The verdict in three sentences
For a fleet of 45 injection moulding machines, a custom CMMS costs 35,000 to 80,000 EUR excl. VAT and is deployed in 4 months. It links the preventive plan, the spare parts store and the machines' cycle counters, so maintenance is triggered at the right moment rather than by the calendar. Starting from 9% unplanned downtime, a gain of 5 to 8 OEE points is a realistic target, and an off-the-shelf CMMS such as Carl Source or Mainsim remains cheaper if you do not need deep machine connectivity.
What each option can do
Most plants already have some kind of CMMS. The real question is how deeply it connects to presses and moulds, which is where downtime is decided in plastics.
| Function | Excel and paper work orders | Off-the-shelf CMMS (Carl Source, Mainsim) | Custom CMMS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preventive plan | Fixed calendar, often overdue | Calendar and manually entered counters | Triggered by real machine cycles |
| Mould maintenance | Logbook per mould | Generic equipment | Cycles per mould, alert before a production run |
| Work requests | Phone or paper | Portal and mobile app | Mobile app with downtime timestamped from the machine |
| Spare parts | Known by the storekeeper | Stock module, thresholds | Stock linked to failures, replenishment from history |
| Sensors and PLCs | None | Optional connectors, integrator | OPC UA or counter connection, vibration and temperature alerts |
| KPIs | Manual monthly calculation | Standard OEE, MTBF, MTTR | OEE per machine, mould and shift in real time |
| Fit with your processes | Total but fragile | Configuration | Total |
Budget by work package
| Work package | Scope | Budget excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and asset register | Workshops, hierarchy of 45 machines, peripherals and moulds | 3,000 to 6,000 EUR |
| Preventive plan | Task lists, triggers by hours, cycles and calendar | 6,000 to 14,000 EUR |
| Corrective work and technician app | Requests, work orders, photos, time logged | 6,000 to 14,000 EUR |
| Spare parts | Store, thresholds, reservations, link to failures | 5,000 to 12,000 EUR |
| Sensor and PLC connection | Cycle counters, OPC UA, vibration, temperature | 8,000 to 20,000 EUR |
| OEE dashboard | OEE, MTBF, MTTR by machine, mould and shift | 4,000 to 8,000 EUR |
| ERP integration and acceptance | Exchanges with the production ERP, tests, training | 3,000 to 6,000 EUR |
| Total | 35,000 to 80,000 EUR |
The sensor package varies the most: a recent machine exposes its counters over OPC UA, while a 2005 press needs an acquisition box at 400 to 900 EUR per machine.
5-year comparison with an off-the-shelf CMMS
| Item | Off-the-shelf CMMS | Custom CMMS |
|---|---|---|
| Licences | 15,000 to 40,000 EUR (27,500 median) | 0 EUR |
| Configuration, migration and training | 8,000 to 15,000 EUR (11,500 median) | Included in the budget |
| Machine connectivity | 10,000 to 25,000 EUR via an integrator (17,500 median) | Included in the budget |
| Initial development | 0 EUR | 35,000 to 80,000 EUR (55,000 median) |
| Annual maintenance | 5,500 EUR | 8,250 EUR |
| Total cost over 5 years | 84,000 EUR | 96,250 EUR |
| Deployment time | 3 to 6 months | 4 months |
On cost alone, the vendor wins by about 12,000 EUR over 5 years. A custom build is justified when mould maintenance, triggering on real cycles and OEE per shift are central to your improvement plan, because each OEE point is worth far more than that gap.
Mini case study
Ciarán Murphy is maintenance manager at an injection moulding plant in Ballymount, Dublin: 45 machines from 80 to 650 tonnes, 2 shifts, 3,680 operating hours per machine per year. Unplanned downtime reaches 9%, or 331 hours per machine. Target: +6 OEE points, meaning 221 hours recovered per machine and 9,936 hours across the plant. With a contribution margin of 60 EUR per machine-hour and counting only half of those hours as sellable, the gain reaches 298,000 EUR a year. Add 18,000 EUR of avoided express parts shipments. For a CMMS at 55,000 EUR and 8,250 EUR annual maintenance, payback comes 2 to 3 months after go-live.
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FAQ
Do all machines need to be connected from day one?
No, start with the 10 to 15 machines that cause the most stoppages, often 60% of lost hours. The others are connected later at 400 to 900 EUR per machine for the box, without redeveloping the software.
Does the CMMS also handle mould maintenance?
Yes, each mould has its own cycle counter, history and intervention thresholds. An alert fires before the next run if the mould exceeds, for example, 90% of its preventive interval.
Will our technicians really use the app?
The app is designed for logging an intervention in under 30 seconds, with a photo and failure code. On comparable projects, 85% of work orders are entered on mobile from the second month.
Can we import history from our current CMMS?
Yes, assets, task lists and intervention history are imported from Excel or the previous CMMS. Migration is included in the 3,000 to 6,000 EUR scoping package.
What does software maintenance cost?
Allow about 15% of the development budget per year, so 8,250 EUR for a 55,000 EUR CMMS. This covers hosting, security updates and adding new machines.
Let's scope your project. We scope your custom CMMS, from the machine register to real-time OEE, with an indicative budget and deployment in 4 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
