The Manufacturing-on-Demand Industry’s Evolution with AI and Strategic Partnerships Signals the Dawn of a New Era

In an age where instant gratification is no longer a luxury but a standard, a previously under-acknowledged cog in the wheel of commerce is quickly turning into a titan of industry: the manufacturing-on-demand (MOD) industry. Here, innovation and adaptability are king and queen. Standing at the forefront of this battlefield of adaptability are companies like Rapid Axis, armed with AI-powered resources like HeyScottie. The synergistic partnership and those like it are a testament to the industry’s evolution and worth looking at when considering the future of MOD.

For those unacquainted with the realm of manufacturing, it’s not simply about assembling pieces together. As Global consulting firm McKinsey puts it, “Manufacturers must navigate greater complexity than ever before.” Rapid Axis, a metal fabricator born in 2019, is and has been juggling this complexity amidst competitors like Fathom, Protolabs, and Fictiv.

The complexities include a variety of intricate processes, from sourcing parts to dealing with specialty finishing – the industry’s equivalent of threading a needle while balancing on a tightrope. To complicate matters, the COVID-19 pandemic notched up the intensity with things like strained supply chains, something experienced by many industries.

The saving grace? Artificial intelligence. While many technologies are making an impact, AI stands out. In Rapid Axis’s case, it is HeyScottie, which compresses the Request for Quotation (RFQ) process from months to mere minutes. The platform scouts for the best value, highest quality, and shortest lead times for finishing services anywhere in the U.S., tackling the roadblocks in Rapid Axis’s path and making their “high-wire act” seem effortless.

To put the technology into perspective, imagine looking for a specific item in a giant store without any clues of where things are. It’s time-consuming and frustrating. HeyScottie acts like a knowledgeable personal shopper, armed with a directory and intimate knowledge of your preferences.

It is a major time saver, but it goes beyond that. Examples seen with Rapid Axis and HeyScottie’s collaboration are things like a cost-saving of $5,000 on sourcing a custom glimmer gray powder coat and finish, halving RFQ turnaround time, and reducing scrap rates for finishing issues to zero.

But while that is great for Rapid Axis, what does this mean for the average person? Well, in a world where all manufacturers function at the same level of efficiency, it translates to lower costs, faster production times, and the subsequent ripple effect on other industries and the overall economy. Even more, by empowering U.S. manufacturers to compete with cheaper overseas competitors, jobs stay at home and help stimulate local economies. Everyone wins.

“Our value proposition is that we build things quickly and precisely to customer specification,” stated Jared Probst, CEO of Rapid Axis, emphasizing that tools like HeyScottie are integral to the process.

It is such collaborations that illustrate the shifting tides in the MOD industry. As the industry continues its metamorphosis, consumers can expect a future where manufacturers no longer fear the complexity of their processes but embrace it, all while armed with powerful tools and strategic partnerships.

The MOD industry is on the rise, becoming a major force. With strategic partnerships and AI-based solutions, the industry is poised to reshape commerce, setting the stage for an era of efficient, responsive, and tailored manufacturing that directly impacts our daily lives. That is clear in the partnership between Rapid Axis and HeyScottie, and if it’s any indication of the future, the dawn breaking over the manufacturing industry is a promising one indeed.