Central Innovation is now a full-service software and professional services provider, designing and developing solutions to help manufacturers unlock business and operations systems, turning complex product data into faster, more accurate decisions, and leaner, more efficient manufacturing systems.
The Data Solutions team is dedicated to helping manufacturers unlock the value of their operational and business data – transforming disconnected systems into a single source of truth that supports faster, smarter decision-making, whilst digitalising and automating critical processes.
Why a Data Solutions business unit?
Australian and New Zealand manufacturers are under pressure to do more with less: shorter lead times, tighter margins, and rising expectations around quality and customisation.
At the same time, many businesses are held back by:
- Legacy systems that don’t talk to each other
- Manual processes sitting outside primary engineering, manufacturing and business systems
- Limited visibility of real-time data across engineering, production, finance, and supply chain
- A shortage of internal skills to plan and implement Industry 4.0 initiatives
In fact, the majority of manufacturers cite cost, complexity, and lack of in house ICT skills as major barriers to digital transformation. That’s where we can help!
Central Innovation’s Data Solutions team specialise in removing those barriers, working with you to design a solution that unlocks the full value in you rmost critical asset, your data. We bring together engineers, consultants, and solution specialists to help you move from siloed, fragmented systems to modern, unified data platforms that are built for the future of manufacturing.
What we do
The Data Solutions unit focuses on one core goal: turning your data into a practical advantage on the shop floor and in the boardroom.
We help manufacturers:
- Unify data across systems – closing gaps between ERP, MRP, finance, CRM, manufacturing, procurement, engineering and design
- Improve visibility and accessibility – giving teams real-time insight into planning, scheduling, production, resourcing, and procurement
- Streamline production and planning – reducing manual handling, double entry and version confusion
- Enhance inventory and supply chain management – ensuring BOMs, purchasing, and stock levels are always aligned
- Modernise legacy processes – replacing spreadsheets and paper-based workflows with intuitive, cloud-based tools
Alongside our long-standing expertise in working with large technology providers, we develop and support our own software solutions, including workflow, data management, and BOM tools that plug directly into your existing environment.
How we do it
- MaXXlink: from BOM bottleneck to reliable CAD–ERP bridge
MaXXlink is a cloud-based BOM solution that connects your CAD and ERP/MRP systems at the BOM level. - It maps, validates and automates BOM transfer so engineers don’t have to re-key or clean up data between systems.
- This reduces errors, speeds up handover from design to production, and gives teams confidence that everyone is working from the same BOM.
- MaXXflow: your digital backbone for manufacturing data
MaXXflow is a central platform that connects your core engineering and business systems.
- It manages how data is shared, transformed and approved between CAD, PDM, ERP/MRP and beyond.
- You get one coherent flow of data instead of disconnected silos—supporting better decisions, smoother operations and future-ready digital transformation.
- Emax: proven MRP, implemented for your reality
Emax is a robust MRP/ERP platform for manufacturers who need better control over production, inventory and scheduling. - As an accredited implementation partner, Central Innovation’s Data Solutions team configures, integrates and deploys Emax into your existing environment—aligning it with your workflows, data and reporting needs.
- You get the benefits of a mature manufacturing system without a painful rollout—faster time-to-value, less disruption, and a solution that actually fits how your business runs.
- DriveWorks: automate design, accelerate every quote
DriveWorks is a rules-based design automation and product configuration platform for companies using SOLIDWORKS. - Central Innovation’s Data Solutions team designs, configures and integrates DriveWorks so your engineers and sales teams can generate models, drawings and quotes automatically from guided inputs.
- You cut repetitive engineering work, respond to enquiries faster and scale custom product offerings without adding headcount or compromising accuracy.
- SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional & SOLIDWORKS Manage: control your data, coordinate your projects
SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional and SOLIDWORKS Manage provide secure, structured control of your CAD data, documents and projects across the business. - Central Innovation’s Data Solutions team designs the vault, workflows and dashboards, then implements and integrates PDM and Manage with your existing systems so data, tasks and approvals are all aligned.
- You reduce errors and rework, gain traceability over every revision and change, and give your teams a single, trusted source of product and project information.
- Systems Integration: connect the tools you already trust
Systems Integration as a Service links your CAD, PDM, ERP/MRP, CRM and other line-of-business systems into a coherent, working ecosystem. - Central Innovation’s Data Solutions team designs, builds and maintains integrations using proven patterns, connectors and middleware—so data can move reliably between platforms without constant firefighting.
- You eliminate double-handling and data silos, reduce integration risk, and get a technology stack that supports your processes instead of slowing them down.
- Third-party engineering & manufacturing systems, RPA and software: extend, we don’t replace
We work with a wide range of third-party engineering, manufacturing and RPA platforms to enhance and connect the tools you already use. - Central Innovation’s Data Solutions team assesses your current stack, then designs and implements integrations, automations and extensions so these systems work together as one.
- You unlock more value from existing investments, reduce manual effort through smart automation, and build a flexible digital environment without committing to a full rip-and-replace.
- Professional services: Consulting & Solution design, implementation and training
End-to-end professional services to plan, design and deliver manufacturing data solutions that match your business goals. - Central Innovation’s Data Solutions team works alongside your stakeholders to assess current processes, architect the right mix of platforms and integrations, then handle implementation, configuration and training.
- You get solutions that are adopted, understood and embedded—reducing project risk and ensuring your technology investment translates into real, measurable operational improvement.
- Bespoke development: software shaped around your operations
Custom-built tools, connectors and applications tailored to your specific engineering and manufacturing workflows. - Central Innovation’s Data Solutions team designs, develops and maintains bespoke software using modern architectures and deep domain knowledge of CAD, PDM, ERP/MRP and shop-floor systems.
- You get exactly the functionality you need—filling gaps standard products can’t—while streamlining processes, reducing manual work and creating a competitive edge that’s hard to copy.
- #Task: Your SOLIDWORKS personal assistant.
#Task supercharges your SOLIDWORKS by automating tasks like file admin, reducing errors and giving more time back to your engineers to do the important stuff. - It runs batch jobs for tasks like updating properties, renaming and organising files, publishing PDFs/DXFs and checking models against your standards—so engineers can trigger complex, multi-step actions in just a few clicks.
- You reduce errors and rework, standardise outputs across teams, and give engineers more time to focus on high-value design and innovation instead of manual admin.
Partnering with Central Innovation on your data journey
Central Innovation’s Data Solutions business unit brings together:
- Three decades of engineering and manufacturing expertise
- Deep knowledge of the Dassault Systèmes ecosystem, including SOLIDWORKS
- Locally based engineers and consultants across Australia and New Zealand
- Proprietary software solutions like MaXXlink, MaXXflow and #Task that are built around the needs of modern manufacturers
Whether you’re just starting your Industry 4.0 journey or looking to connect mature systems into a cohesive whole, our mission is the same; to turn your industrial data into a competitive advantage – powering smarter, leaner manufacturing across Australia and New Zealand.
For more than 35 years, Central Innovation has helped engineers and manufacturers across Australia, New Zealand, and beyond design better products using world-class tools such as SOLIDWORKS and the broader Dassault Systèmes ecosystem.