Stop Wasting Hours on Manual Shop Floor Tracking and Error-Prone Inventory Counts Custom AI That Builds Efficiency Into Your Welds and Cuts
Imagine reclaiming 20+ hours per week from repetitive tasks like chasing material specs or reconciling cut lists. Our tailored AI automates the grunt work, delivering 3x faster throughput and slashing material waste by 15% – all without the hassle of piecing together off-the-shelf tools.
Join 150+ manufacturing teams with streamlined operations and real ROI
The "Fragmented Workflow" Problem
Endless Manual Tracking of Weld Schedules and Material Flows in Fabrication Shops
Error-Ridden Cut Lists for Structural Beams Leading to Scrap and Rework Costs
Supply Chain Delays from Unreliable Vendor Lead Time Predictions for Rebar and Concrete Deliveries
Overloaded Foremen Juggling Paper Logs and Spreadsheet Chaos on Job Sites
Quality Control Bottlenecks in Inspecting Welded Fabricated Parts for Load-Bearing Structures
Inaccurate Job Costing from Disconnected Time Tracking and Billing in Modular Construction Projects
Our Custom-Built AI Workflows – Engineered for Your Shop Floor
We've powered metal fab operations just like yours, turning chaotic workflows into seamless production lines with proven, field-tested AI integrations.
Why Choose Us
Here's the thing: in metal fabrication, every minute counts – from plasma cutting to final assembly. You're probably thinking, 'Another tool to learn?' Not with us. At AIQ Labs, we build AI directly into your existing setup, whether it's tying your CNC machines to inventory systems or automating weld certifications. No cookie-cutter software. We start with your blueprints, audit your daily bottlenecks, and craft a unified system that feels like an extension of your team. Think of it as laying a solid foundation for your digital operations – robust, scalable, and owned by you. We've done this for shops handling everything from structural steel to precision components, consistently delivering systems that pay for themselves in months.
What Makes Us Different:
Unlock Tangible Time and Cost Wins Tailored to Your Fab Shop
Reclaim 25 Hours Weekly from Manual Inventory and Scheduling Drudgery
Reclaim 25 Hours Weekly from Manual Inventory and Scheduling Drudgery: No more chasing down steel sheets or double-checking cut lists by hand for beam fabrication. Our AI scans your CNC machine orders, predicts material needs based on project blueprints, and auto-updates schedules – like having an extra foreman who never sleeps. Shops using this see production ramps up by 30%, turning wasted afternoons into billable output for on-time site deliveries.
Slash Material Waste and Rework by 20% with Smart Quality Checks
Slash Material Waste and Rework by 20% with Smart Quality Checks: Picture this: AI flags deviations in weld tolerances on structural frames before they become scrap piles. Integrated with your ultrasonic inspection tools, it cross-references CAD blueprints against real-time laser scans, catching issues early. The result? Fewer do-overs in the fab shop, tighter margins on rebar projects, and happier clients who get load-bearing parts on spec the first time.
Achieve 4x ROI in Under 6 Months Through Unified Job Tracking
Achieve 4x ROI in Under 6 Months Through Unified Job Tracking: Let's be honest, juggling time clocks for crane operators, material logs for concrete pours, and invoicing across apps is a nightmare. We consolidate it all into one dashboard, auto-generating accurate cost reports with integrated ERP data. One client cut their month-end close from days to hours on high-rise builds, boosting cash flow and letting them bid on bigger jobs without the guesswork around labor overruns.
What Clients Say
"We were drowning in manual logs for our aluminum extrusion runs – tracking yields from our CNC benders, defect rates on custom profiles, everything. AIQ Labs built this AI that pulls data straight from our bending machines and predicts maintenance needs based on runtime patterns. Saved us about 15 hours a week on inventory checks, and our scrap rate dropped from 8% to under 3% in just two months. Game-changer for staying competitive in window frame manufacturing."
Mike Harlan
Operations Manager, Precision Metals Inc.
"Honestly, I was skeptical about AI in fabrication, but their system automated our quoting process for custom steel brackets used in bridge supports. It factors in current A36 steel prices, machine availability on our plasma cutters, and even supplier lead times automatically. Cut our quoting time from 2 days to 30 minutes, and we've landed three big contracts we would've missed otherwise, including a major highway project."
Sara Lopez
Shop Owner, ForgeFab Solutions
"Dealing with supplier delays was killing our timelines on structural I-beam projects for commercial builds. The custom AI they integrated with our ERP forecasts arrivals based on past vendor patterns for galvanized steel and even suggests alternative mills if delays loom. Reduced our downtime by 40% on the shop floor, and the team actually has time for lunch now instead of firefighting crane setups."
Tom Reilly
Production Supervisor, SteelCore Fabricators
Simple 3-Step Process
Discovery and Workflow Audit
We hop on a call to map your fab shop's realities – from raw material intake to shipping finished assemblies. No fluff, just pinpointing where time leaks out in your cuts, welds, and inspections.
Custom AI Design and Build
Our engineers craft your solution from scratch, integrating with your CNC software, sensors, and inventory trackers. It's like reinforcing a beam – strong, precise, and built to handle your load.
Deployment, Training, and Optimization
We roll it out shop-floor ready, train your team hands-on, and monitor performance for the first month. Expect tweaks based on real runs, ensuring it boosts your throughput without a hitch.
Why We're Different
What's Included
Common Questions
How does your AI handle the variability in custom metal fab orders?
Great question – custom orders are the heart of metal fabrication, with endless tweaks to sizes, alloys, and tolerances. Our AI starts by ingesting your historical data from past jobs, like sheet metal bends or tube laser cuts, to learn patterns in your workflow. We build models that adapt in real-time: for instance, if a client changes a flange spec mid-run, the system auto-adjusts schedules, flags material impacts, and updates downstream tasks. It's trained on your shop's specifics, not generic datasets, so it accounts for things like your preferred suppliers or machine setup times. One fab shop we worked with saw their change-order handling time drop by 50%, from scrambling with emails to seamless updates. We also include safeguards, like human override options, to keep your skilled welders in control. Overall, it's about making variability a strength, not a headache, while keeping production flowing smoothly.
What kind of ROI can a mid-sized metal fab shop expect?
You're probably thinking about the bottom line, and rightfully so – metal fab is all about tight margins. Based on our deployments, shops with 20-100 employees typically see a 3-5x ROI within the first 6-9 months. This comes from slashing manual hours: say, 15-25 hours per week on inventory counts and scheduling, which translates to $50K+ annual savings at average shop rates. Add in reduced scrap – often 10-20% less waste on materials like stainless steel – and faster quoting that wins more bids. For example, a client handling structural components cut their overstock by 18%, freeing up $120K in tied-up capital. We calculate your specific ROI during the free consult, factoring in your current throughput, error rates, and tools. No fluff; just hard numbers from field-tested implementations that pay off quick.
Will this AI integrate with our existing CNC machines and ERP?
Absolutely, integration is where we shine – no ripping out what works. We specialize in connecting AI to shop floor realities, like your Haas or Trumpf CNCs and systems such as JobBOSS or Epicor ERP. Our approach uses robust, two-way APIs to pull live data: machine run times, tool wear, or inventory levels update automatically without manual entry. For instance, if your plasma table signals a job complete, the AI pushes it to ERP for instant costing and alerts the next welder via a mobile dashboard. We've handled everything from legacy PLCs to modern IoT sensors, ensuring minimal downtime during setup – often just a weekend install. Security is baked in, with encrypted connections to protect your proprietary designs. Shops tell us it's like the machines finally talking to each other, cutting errors and speeding up the whole fab cycle.
How long does it take to get up and running?
Let's be honest, you can't afford months of disruption in a fast-paced fab shop. Our process is streamlined: after the initial audit (1-2 weeks), we build and test the core AI in 4-6 weeks, tailored to your workflows like material routing or quality checks. Deployment follows with a 1-week training ramp-up, so your team is productive right away. Total timeline? 6-10 weeks to full operation, depending on complexity – much faster than cobbling together off-the-shelf tools. We phase it: start with high-impact areas like inventory automation, then layer on scheduling. A recent project for a sheet metal specialist went live in 7 weeks, and they were saving 12 hours weekly by week 8. We stay involved post-launch for optimizations, ensuring it evolves with your shop without halting production.
Is the AI secure for handling sensitive fab blueprints and client data?
Security is non-negotiable in metal fabrication, where blueprints and specs are your IP gold. We design everything with enterprise-grade protections: data encryption at rest and in transit, role-based access so only authorized foremen see weld details, and compliance with standards like ISO 9001. Unlike cloud-heavy tools, our owned systems keep your data on your servers or secure private clouds – no risky third-party sharing. For example, we anonymize sensitive part geometries during AI training to prevent leaks. Regular audits and penetration testing are standard, and we've powered secure setups for defense contractors. Your team gets intuitive controls, like audit logs for who accessed what. Bottom line: it's built to safeguard your competitive edge, just like you secure your shop floor.
Can this scale if our fab shop grows or adds new lines?
Scalability is key in manufacturing – one day you're running small runs, the next you're scaling for a big contract. Our AI is engineered modularly, using advanced frameworks that handle growth without rebuilds. Start with automating your current benders and shears; as you add robotic welders or new product lines, we extend the system via plug-and-play modules. It auto-scales compute based on data volume, like surging order influxes, ensuring no lag during peak seasons. A client expanded from 50 to 150 jobs monthly, and our AI adapted seamlessly, maintaining 99% uptime. We monitor usage and proactively optimize, so you're not outgrowing it in a year. Think of it as a flexible production line that bends with your business, delivering consistent ROI as you ramp up.
Ready to Get Started?
Book your free consultation and discover how we can transform your business with AI.