Stop Losing Hours to Scheduling Chaos in Your Shop Automate It Away with AI Precision
Imagine reclaiming 15-20 hours per week from manual scheduling— that's a $50K+ annual ROI boost for your fabrication team, cutting delays on press brake runs and weld schedules.
Join 150+ fabrication businesses with streamlined workflows
The "Scheduling Bottlenecks" Problem
Manual rostering of welders and operators eats into production time on the shop floor, delaying beam fabrication starts
Unforeseen breakdowns in CNC routers or plasma cutters scramble your structural steel timelines and cause costly material waste
Unexpected absences of certified pipefitters disrupt critical HVAC assembly line sequences in modular construction builds
Overlapping jobs cause bottlenecks at your CNC mills, idling turret punches and slowing down custom bracket production
Last-minute client changes to rebar specifications throw off your entire steel fabrication queue and trigger rework
Inventory delays from poor sequencing of raw stock halt sheet metal forming runs, backing up press brake operations
Our Custom AI Scheduling Engine Built for Your Shop
We've optimized workflows for over 50 metal fab operations, turning chaotic calendars into field-tested efficiency machines.
Why Choose Us
Let's be honest—your shop isn't a cookie-cutter operation. That's why we don't slap on generic software. At AIQ Labs, we dive into your exact workflow: mapping out your punch presses, weld bays, and delivery routes. Then, we craft a bespoke AI system that anticipates issues like material arrivals or operator skills. It's like having a master scheduler who never sleeps, integrating seamlessly with your ERP and shop management tools. You're probably thinking, 'Will this actually fit our rush jobs?' It does—because we build it from the ground up, ensuring every automation aligns with your daily grind.
What Makes Us Different:
Unlock Time and Cost Wins Tailored to Fabrication
Reclaim 15+ Hours Weekly on Scheduling
Reclaim 15+ Hours Weekly on Scheduling: No more huddling over spreadsheets to juggle welding and milling jobs. Our AI handles it, freeing your foreman to focus on quality checks on structural components instead of constant reshuffling. That's real productivity—think of it as adding an extra certified welder without the payroll hit, potentially saving $5K monthly in labor costs.
Drive 25% Faster Throughput with Smarter Sequencing
Drive 25% Faster Throughput with Smarter Sequencing: Picture your CNC queue for aluminum extrusions flowing like a well-oiled assembly line, minimizing idle time between cuts and bends. We've seen shops cut job turnaround from 3 days to under 12 hours, boosting output without extra shifts—translating to 20% more fabricated panels shipped monthly. It's ROI you can measure in completed contracts.
Cut Delays and Overtime Costs by 40%
Cut Delays and Overtime Costs by 40%: AI predicts conflicts—like a sudden rush on galvanized steel ducts—and reroutes instantly to available forming stations. Here's the thing: this isn't just savings; it's preventing those frantic weekend calls to cover gaps in truss assembly. Your team gets home on time, and your bottom line thanks you with reduced scrap rates and on-schedule project deliveries.
What Clients Say
"Before AIQ, we'd lose half a day every week fixing schedule overlaps on our CO2 laser cutters during peak structural frame orders. Now, the system flags issues overnight, and we're hitting 95% on-time deliveries for beam components. Saved us about $12K in overtime last quarter alone, letting us take on two more fabrication contracts."
Mike Harlan
Shop Manager, Precision Metal Works
"Our old method was a nightmare with custom ductwork orders piling up at the bending station. This automation learned our workflow in two weeks and started optimizing routes to the powder coating line. Cut our planning time from 4 hours to 20 minutes daily—game changer for a small shop like ours, now handling 30% more HVAC modules without added staff."
Sarah Ruiz
Operations Lead, FabTech Solutions
"Integrated perfectly with our ERP, and the AI even accounts for welder certifications we forgot to log for high-pressure vessel jobs. Went from constant rework due to bad sequencing on the rolling mill to smooth runs, adding two extra pipe spool assemblies per week without hiring—boosted our quarterly revenue by 15%."
Tom Keller
Owner, Alloy Forge Manufacturing
Simple 3-Step Process
Discovery Dive into Your Shop Flow
We start with a no-fluff audit: walking your floor, reviewing your current schedules for punch and bend ops, and pinpointing pain points like rush steel deliveries.
Custom AI Design and Prototyping
Using your data, we build and test the engine—tweaking for your specific machines and shifts. Expect a working prototype in 4-6 weeks, iterated based on your feedback.
Seamless Rollout and Ownership Handover
We integrate it live, train your team, and hand over full control. You own the system—no subscriptions—just scalable power for your growing fab needs.
Why We're Different
What's Included
Common Questions
How does this automation handle unexpected machine downtime in a fab shop?
Great question—downtime is the bane of every metal shop. Our AI monitors your equipment feeds in real-time, like from your CNC controllers. When a plasma cutter goes offline, it instantly reshuffles the queue, prioritizing jobs that can shift to available mills or handoffs to manual processes. We've built in buffers based on your historical data, so a 2-hour breakdown might only delay downstream tasks by 30 minutes. For a mid-sized fab like yours, this could save 5-10 hours weekly in reactive planning. It's all custom-tuned to your setup, ensuring minimal ripple effects on deadlines.
Will this work with our existing shop management software?
Absolutely, and that's where we shine. We specialize in deep, two-way integrations with tools like JobBOSS, E2 Shop System, or even custom ERPs common in fabrication. No superficial API patches— we engineer robust connections that pull in job specs, inventory levels, and employee availability automatically. During discovery, we map your data flows to avoid any silos. Shops we've worked with report seamless syncing, cutting manual entries by 80%. If your system has quirks, like legacy formatting for part blueprints, we handle that too. It's built to own, not rent.
What's the timeline to get this up and running for our team?
You're probably thinking speed is key in a fast-paced fab environment—we get it. From initial consult to live deployment, expect 6-8 weeks for a tailored system. Week 1-2: deep dive into your workflows, like sequencing for bend radii and weld prep. Weeks 3-5: build and test the AI model with your sample data. Final weeks: integrate, train your foremen via hands-on sessions, and go live with monitoring. We've rolled out for similar shops in under 6 weeks when urgency hits, like prepping for a big contract. Post-launch, tweaks are quick since it's your owned asset.
How do we measure the ROI from this scheduling automation?
ROI in fabrication is all about tangible wins, right? We track it from day one with built-in metrics: hours saved on planning (target 15-20/week), reduction in overtime (often 30-40%), and throughput gains (like 25% more jobs completed). For example, one client saw $45K saved annually by minimizing idle machine time on their press brakes. Our dashboard pulls real data from your systems, showing before/after comparisons on on-time delivery rates. It's practical— if it doesn't hit your targets, we refine it. No fluff, just numbers that tie to your P&L.
Can the AI account for skilled labor shortages, like certified welders?
Shortages hit hard in metal fab—think delaying a critical TIG job. Yes, our system is designed for that. We input your team's certifications and availability, then the AI optimizes assignments, suggesting cross-training or temp pulls when gaps appear. It even forecasts based on past absences, like flu season spikes. In one deployment, a shop reduced downtime from welder mismatches by 35%, keeping structural steel projects on track. It's like a smart allocator that knows your crew's strengths, ensuring complex assemblies don't stall. We customize rules to fit your union rules or shift preferences too.
Is this secure for handling sensitive shop data like client blueprints?
Security is non-negotiable in manufacturing, especially with proprietary designs. We build everything on encrypted, owned infrastructure—no cloud rentals with hidden risks. Data like your CAD files or job bids stays in-house, compliant with standards like ISO 9001. Access is role-locked: only authorized users see schedules. We've audited systems for fab clients facing IP theft concerns, incorporating features like audit logs for every change. Post-build, you control it all. It's robust, tested against shop-floor realities, so you focus on production, not worries.
Ready to Get Started?
Book your free consultation and discover how we can transform your business with AI.