2008.07.20 Aligni Introduces First Web-Based, On-Demand Parts/Inventory Management Software for Design Engineers

Portland, Oregon, July 21, 2008 – Aligni, the first on-demand, web-based parts, components, and inventory management service created specifically for design engineers, today announced the successful completion of its beta test and the general availability of the SaaS application. Aligni is a low-cost, high-value replacement for spreadsheets, hand-written notes, and client-based software that dramatically improves parts management efficiency, saves time, cuts costs, and leverages the anywhere/anytime collaboration advantages of web-based computing.

Aligni liberates engineers from tedious part and vendor tracking and improves team productivity with well-organized, complete, real-time data about parts and components, including: design notes, CAD drawings, BOMs, inventory levels, information on vendors and manufacturers, RFQs, parts buying, and historical information for product data management (PDM). Its logical design, fast set-up, and ease-of-use ensure realization of quick ROI and dramatic long-term savings. Aligni provides anywhere/anytime access and enables real-time collaboration, extending parts visibility across the team (including contractors and outsourced manufacturers, if desired).

Aligni’s early customers have benefited from substantial improvements in visibility and collaboration with a significant decrease in time spent managing parts and inventory. Jova Solutions, a San Francisco-based engineering test equipment firm, with a distributed team of engineers in two locations in California and Hawaii, switched from a client-based software package to Aligni. “Aligni has dramatically decreased the time we spend buying parts. We estimate that Aligni will save us 360 hours or more of engineering time over one year, as compared to our old way of using client-based software and spreadsheets,” said Martin Vasey, CEO, Jova Solutions. “Aligni has provided a very significant time savings and efficiency improvement at a very modest price. Aligni is easy to use and accessible, so everyone makes full use of it, allowing Jova to realize tremendous bottom line benefits.”

Viscell, a Colorado-based stealth-mode startup, has team members working in several locations using both Macintosh and Windows computers. Viscell needed an efficient, easy-to-use, on-demand, anytime, anywhere parts management solution to manage components, labels, BOMs, assemblies, and subassemblies. In addition, because Viscell is FDA registered, it needs to comply with FDA requirements. “Aligni is Software as a Service (SaaS) and is externally hosted so there is no need for extra IT support to manage it, (as there is with a client-based application), no upgrades to buy, and no annual license and maintenance fees,” said Jon Henderson, Operating Manager of Viscell. “Aligni has dramatically improved Viscell’s regulatory compliance, manufacturing productivity, and quality control.”

Aligni was designed to make the parts management process more efficient and help engineers work smarter. Aligni includes:

  • Parts and Components – easy to use relational database to efficiently search, store, find, and manage hundreds to thousands of discrete parts, vendors, and manufacturers including: vendor lists; filters; part alternates; detailed part information; custom parameters; and notes about parts and assemblies.
  • Projects and Assemblies – build unlimited hierarchies of assemblies to make projects easier to manage and view. Aligni provides built-in part alternate management; cost sheets to quickly determine costs of assembly; “Kit List” with complete drill-down on all parts for an assembly; “No-Load” tags to handle assembly variants without hiding information; and “Non-Material Parts” such as assembly costs that have full benefits of other parts but are not inventory based.
  • Vendors, Manufacturers, and Contacts – associate each part with its manufacturer and one or more vendors. Aligni provides the tools to manage manufacturer/vendors lists and parts available from them including: “Contacts” database; “Approved Vendors Lists” (AVL); “ActiveQuote” to manage ordering; “Vendor Part Numbers” with buy-as quantities; and detailed “Vendor Notes.”
  • Inventory Management – track every part, component, and assembly at multiple locations. Aligni tools enable engineers to: manage inventory at multiple locations inside and outside the company; create “Short Lists” to quickly show exactly what is needed to buy-to-build; create inventory “Consumption Orders” based on an assembly’s parts list; store part “History” that can be reviewed at any time; plus manage inventory “Transfers.”
  • Quotes – create RFQs and submit and manage vendor quotes within Aligni parts management database. The “Quote” management system includes: “PartCart” to manage quotes and purchase orders; email system for RFQs to vendors; “Vendor Ticket” for secure, unique access to RFQ and quote submission; quote correspondence tracking; quote creation; and quote comparison.
  • Tools – powerful tools in Aligni ease initial database creation and day-to-day parts management. A free migration tool for Parts & Vendors’ client-based software to Aligni on-demand service enables an efficient move from this PC-based software. The easy “CSV Import Utility” enables import of CAD BOMs in CSV format. The “CSV Export” tool allows easy export to other applications. Aligni “Part List Comparison” tool shows variations between two assemblies. Aligni can provide automatic site backup to an associated Amazon S3 account.
  • Security – All Aligni service plans include SSL-enabled browser security. No one can access data without securely logging in. And, with role-based access control, users can see only what they are authorized to see.
  • On-Demand/Web-Based Software as a Service in the “Cloud” – Aligni liberates engineers from the expensive, old-fashioned world of client-based computing. With Aligni there is no IT to support, no version to control, no lock-in to a specific OS or hardware platform. Aligni is a managed and maintained service available anytime and anywhere for a low, pay-as-you-go, monthly subscription fee.

Aligni Free “No Hassle” Demo, 30-day Free Trial, and Pay-as-you-go Pricing

Aligni provides a “hassle-free” demo with no forms to fill out, and no email address or personal password required at http://www.aligni.com/demo. Aligni also provides a free 30-day trial for any of its service plans. Aligni is priced as a monthly subscription fee based on the number of parts in the data base and the set of product features appropriate for the size of company. The “Starter” version of Aligni supports one user and 100 parts and costs $15 per month. All other versions support an unlimited number of users and range from $39 per month for the “Small” company version supporting 400 parts; to $79 per month for the “Medium” version for 1,500 parts; $99 per month for the “Large” version for 3,000 parts; and $199 per month for the “Enterprise” version for 10,000 parts. Aligni Web-based APIs are provided at the Medium level and above to allow access to data through custom applications.

About Aligni

Aligni, founded in 2007, provides design engineers with on-demand parts, components and inventory management. Aligni replaces spreadsheets, hand-written notes, and client-based software to dramatically improve parts management efficiency, save time, cut costs, and leverage the anywhere/anytime collaboration advantages of web-based computing. For more information, please visit: www.aligni.com.