PartGuard

Digital checklists that enforce perfect QC workflows for custom production runs.

Score: 5.6/10SOEasy Build
Brand Colors

The Opportunity

Problem

Small-scale manufacturers struggle with inconsistent quality control for custom parts when scaling from prototypes to production runs.

Solution

PartGuard provides customizable digital checklists for every stage of part production, from prototype to final inspection. Engineers complete checks on mobile, with mandatory sign-offs and photo proofs to prevent skips. Analytics highlight recurring issues, standardizing quality across low-volume scaling.

Target Audience

Owners and engineers in small-scale manufacturing shops producing custom parts with low-volume runs

Differentiator

Enforceable workflows with photo-verified signoffs, blocking production until QC passes.

Brand Voice

supportive

Features

Checklist Builder

must-have18h

Drag-drop to create multi-step QC checklists per part.

Mobile Sign-off

must-have22h

Complete checks with photo proof on phone.

Run Tracking

must-have15h

Link checklists to production runs for full traceability.

Compliance Dashboard

must-have20h

Overview of pass rates, bottlenecks per checklist.

Team Assignments

must-have16h

Assign roles and track completions.

Template Sharing

nice-to-have12h

Share checklists across shops.

Auto-reminders

nice-to-have10h

Push notifications for overdue checks.

Export Audits

nice-to-have8h

CSV/PDF for ISO compliance.

Total Build Time: 121 hours

Database Schema

users

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
emailtextNo
roletextNo

checklists

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
user_iduuidNo
nametextNo
part_typetextYes

Relationships:

  • user_id references users(id)

checklist_items

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
checklist_iduuidNo
step_nametextNo
requires_photoboolNo

Relationships:

  • checklist_id references checklists(id)

production_runs

ColumnTypeNullable
iduuidNo
user_iduuidNo
checklist_iduuidNo
statustextNo
completed_attimestampYes

Relationships:

  • user_id references users(id)
  • checklist_id references checklists(id)

API Endpoints

POST
/api/checklists

Create checklist

🔒 Auth Required
POST
/api/checklists/:id/items

Add item to checklist

🔒 Auth Required
POST
/api/runs

Start new production run

🔒 Auth Required
PUT
/api/runs/:id/complete-step

Mark step done with photo

🔒 Auth Required
GET
/api/dashboard/compliance

Get stats

🔒 Auth Required

Tech Stack

Frontend
Next.js 14 + Tailwind + shadcn/ui
Backend
Next.js API routes
Database
Supabase Postgres
Auth
Supabase Auth
Payments
Stripe
Hosting
Vercel
Additional Tools
Supabase Storage for photos

Build Timeline

Week 1: Auth and checklists

40h
  • User mgmt
  • Checklist CRUD

Week 2: Runs and signoffs

40h
  • Production runs
  • Step completion

Week 3: Dashboard and mobile

35h
  • Compliance view
  • Responsive design

Week 4: Payments and polish

30h
  • Stripe
  • Exports
  • Landing

Week 5: Enhancements

20h
  • Reminders
  • Templates
Total Timeline: 5 weeks • 165 hours

Pricing Tiers

Free

$0/mo

No teams, basic dashboard

  • 3 checklists
  • 10 runs/month

Pro

$32/mo

3 users

  • Unlimited checklists/runs
  • Teams
  • Full dashboard

Enterprise

$99/mo

None

  • All Pro + custom templates
  • Audit exports
  • Unlimited users

Revenue Projections

MonthUsersConversionMRRARR
Month 1804%$100$1,200
Month 65007%$1,100$13,200

Unit Economics

$22
CAC
$350
LTV
5%
Churn
90%
Margin
LTV:CAC Ratio: 15.9xExcellent!

Landing Page Copy

Never Skip a QC Step Again

Enforceable digital checklists with photo proofs for consistent custom part quality.

Feature Highlights

Mobile-first signoffs
Production run traceability
Bottleneck analytics
Team collaboration

Social Proof (Placeholders)

"'Eliminated human error completely.' – Mike, Engineer"
"'Perfect for our scaling runs.' – Lisa, Owner"

First Three Customers

DM 20 small CNC shops on LinkedIn with checklist template offer; join manufacturing Facebook groups and share free trial link; attend local maker fairs for demos.

Launch Channels

Product Huntr/manufacturingr/smallbusinessIndie HackersManufacturing forums

SEO Keywords

manufacturing QC checklistscustom parts inspection workflowproduction quality control appshop floor checklist softwarelow volume manufacturing QC

Competitive Analysis

SafetyCulture

safetyculture.com
$24/user
Strength

General checklists

Weakness

Not manufacturing-specific

Our Advantage

Tailored for parts QC with runs integration

🏰 Moat Strategy

Network of shared checklist templates creates viral shop-to-shop adoption.

⏰ Why Now?

Labor shortages push digital workflows; mobile-first tools now standard in shops.

Risks & Mitigation

marketmedium severity

Resistance to digital from old-school shops

Mitigation

Free templates and easy onboarding

executionlow severity

Photo verification abuse

Mitigation

AI quick-check on photos

Validation Roadmap

pre-build5 days

Survey 15 engineers on checklist pains

Success: 80% say they'd use digital

mvp28 days

Beta with 15 shops

Success: 70% complete 5+ runs

Pivot Options

  • General shop safety checklists
  • Maintenance scheduling
  • Supply chain QC

Quick Stats

Build Time
165h
Target MRR (6 mo)
$1,100
Market Size
$400.0M
Features
8
Database Tables
4
API Endpoints
5