Stop Guessing on Production Runs Get Crystal-Clear Dashboard Visibility
Imagine slashing material waste by 30% and spotting bottlenecks before they tank your deadlines. We're talking real-time insights that keep your shop floor humming and your margins intact.
Join 150+ businesses with streamlined operations and 25% faster decision-making
The "Shop Floor Fog" Problem
Scattered Data from CNC Machines, ERP Inventory Sheets, and Shop Floor Logs
Delayed Insights into Material Shortages Mid-Fabrication, Like Running Out of Structural Steel During Beam Welding
Blind Spots in Tracking Labor Hours Across Multiple Welding Stations and Assembly Lines
Quality Control Gaps in Weld Inspections Leading to Costly Rewelds and Scrap Metal Waste
Siloed Order Status Updates Between Shop Floor CNC Operators and Office Estimators
Unpredictable Delivery Timelines Due to Hidden Bottlenecks in Plasma Cutting or Heat Treating Queues
Our Custom-Built Dashboards Cut Through the Noise
We've engineered solutions for metal shops just like yours, integrating legacy ERP systems with modern AI for field-tested results that deliver ROI from day one.
Why Choose Us
Let's be honest, in metal fabrication, you're juggling plasma cutters, press brakes, and endless spreadsheets. Here's the thing: our custom dashboards pull it all together. We build them from the ground up, tailored to your workflow—whether it's tracking sheet metal inventory or monitoring laser cut yields. No off-the-shelf nonsense. You're probably thinking, 'Can this really work for my setup?' It does, because we start with your data sources and craft a unified view that highlights what's slowing you down. Think of it like reinforcing a weak beam: strong, precise, and built to last.
What Makes Us Different:
Unlock Actionable Insights That Drive Your Shop Forward
Real-Time KPI Tracking for Smarter Production
Picture this: a dashboard that shows your current run rates on the mill, defect trends from the last shift's TIG welds, and projected completion times for custom rebar assemblies. No more chasing updates via radio. We've seen shops reduce downtime by 40% just by spotting idle CNC machines early. It's like having a digital foreman watching every corner of your operation, from bending brakes to finishing lines.
Eliminate Data Silos for Unified Decision-Making
Your inventory system doesn't talk to your quoting software or shop floor sensors? We fix that. Get a single pane of glass showing stock levels for sheet metal and tubing, order backlogs on structural components, and supplier lead times for galvanized steel. One fabrication client cut their overstock by 25% after we synced their data—saving thousands on excess aluminum sitting idle for months. Short and sweet: informed choices mean fewer headaches in your next bid package.
Actionable Insights to Boost Efficiency and Margins
We're not just displaying numbers; we're surfacing trends like rising scrap rates from a specific MIG welder setup or inconsistencies in laser-cut tolerances. Act on it fast, and watch your throughput climb on high-volume runs. A mid-sized shop we worked with shaved two days off their average lead time for custom HVAC ductwork, turning around orders quicker than competitors. It's practical, ROI-focused, and tested in real fab environments with daily production cycles.
What Clients Say
"Before AIQ's dashboard, we were constantly surprised by material shortages halfway through a big structural steel job, like when we ran low on I-beams during peak crane assembly. Now, with real-time tracking tied to our ERP and supplier APIs, we've avoided three major delays this year alone—each saving us about 10% on labor overruns—and our project manager says it's like having an extra set of eyes on the floor during 12-hour shifts."
Mike Rivera
Operations Manager at SteelForge Fabrications, a Leader in Commercial Steel Erection
"Our old system meant manual checks on machine utilization for our Haas CNC mills, which ate up hours every week from our programmers. The custom setup from AIQ integrates our CNC data directly with downtime logs—we've boosted overall efficiency by 18% in the first quarter, hitting 85% utilization on our vertical machining centers, and the team actually uses it without complaining during rush jobs."
Sarah Chen
Production Supervisor at Precision Metal Works, Specializing in Aerospace Components
"Dealing with quality rejects was a nightmare; we'd only catch porosity issues post-weld on our aluminum extrusions, leading to full pallet scrapping. This dashboard flags issues early based on ultrasonic sensor data from our robotic weld cells, and since rollout three months ago, rework costs dropped 35% on our aluminum runs for bridge railings. It's straightforward and fits our workflow perfectly, even integrating with our ISO 9001 audits."
Tom Hargrove
Shop Owner at Apex Fabricators Inc., Experts in Custom Metal Structures
Simple 3-Step Process
Discovery and Mapping
We dive into your fab shop's specifics— from your CAD files to shop floor sensors. No assumptions. We map out the data flows that matter most, like tracking cut yields or labor allocation, ensuring everything aligns with your daily grind.
Custom Design and Build
Here's where we craft your dashboard. Tailored visuals for metrics like throughput per machine or material utilization. We integrate AI for predictive alerts, like warning of potential bottlenecks in your press brake queue. It's built tough, like your best weld.
Deployment and Optimization
Go live with training for your team. Then, we monitor and tweak—maybe refining how order status feeds into the view. Expect quick wins, like faster quoting, and ongoing support to keep it sharp as your business scales.
Why We're Different
What's Included
Common Questions
How do your dashboards integrate with our existing CNC and ERP systems?
We start by auditing your setup—say, your Haas mills or Epicor ERP—and build custom APIs for smooth, two-way data flow. No ripping out what works. For a recent metal shop, we synced machine runtime data directly into the dashboard, pulling in utilization stats every 15 minutes. This eliminates manual uploads, reduces errors, and gives you live views of what's running or idle. It's all coded to your specs, so if your system uses proprietary formats, we handle that too. The result? Decisions based on fresh data, not yesterday's reports. We've done this for shops with everything from old-school PLCs to modern IoT sensors, ensuring it fits without downtime.
What kind of KPIs can we track in a custom dashboard for metal fabrication?
Think practical metrics that hit your bottom line: OEE for each machine, scrap percentages per job, on-time delivery rates for custom parts, and labor hours tied to specific processes like welding or assembly. We tailor it— one client focused on tracking powder coat defect rates to pinpoint quality issues early. You're probably thinking about visibility into bottlenecks; we include flow analytics showing where jobs pile up, like in the finishing line. All visualized with charts that update in real-time, so you spot trends like seasonal spikes in stainless steel demand. It's not overwhelming; we prioritize 5-10 key ones to keep it actionable, driving that ROI you need in a competitive fab market.
How long does it take to build and deploy a custom dashboard?
Can these dashboards help with compliance and quality reporting in fabrication?
Absolutely, we build in features for ISO 9001 or AS9100 compliance, like automated logs of inspection data and audit trails for material traceability. For instance, track weld certifications and part inspections in one view, generating reports with timestamps and photos from your quality checks. One aerospace fab client used ours to cut audit prep time from days to hours by pulling cert data directly from the dashboard. It's secure, with role-based access so only authorized eyes see sensitive info. Let's be honest, regs are a pain; our setup streamlines it, reducing errors and keeping you audit-ready without extra spreadsheets.
What's the cost structure for a custom dashboard solution?
We quote based on your needs—starting around $25K for a core setup integrating 2-3 systems, scaling up for advanced AI predictions or multi-site views. It's a one-time build fee plus minimal ongoing support, ditching those monthly subs. Factor in ROI: clients often recoup costs in 4-6 months through efficiency gains, like 20% less waste on steel runs. No hidden fees; we break it down in discovery. You're investing in ownership, not rentals—think of it as fabricating your own digital tool, custom and durable.
How do you ensure the dashboard is user-friendly for non-tech shop staff?
We design with your team in mind—simple, intuitive layouts like a digital blueprint, no steep learning curves. Foremen get touch-friendly mobile views for quick checks on job progress, while managers see deeper analytics. Training is hands-on, just 2-3 sessions, and we use familiar terms like 'run time' instead of jargon. A client reported their welders adopting it in a week, using it to log issues on the spot. It's warm, practical—built for guys in safety glasses, not coders. If something's off, we iterate fast based on real feedback from the floor.
Ready to Get Started?
Book your free consultation and discover how we can transform your business with AI.