Stop Losing Hours Hunting for Weld Specs and Tooling Details Automate Your Knowledge Base for Instant Access
Imagine reclaiming 15-20 hours per week that your fabricators waste digging through binders and emails, turning that into focused production time and a 30% ROI boost in your first year.
Join 250+ businesses with streamlined workflows and zero knowledge silos
The "Knowledge Silo" Problem
Fabricators wasting 2-3 hours daily flipping through dusty binders for ASTM material tolerances on steel beams and aluminum extrusions
New hires struggling to find proven welding procedures without senior oversight
Project delays from mismatched tooling specs for CNC mills and lathes scattered across shared drives and outdated email chains
Quality issues arising when outdated AutoCAD or SolidWorks drawings for structural components aren't easily accessible during high-volume production runs
Overtime costs spiking by 20-30% because teams reinvent fixturing and jig setups instead of reusing past job files from ERP systems
Compliance headaches from manual tracking of OSHA safety protocols and mill test certificates for welding consumables and raw stock
Our Custom Knowledge Base Automation Builds Efficiency Into Your Shop
With years of field-tested AI integrations in fabrication environments, we've helped shops like yours eliminate information black holes.
Why Choose Us
Here's the thing: in custom fabrication, knowledge isn't just power—it's profit. We build a tailored AI-powered knowledge base that ingests your shop's blueprints, weld logs, tooling manuals, and safety docs, organizing them into a searchable, always-up-to-date system. No more generic templates. This is custom-built to mirror your workflows, from CNC programming to final assembly. Let's be honest, your team needs answers fast, not frustration. Our solution uses smart tagging and natural language search so a quick query pulls up the exact jig setup from last quarter's bracket job. You're probably thinking about integration— we make it seamless with your CAD software and ERP, ensuring everything syncs without the usual headaches.
What Makes Us Different:
Unlock Tangible Time and Cost Wins for Your Fabrication Operations
Reclaim 15+ Hours Weekly on Knowledge Hunts
Reclaim 15+ Hours Weekly on Knowledge Hunts: Imagine your lead fabricator no longer spending 2 hours per shift hunting alloy specs for 6061 aluminum in dusty binders—our system delivers them in seconds via voice search. That's 15-20 hours saved across the team each week, turning into more billable hours on plasma cutters and welders, with ROI in 4 months as seen in our partner shops reducing non-productive time.
Slash Errors and Rework by 40%
Slash Errors and Rework by 40%: Manual searches often lead to wrong bend radii on sheet metal or incorrect MIG welding parameters—costing thousands in scrap. Our automated base flags inconsistencies in real-time and pulls verified AWS D1.1 procedures, cutting rework. One client in structural steel avoided $12K in scrap on a rush bridge component job, boosting productivity without new hires.
Scale Onboarding from Weeks to Days
Scale Onboarding from Weeks to Days: New welders skip shadowing veterans for a month to learn pipe fixturing or GMAW techniques—instant access to video demos of actual shop setups and step-by-step guides gets them productive fast. This ramps up throughput by 25%, letting your shop handle more custom HVAC fabrication orders without training delays.
What Clients Say
"Before AIQ Labs, our guys were losing half a day every big job digging through shared drives for old plasma cut files on I-beams. Now, it's all searchable in under a minute with natural language queries, and we've shaved two weeks off lead times on commercial structural steel projects. Saved us about $8K last quarter in overtime alone."
Mike Harlan
Lead Fabricator, Precision Metal Fabricators Inc., specializing in structural steel for commercial builds
"I was skeptical about AI in our hands-on shop, but this knowledge base has transformed our titanium aerospace components work. No more mismatched material certs causing FAA certification delays—queries pull up the exact AMS specs instantly. Our defect rate dropped from 5% to under 1% in just three months, keeping us on schedule for tight deadlines."
Sarah Ruiz
Quality Assurance Manager, AeroFab Solutions LLC, focused on titanium parts for aircraft manufacturing
"Custom fabrication means unique jobs every time, like one-off alloy prototypes, and we were buried in emails for fixture setups on our CNC routers. AIQ integrated this knowledge base right into our workflow, linking seamlessly with SolidWorks and our ERP. Team productivity is up 30%, and we're taking on 20% more prototypes for construction equipment without extra hires."
Tom Becker
Operations Director, Custom Alloy Works Ltd., experts in bespoke metal prototypes for heavy construction machinery
Simple 3-Step Process
Discovery and Mapping Your Shop's Knowledge Flow
We start by walking your floor—talking to fabricators and reviewing your docs—to map exactly how info moves from design to delivery. No assumptions; this ensures the system fits your unique processes like a custom jig.
Building and Integrating the AI Core
Our engineers craft the automation, ingesting your files and training the AI on fabrication-specific terms. We hook it into your tools for real-time updates, testing everything on a sample job to confirm zero disruptions.
Deployment, Training, and Ongoing Optimization
Roll it out shop-wide with hands-on sessions for your team. We monitor usage and tweak based on feedback, ensuring it evolves with your operations—like adding new laser cut protocols as you expand.
Why We're Different
What's Included
Common Questions
How does this integrate with our existing CAD and ERP systems in the shop?
We make integration a priority because we know disjointed systems kill efficiency in fabrication. Our team assesses your setup—whether it's SolidWorks, AutoCAD, or something like Epicor—and builds two-way APIs for seamless data flow. For example, when you update a part dimension in CAD, it automatically reflects in the knowledge base, and queries can pull live stock levels from ERP. This isn't superficial; we've handled complex cases like syncing nested assemblies without data loss. Setup takes 2-4 weeks, with minimal downtime, and we test rigorously to ensure it handles your shop's volume. The result? No more double-entry or mismatched info slowing down your runs.
What kind of time savings can a custom fab shop realistically expect?
Let's be honest—results vary, but in our experience with similar shops, you can expect 15-25 hours saved weekly across the team. Think about it: if two fabricators spend 30 minutes each per job searching for tooling offsets, that's hours lost on a 10-job week. Our system cuts that to seconds via voice or text search. One client, a steel fabricator, tracked a 18-hour weekly gain after three months, which let them reallocate staff to a new laser line. We quantify this during discovery and provide post-launch metrics to verify ROI, often seeing payback in under six months through reduced overtime and faster turnarounds.
Is this knowledge base secure for sensitive fabrication designs?
Absolutely, security is non-negotiable in custom fab where IP like proprietary dies or alloy formulas is gold. We design with encryption at rest and in transit, role-based access so only certified welders see certain specs, and audit logs for every query. For shops handling defense contracts, we offer on-premise deployment to keep data behind your firewall. Unlike cloud-only tools, our custom builds let you control backups and compliance with standards like ISO 9001. We've secured systems for clients with mil-spec parts, ensuring no leaks during team handoffs or remote access. Your knowledge stays yours, protected like a vaulted blueprint.
How do we train our shop team to use it without tech headaches?
You're probably thinking your floor guys aren't AI whizzes—and that's fine; we keep it simple. Training starts with 1-2 hour hands-on sessions tailored to roles, like demoing searches for 'aluminum extrusion tolerances' on tablets. We use intuitive interfaces with voice commands for gloved hands, and build in tutorials that pop up for new users. Post-launch, we provide a dedicated support line and iterate based on feedback—maybe simplifying tags for plasma ops. Shops report 90% adoption within a week because it solves real pains, like quick jig recalls. No steep learning curves; it's designed for the shop floor, not a boardroom.
Can this scale if our fab shop grows or adds new processes?
Yes, scalability is baked in from day one. We architect the system with modular frameworks that expand easily—say, adding modules for 3D printing or robotic welding as you diversify. For a growing shop jumping from 20 to 50 employees, it handles increased queries without slowing down, thanks to efficient indexing. We've scaled solutions for clients who doubled output in a year, integrating new data sources like IoT sensors on mills. Maintenance is low; automated updates keep it current, and we offer phased expansions to match your growth. It's not a rigid tool—it's an evolving asset that supports your shop's ambitions without costly overhauls.
What's the difference between this and generic knowledge tools like Confluence?
Generic tools are like off-the-shelf fixtures—they fit most but wobble on custom jobs. Our automation is purpose-built for fabrication, understanding nuances like distinguishing MIG from TIG welds in searches or linking specs to job cost histories. While Confluence requires manual organization, ours uses AI to auto-categorize uploads and suggest connections, saving setup time. It integrates deeply with shop software for live data, not just static pages. Clients switching from generics see 50% faster access because it's tuned to their workflows, not a one-size-fits-all. We're builders creating owned systems, not assemblers layering subscriptions.
Ready to Get Started?
Book your free consultation and discover how we can transform your business with AI.