with formulas and continuous production calls for a process-oriented ERP.
• Group templates require a Microsoft-based system, in which case Business Central in Switzerland may align better.

Where staff record operations under their own names, the use of that data is a topic for your HR lead and, where present, the employee representation. I describe what Odoo records and the options to aggregate or limit it.

For an open-source comparison see ERPNext vs Odoo manufacturing. The Swiss platform view is on Odoo consultant Switzerland, and selection on my ERP selection Switzerland page.