Stop Guessing on Raw Material Orders And Build Smarter with AI-Driven Inventory Forecasts
Imagine slashing overstock by 30% and avoiding those frantic last-minute steel shipments that derail your fabrication timelines. We build forecasting tools that fit your shop's unique rhythms, from seasonal rebar surges to custom weldment demands.
Join 250+ businesses with optimized inventory and zero stockouts
The "Fabrication Fiasco" Problem
Volatile steel prices, like the 25% spike in Q2 2023, force hoarding of scrap metal such as A36 plates and tie up capital in underutilized yard space
Seasonal construction booms, such as spring residential framing surges, cause sudden shortages of aluminum extrusions like 6061 T6 profiles for window assemblies
Custom job variations in structural steel projects make predicting pipe fittings, such as Schedule 40 black iron elbows, a crapshoot due to fluctuating blueprint revisions
Supply chain delays from overseas suppliers of fasteners, like M10 hex bolts from Asia, halt assembly lines for heavy equipment frames
Manual spreadsheets fail to account for rework scraps, such as 15% yield loss from MIG welding defects in carbon steel beams
Overbuying for one-off projects, like prototype crane booms, leaves you with unusable surplus tubing such as 2-inch DOM round stock
Tailored AI Forecasting Built for Your Shop Floor
We've powered inventory systems for over 50 fabrication outfits, turning chaotic stockrooms into predictable powerhouses.
Why Choose Us
Here's the thing: off-the-shelf software treats every shop like a cookie-cutter warehouse, but your custom fabrication world? It's all about those one-of-a-kind builds, fluctuating project bids, and the grit of on-site adjustments. We craft AI models from the ground up, trained on your actual order history, supplier lead times, and even weather impacts on outdoor fab jobs. No more generic templates. This is your system, flexible enough to pivot when a client changes specs mid-weld. Let's be honest, you're probably thinking your data's too messy—but we've seen messier, and we make it work. Think of it like custom-fitting a beam: precise, sturdy, and built to last through the toughest loads.
What Makes Us Different:
Why This Fits Your Fabrication Flow
Precision Forecasting for Custom Jobs
Precision Forecasting for Custom Jobs: Our AI digs into your past weldment blueprints and order logs to predict exact needs—like knowing you'll need 20% more 304 stainless tubing for summer HVAC fabrication runs based on three-year trend data. Result? Stockouts drop to near zero within the first quarter, keeping your crews cutting metal with CNC plasma tables instead of twiddling thumbs.
Cash Flow Boost from Lean Stock
Cash Flow Boost from Lean Stock: Stop that warehouse turning into a junkyard of unused fittings like brass elbows. We optimize to cut holding costs by 35% over six months, freeing up $50K+ annually for new plasma cutters or that shop floor expansion you've eyed. It's like trimming fat from a steel I-beam—stronger, lighter, more efficient for load-bearing projects.
Rapid Response to Project Shifts
Rapid Response to Project Shifts: When a construction bid amps up rebar demands overnight for a high-rise pour, our system flags it instantly via integrated ERP alerts. No more emergency hauls costing double from local suppliers. Shops using this report 40% faster turnaround on change orders within 30 days, keeping you ahead of the crew's concrete deadlines.
What Clients Say
"Before AIQ, we'd overbuy 6063 aluminum sheets for every custom storefront door frame job, ending up with stacks gathering rust in the yard. Their forecasting nailed our needs down to the quarter-sheet—saved us $28K last year alone on material costs, and our lead times for on-site installs are now under two weeks even during peak fall builds."
Mike Harlan
Shop Foreman at Precision Fab Works, specializing in architectural metalwork
"Our team was buried in manual counts for galvanized pipe inventory during peak highway bridge projects last summer. After implementing their custom AI over two months, predictions are spot-on 92% of the time for fitting demands. No more delays on site pours, and we've redirected that saved time to bidding on $2M+ infrastructure contracts."
Sara Kline
Operations Manager at Metro Weld & Fab, focused on civil engineering components
"Dealing with shortages of grade 8 fasteners killed our momentum on structural steel assemblies for warehouse racking systems. AIQ's system factors in our supplier lead times from China and seasonal surges in demand—cut our emergency air freight orders by 60% in the past year. Honestly, it's like having a crystal ball for the shop floor during boom cycles."
Tom Reyes
Inventory Lead at Apex Metal Crafters, handling industrial storage solutions
Simple 3-Step Process
Assess Your Shop's Data Flow
We dive into your current ERP, job logs, and supplier records to map out the real pain points—like inconsistent bolt tracking across fab stations. This sets the foundation for a forecast that's truly yours.
Build and Train the AI Model
Using your historical data on material usage for everything from ductwork to railings, we train a custom model that learns your patterns. Expect tweaks for things like rework rates in welding—making it field-tested for your daily grind.
Integrate and Launch Seamlessly
We wire it into your workflow with dashboards on your shop tablets, plus alerts via text for reorder triggers. Go live in weeks, not months, and watch as it adapts to your next big fabrication push.
Why We're Different
What's Included
Common Questions
How does your forecasting handle the unpredictability of custom fabrication orders?
Custom fab shops live with constant changes— a client tweaks a design, and suddenly you need 15% more angle iron. Our AI is built to adapt, pulling from your order history and blueprint revisions to recalibrate forecasts in real time. We factor in variables like average lead times for specialty metals (say, 4-6 weeks for titanium) and even your shop's typical rework rate. Unlike rigid software, this flexes with your workflow. We've helped shops like yours reduce variance errors by 40%, meaning fewer surprises and more steady production. Setup involves a quick audit of your past 12 months' data, and from there, it's plug-and-play with your existing tools.
What data do you need to get started on inventory forecasting?
We keep it practical—no need for perfect records. Start with your ERP exports: think job sheets, material requisitions, and supplier invoices from the last year or two. For a fab shop, that's details on steel usage per weldment or how many fittings went into recent HVAC assemblies. If you've got CAD files or project bids, even better for spotting patterns in custom runs. Our team handles the cleaning—messy spreadsheets? We've seen it all. In one case, we turned a client's fragmented logs into a model that predicted pipe needs with 93% accuracy. Expect a 2-week onboarding to map it all, ensuring the AI learns your shop's quirks like seasonal surges in rebar for infrastructure jobs.
Can this integrate with our current construction management software?
Absolutely, and that's where we shine. Whether you're on Procore for project tracking, Autodesk for designs, or something like Viewpoint for accounting, we build two-way API connections so forecasts pull live data—like upcoming concrete form needs or steel delivery schedules. No more manual uploads that eat your admin time. For fabrication specifics, it syncs with CNC programming to anticipate raw stock for upcoming cuts. We've integrated with over 20 such platforms for manufacturing clients, cutting data silos that cause 30% of inventory errors. It's custom-coded for reliability, so if a supplier API glitches, we have fallbacks. Your team gets a unified view, dashboard-style, right on shop computers.
How accurate are the forecasts, and what if they're off?
Accuracy starts at 85-95% after training on your data, improving as it learns—think predicting aluminum sheet needs for door fab with just a 5% buffer. We benchmark against your historical stockouts, like those frantic orders during a building boom. If off, say due to a market spike in copper prices, built-in alerts trigger manual overrides, and the model self-adjusts from feedback. One client in structural steel saw errors drop from 25% to under 8% in six months. It's not magic; it's AI tuned to your realities, with monthly reviews to refine for things like new machinery efficiency. You're in control, with ROI visible in reduced holding costs from day one.
What's the timeline and cost for implementing this in our shop?
We move fast—discovery and build in 4-6 weeks, launch in 8, tailored to your scale. For a mid-sized fab shop (50 employees, $10M revenue), it's a one-time build fee around $25K-$40K, plus minimal ongoing tweaks. No subscriptions; you own it. Compare that to losing $50K yearly on overstock or rush fees—pays for itself in months. We start with a free consult to scope your pain points, like fastener shortages halting lines. Phased rollout means you see wins early, like optimized welding rod orders. Our approach is ROI-first: we model savings upfront, ensuring it's a no-brainer for practical shops like yours chasing field-tested efficiencies.
How does this help with sustainability goals in manufacturing?
In construction and fab, waste is a big eco-hit—unused metals piling up means more mining and emissions. Our forecasting minimizes overbuys, cutting scrap by 20-30% for clients, directly lowering your carbon footprint. It optimizes for reusable materials too, like predicting exact lengths for tubing to reduce cuts. We've helped shops track this in dashboards, showing metrics like tons of steel saved annually, which ties into green certifications for bids. For instance, one outfit reduced landfill waste by 15 tons last year, boosting their appeal for sustainable projects. It's practical: aligns with regs, saves cash, and positions you as a forward-thinking fabricator without the greenwashing fluff.
Ready to Get Started?
Book your free consultation and discover how we can transform your business with AI.