Stop Guessing on Weld Yields and Machine Downtime Get Real-Time Dashboards That Track Every Cut and Bend
Imagine slashing your scrap rates by 25% through instant visibility into production bottlenecks. No more chasing paper logs or waiting on end-of-shift reports. We're talking actionable insights that keep your shop floor humming and your margins intact.
Join 50+ metal fab shops with clearer visibility and faster decisions
The "Fragmented Data" Problem
Scattered Data from CNC Plasma Cutters, ERP Inventory Systems, and On-Site Welding Logs
Delayed Insights on Weld Imperfections and Scrap Rates During High-Volume Steel Beam Production Runs
Blind Spots in Steel Plate Traceability Leading to Costly Rework on Custom Structural Orders
Siloed Metrics from Press Brake Operations and Assembly Line Forcing Manual Checks Between Shifts
Inaccurate Forecasting of Sheet Metal Demands Causing Overstock or Shortages in Fabrication Shops
No Real-Time Visibility into Supplier Delays on Structural Steel Impacting Welding Timelines
Our Custom Dashboards Built for Your Shop Floor
We've partnered with over 30 metal fabrication firms to turn raw data chaos into field-tested, ROI-driven tools that actually get used.
Why Choose Us
Let's be honest, off-the-shelf dashboards feel like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole for your fabrication workflow. You're probably thinking, 'We need something that speaks our language—tracking plasma cuts, bend sequences, and weld inspections without the fluff.' That's where we come in at AIQ Labs. We build custom, AI-powered dashboards from the ground up, integrating directly with your CAD/CAM software, ERP systems, and even IoT sensors on the floor. No templates. Just tailored visibility that uncovers hidden inefficiencies, like spotting a recurring flaw in your laser cutting patterns before it eats into profits. Here's the thing: these aren't just pretty charts. They're your new command center for data-driven decisions, pulling everything into one unified view so you stop flying blind.
What Makes Us Different:
Unlock the Power of Informed Fabrication
Crystal-Clear Visibility into Production Flow
Crystal-Clear Visibility into Production Flow: Picture this: You're running a tight deadline on structural steel beams, but a CNC plasma cutter starts underperforming with rising amperage alerts. Our dashboard flags it instantly with live data from your machines, letting you reroute jobs to laser cutters and avoid a 15% yield drop in just 30 minutes. No more gut-feel decisions—just hard numbers from OEE metrics driving your daily ops.
Smarter Inventory and Cost Control
Smarter Inventory and Cost Control: In metal fab, overbuying 6061 aluminum sheets for ductwork can tie up thousands in capital during peak HVAC season. We customize dashboards to forecast usage based on your job queue, historical plasma cuts, and upcoming bridge projects, reducing excess stock by up to 30% within the first quarter. It's like having a crystal ball for your raw materials, ensuring every dollar spent turns into finished product without warehouse bloat.
Faster, Field-Tested Decision Making
Faster, Field-Tested Decision Making: You're knee-deep in a custom fabrication project for commercial building frames when supplier delays on I-beams hit. Our real-time alerts integrate delivery ETAs from your steel vendor with your production schedule and welding queue, helping you pivot to alternative suppliers without halting the line for over 24 hours. Shops using our systems report 20% shorter lead times on average, turning potential headaches into smooth handoffs that keep projects on track.
What Clients Say
"Before AIQ's dashboard, we were chasing daily weld inspection logs at shift end and losing track of scrap from faulty press brake bends on stainless steel panels. Now, it's all there in real-time with defect trend graphs—we cut our rework by 18% on a major commercial HVAC duct run last quarter, and the shop foreman actually pulls reports mid-shift to adjust tooling."
Mike Harlan
Operations Manager at Precision Metal Works, a structural steel fabricator in Ohio
"Our old ERP reports took hours to pull for router downtime analysis, and by then, decisions on spindle maintenance were purely reactive during aluminum extrusion runs. The custom setup from AIQ integrates our CNC router data directly into the dashboard; we've shaved two hours off daily diagnostics, boosted uptime to 95%, and hit our quarterly throughput targets for window frame production three months ahead of schedule."
Sara Lopez
Production Director at Apex Fabrications Inc., specializing in architectural metalwork in Texas
"Dealing with material traceability for galvanized steel sheets was a nightmare during annual audits for our bridge component jobs. This dashboard tracks every sheet from mill receipt to final MIG weld assembly with RFID timestamps and batch IDs—saved us hours during a recent ISO 9001 review and cut inventory discrepancies from 12% to under 4% across six months. Solid integration, no fluff or steep learning curve."
Tom Reilly
Owner of Reilly Metal Crafters, a custom fabrication shop for infrastructure projects in Pennsylvania
Simple 3-Step Process
Discovery and Mapping
We dive into your fabrication workflow—talking shop floor realities, from CAD uploads to final inspections. No cookie-cutter audits; we map exactly how data flows in your shop to pinpoint silos.
Custom Build and Integration
Using advanced frameworks, we craft your dashboard to pull live data from machines, inventory, and orders. It's tailored to your KPIs, like tracking cycle times on press brakes, ensuring it fits like a custom jig.
Testing and Launch
We field-test on your actual jobs, tweaking for accuracy—like simulating a high-volume run to verify defect alerts. Once it's rock-solid, we train your team and go live, with ongoing support to keep insights sharp.
Why We're Different
What's Included
Common Questions
How do your dashboards handle data from legacy CNC machines in our shop?
We get it—many metal fab shops run older equipment without fancy APIs. Our team specializes in custom integrations using IoT sensors or direct PLC connections to pull data like spindle speeds or error codes in real-time. For instance, we've retrofitted Haas mills for clients, turning silent machines into data powerhouses without full replacements. The setup ensures compatibility with your workflow, reducing manual inputs by 80% and giving you visibility into performance that was previously guesswork. It's all built to your specs, so no disruptions to production.
What KPIs are most useful for metal fabrication, and can you customize them?
Absolutely, we tailor KPIs to your operation—think first-pass yield on plasma cuts, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) for press brakes, or defect rates per weld batch. You're probably dealing with unique challenges like variable job sizes, so we focus on what's ROI-critical, like tracking aluminum waste to hit under 5% scrap. Our dashboards let you drill down: see a spike in downtime? Click through to machine logs. We've helped shops like yours shift from monthly summaries to daily actionable insights, boosting throughput by 15-20% without adding headcount.
How long does it take to build and deploy a custom dashboard?
Timeline varies by complexity, but for most metal fab setups, we're looking at 4-6 weeks from discovery to live deployment. We start with a quick audit of your systems—say, integrating with AutoCAD and your inventory tracker—then build iteratively. Testing happens on your floor with real jobs, like monitoring a steel frame run, to ensure accuracy. No long waits like with big vendors; we move fast because we know delays cost you jobs. Post-launch, we provide training and tweaks to keep it humming.
Is the dashboard secure for handling proprietary fabrication designs?
Security is non-negotiable in metal fab, where blueprints and client specs are gold. We use enterprise-grade encryption, role-based access (e.g., welders see only shift metrics, managers get full views), and compliance with standards like ISO 9001. Data stays on your secure servers or ours with SOC 2 protections—no cloud risks if you prefer on-prem. We've secured systems for shops dealing with aerospace parts, preventing leaks that could void contracts. It's built tough, like your best welds, to protect your IP while delivering insights.
Can these dashboards scale as our fabrication business grows?
Yes, designed for growth from small custom runs to high-volume contracts. Our architecture uses scalable frameworks that handle increased data loads—say, adding 10 more CNCs without slowdowns. For example, a client expanded from 50 to 200 jobs monthly, and we upgraded seamlessly, incorporating new KPIs like multi-site inventory sync. No rip-and-replace; it's modular, so as you add lines or acquire shops, the dashboard evolves. This ownership model means you're not locked into pricey upgrades, just paying for what drives your ROI.
What if we already use software like JobShop or ERP—will it integrate?
Integration is our bread and butter. We connect deeply with tools like JobBOSS, Epicor, or even custom ERPs via APIs or secure exports, creating a single pane for metrics like order status and material costs. No more toggling apps mid-shift. In one case, we linked a client's nesting software to their dashboard, auto-flagging inefficient layouts that saved 10% on sheet usage. It's two-way where possible, updating records automatically, so your data stays fresh and decisions informed without extra effort.
Ready to Get Started?
Book your free consultation and discover how we can transform your business with AI.