Stop Losing Bids and Delaying Projects With a Scalable Business Operating System
Imagine cutting your project delays by 40% and boosting fabrication throughput without the chaos of mismatched tools. We're here to build that for you.
Join 150+ fabrication shops with seamless, scalable operations
The "Scaling Bottlenecks" Problem
Juggling paper blueprints and spreadsheets for custom weldments like I-beams and trusses, leading to errors in tolerances and fit-ups
Manual inventory checks for critical aluminum extrusions like T-slots and channels, causing stockouts that delay extrusion presses and assembly lines
Delayed approvals for fabrication changes, such as plasma cut modifications on steel plates, stalling production lines and missing mill lead times
Inaccurate quoting for CNC machining jobs on parts like gearboxes or fixtures, resulting in underbidding and losses from overlooked setup times
Fragmented tracking of subcontractor welds and assemblies, like pipe spools or modular frames, across multiple job sites and weather-impacted schedules
Overloaded foremen spending hours on admin tasks like logging MIG weld certifications instead of overseeing fabrication quality on-site
Build Your Custom AI Operating System That Grows With Every Project
We've engineered systems for fabrication shops just like yours, turning chaotic workflows into field-tested powerhouses that handle 5x volume without breaking a sweat.
Why Choose Us
Let's be honest, running a custom fab shop means dealing with one-off orders that demand precision, but your tools shouldn't hold you back. We build a unified AIQ Labs Operating System from the ground up, integrating your CAD software, ERP, and shop floor controls into one seamless platform. No more subscription sprawl. This is your owned asset, designed to scale as you land bigger contracts. You're probably thinking, 'How does it handle our unique setups?' It starts with mapping your exact processes—like quoting laser-cut parts or scheduling plasma table runs—and layers in AI to predict delays or optimize material yields. Enterprise-ready architecture means no bottlenecks when you double your throughput.
What Makes Us Different:
Scale Without the Growing Pains
Unlimited Growth Potential
Unlimited Growth Potential: As your shop takes on larger structural steel projects like bridge girders or building frameworks, our system scales effortlessly—no more hitting ceilings on order volume. We've seen clients ramp from 50 to 200 custom weldments per month without adding headcount, keeping your ROI sharp and operations lean by automating BOM tracking.
Enterprise-Ready Architecture
Enterprise-Ready Architecture: Built like a reinforced concrete foundation, this OS handles high-volume data from multiple fab lines, including laser cutters and roll formers, across job sites. Say goodbye to crashes during peak seasons; it's tested to manage 10,000+ parts inventories for steel tubing and real-time tracking for off-site crane installations.
No Bottlenecks in Production
No Bottlenecks in Production: AI anticipates issues like material shortages for custom enclosures, such as electrical panels or HVAC housings, before they halt your lines, ensuring projects stay on schedule. One client cut idle time on their bending machines by 35% over three months, turning potential losses into on-time deliveries that win repeat business from general contractors.
What Clients Say
"Before AIQ Labs, we were drowning in Excel sheets for every custom bracket job on structural steel—took our estimators two full days per quote, often missing bolt hole specs. Now, the system pulls CAD data from our SolidWorks files and spits out accurate bids in under an hour. We've landed three major HVAC ductwork contracts this quarter alone, and our error rate on material orders for galvanized steel dropped from 15% to zero."
Mike Harlan
Fabrication Shop Manager at Precision Fab Works, specializing in structural steel components
"Scaling our aluminum fabrication was a nightmare with all those disconnected apps tracking extrusion profiles. Their OS integrated our inventory scanner with the CNC router software overnight. Last month, we handled a rush order for 500 anodized panels for curtain walls without a single stockout—saved us $12K in expedited shipping from the aluminum mill."
Sara Lopez
Operations Director at Metro Metal Crafters, focused on architectural aluminum systems
"Honestly, I was skeptical about AI in our dusty shop with all the arc welding fumes, but this thing tracks TIG weld inspections on pressure vessels and flags defects like porosity before they ship. We went from 8% rework on structural components to under 2% in just six months. It's like having an extra certified welding inspector who never sleeps."
Tom Reilly
Owner of Apex Custom Welds, experts in ASME-compliant pressure vessel fabrication
Simple 3-Step Process
Discovery and Mapping
We dive into your fab shop's daily grind— from blueprint approvals to final assembly—identifying bottlenecks like manual routing for sheet metal jobs. This sets the foundation for a system that fits your workflow perfectly.
Custom Build and Integration
Our engineers craft your OS, weaving in AI for predictive scheduling and tying it to your existing tools like ERP and quality control software. Short sprints mean you see progress on real scenarios, like optimizing cut lists for efficiency.
Deployment and Scaling
We roll it out shop-wide, train your team on dashboards for job tracking, and monitor for seamless growth. As you expand to new lines or sites, the system adapts without downtime, ensuring you're always ready for the next big fabrication run.
Why We're Different
What's Included
Common Questions
How does this operating system handle the variability of custom fabrication orders?
Custom fab shops thrive on one-offs, right? Our system is built to adapt. We start by modeling your unique processes—think variable batch sizes for machined parts or ad-hoc design tweaks for architectural metalwork. AI learns from your historical data to automate routing, predict setup times, and flag potential delays, like when a supplier lags on titanium sheets. It's not rigid; it scales with complexity, handling everything from small prototypes to large-scale truss assemblies without missing a beat. Clients tell us it shaved 20% off their lead times on rush jobs. Plus, since it's custom-coded, we tweak it as your shop evolves, ensuring no growing pains.
No, we integrate deeply with what you already use. For instance, we connect directly to your AutoCAD or Mastercam for seamless data pulls into the OS, eliminating double-entry on dimensions and tolerances. Your ERP, whether it's something like Epicor or a custom setup, gets two-way sync for inventory and costing. The result? A unified view where your team sees real-time updates on a job's progress, from plasma cutting to powder coating, without switching apps. We've done this for shops running legacy systems, turning potential roadblocks into smooth operations that support scaling to enterprise levels.
What kind of ROI can a fabrication shop expect from this?
ROI in fab is all about cutting waste and speeding throughput—practical stuff. Shops we've worked with see payback in 6-9 months through reductions in material scrap (up to 30% less on imprecise cuts) and admin time (foremen reclaim 15 hours weekly for oversight). One client boosted their bid win rate by 25% with faster, error-free quoting. It's field-tested: we factor in your margins on things like structural steel jobs, ensuring the system pays for itself by handling more volume without proportional cost increases. Long-term, it's unlimited growth—think expanding from local builds to regional contracts without tool limitations.
How scalable is this for growing from a small shop to multiple facilities?
Here's the thing: we design it like modular steel framing—expandable without redesign. Start with one shop's workflows, like tracking CNC runs and weld logs, then scale to satellite sites with shared dashboards for cross-facility inventory. AI handles the load, forecasting demands across locations to prevent silos. No bottlenecks; the architecture supports 10x growth in orders, as seen with a client who went from 20 to 150 employees across two plants. We build in redundancy for uptime during peak fab seasons, so you're not left hanging on a big pipeline project.
Can non-tech team members in the shop use this easily?
Absolutely—your welders and machinists aren't coders, so we keep it straightforward. Think intuitive mobile interfaces for logging defects on the floor or updating assembly statuses via voice commands, no keyboard needed amid the noise. Dashboards use simple visuals, like color-coded progress bars for job stages, tailored to fab lingo (e.g., 'bending complete' alerts). Training takes a day, and we've got shops where 80% adoption happened in week one. It's warm, professional support: we walk your team through it, ensuring even the least tech-savvy feel empowered, not overwhelmed.
What if we have compliance needs for construction projects?
Compliance is non-negotiable in construction fab—weld certs, material traceability, OSHA logs. Our OS embeds automated tracking for all that, generating audit-ready reports on demand. AI cross-checks specs against standards like AWS D1.1 for structural welding, flagging deviations early. For multi-site ops, it centralizes documentation, reducing errors that could delay inspections. A partner shop cut their compliance review time from days to hours, avoiding fines on a $2M bridge component job. We customize to your regs, building in secure access so only authorized eyes see sensitive data, all while scaling securely as you grow.
Ready to Get Started?
Book your free consultation and discover how we can transform your business with AI.