Plating Shop Software: Amariko PFC, LabMan, Truechem

A. Hunter

We are a med sized Plating shop have used a program called PFC by Amariko software products which is now a windows base program designed for plating / painting plants and then it ties directly to our SBT Vision Point accounting and this helps with all the repeat inputs. It's not perfect but works well

Chris Snyder
plater - Charlotte, North Carolina
1999

A. I've been in the metal finishing world for 8 years or so now. I've been playing with computers since I was old enough to write my name. When it comes to accounting programs, not specific for any industry that is, I have found the old fashioned DOS accounting program AccPac Associates BPI Accounting II 5.0A (newest version, Y2K Compliant) to be the best one out there. It's simple, it's easy and it has enough manuals to teach someone with ZERO accounting knowledge how to use the program. I took accounting in college (majored in it) and it made even my knowledge look better than it was. Trust me, I've tried them all ... Peachtree versions (all of them).

I'm a registered user of Great Plains Profit for Windows and I've used MYOB Accounting, but none of them could replace my old fashioned, easy as pie DOS Accounting program. Now maybe I've been spoiled and maybe I am a little biased, but I've tried them all and outside of the fact they all look pretty and cute, they aren't as functional as BPI Accounting II.

You can find their info from searching yahoo for the program title.

Matthew Stiltner
plating company - Toledo, Ohio
1999

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1999

A. If you're already using it, that's one thing. But personally I don't think in 1999 people should be investing money, time, and effort in starting up new computer systems that run in DOS -- a 1981 environment -- nor CPM despite some good programs out there. They are obsolete.

And personally, I would not put much trust in a Y2K patch, only a program that has been written totally from scratch; it is so easy to miss something in some obscure line of code, the documentation & appreciation for which may be long absent. Just another opinion.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

P.S.: Readers probably remember that the Internet went public in late 1994, becoming "the news" in 1995. Before the internet there were dial-up electronic BBS's. "The Finishing Technology Hotline" was one such BBS, and ran from 1989 until late 1994 when www.finishing.com was established and replaced it. Please see this discussion of software for plating shops from early 1994 on the Hotline :-)

A. Cheryl, we are using QuickBooks Pro...what info are you after?

Laura Friedrich [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Canada
1999

A. I remember it, but haven't heard much about it recently either. Per the Metal Finishing Guidebook there is a company called Tru-Chem Co. in Columbus, OH. If this is them, they'll probably be pleased that this message is here. If this is somebody else, they will be as grateful to hear from everyone as those people whose phone number is too similar to the gas company's. :-)

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
1999

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1999

A. You might try LabMan from the Kushner Electroplating School. I am the author of the program, but sales are handled through Dr. Art Kushner. LabMan runs under Win 95, 98 or NT.

I used TrueChem about ten years ago. It was a good program, but I haven't had any contact with its author (Roger Smith, Plano, Texas) for a year or two. Last I heard, it was still a DOS program.

Bill Vins
microwave & cable assemblies - Mesa (what a place-a), Arizona

A. TrueChem is in the process of conversion to Windows. I have done some consulting for Roger Smith on this conversion.

Jamie Brandenburg
- Dallas, Texas
2001

A. TrueChem was rewritten for the windows platform in 2000.
I highly recommend taking a look at the capabilities of this version.
It represents 18 years of great ideas from users.

Roger Smith
TrueChem - Plano, Texas
2005

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True Chem software is still available. It is now a Windows version and we are using it to control approximately 25 - 30 plating processes. It is an excellent program and I would recommend looking at it for your needs.

James Jensen, Sr.
- Warren, Michigan
2005

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True Chem is available through TrueLogic and can be purchased through the Metalast website.

William Rosebrook
plating company - Collingdale, Pennsylvania
October 15, 2009

A. Mui,

We have used this software for 8 years and found it very satisfactory. I recently had my 14 year old daughter come in to get a taste of life at the shop and she was able to do packing lists and invoicing by the end of the day with limited instruction.

The people at Amariko have been very good to work with. They have continued to upgrade the program and are responsive to our input each time. The program works very well with Peachtree accounting.

Hope this helps.

Bruce

Bruce Miller
- Syc. Illinois USA
2000

A. I used this program for 8 years for my own job shop painting facility annual sales of approx. 6 million a year 35,000 parts per day. One person handled about 30 work custom work ticket per day, certs, shipping doc's, and the invoicing. Our version was capable of having 12 parts per work ticket. Anyone running a decent size job shop knows that most of your battle, is getting the right info on the floor quick. I am now at a new company and our first main computer upgrade will be this software. I have Tom at Amariko to thank for it. I have been in the industry for 30 years and have been to many coating shows, I have yet to see a programs that can compete.
Cole

Cole Varner
- tempe Arizona
July 25, 2013

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November 13, 2008

A. Hi, Chris. Filemaker is indeed a wonderful database program. It is multi-user, cross platform, simple to learn (like a piano -- a child can plink out a tune in minutes, but you can keep learning for years), proven over the decades, and extremely robust (I've never lost a single piece of data in using it for many years). I presently use it every day for things like invoicing, address files, postcard mailings, technical literature search, etc.

Years ago I wrote an order entry/shipping/invoicing system for a local plating shop in Filemaker and they were happy with it for many years, even as they effortlessly changed back and forth Macintosh to PC back to Macintosh.

But Filemaker is not plating shop software, it's a general purpose relational database. You would need to retain a software company to set up the order entry system in Filemaker unless you have the in-house capability and time. An alternative is custom written plating shop software whether it's written in Filemaker, Access, SQL, or a lower level language. Perhaps the single most important thing is to pick a company which will be still be there a few years from now :-)

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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July 2020

Hi Readers. Things have changed a lot since this thread started over 26 years ago. Spambots are just one of the developments that are plaguing "no registration required" websites like this one. For many reasons (why?) we cannot print any testimonials, slams, reservations about or reviews of proprietary products like software. If any reader wants to help Aaron by mentioning the name of a software supplier, that's fine. But nothing beyond name, please. Aaron and other readers can google the names.

Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey