Manufacturers know AI is important, but most are still unsure where to begin. Today, we walk through what AI can (and can’t) do for manufacturers, and how to prepare your people, your processes, and your data for successful implementation.
In this bonus episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, host Chris Luecke and guest co-host Jake Hall, The Manufacturing Millennial, sit down with Aaron Lober, VP of Marketing at CADDi, at FABTECH 2025 in Chicago, IL. From tribal knowledge loss to procurement efficiency to sorting through years of technical drawings, Aaron breaks down what AI can realistically do for manufacturers today and how to set your organization up for success.
Aaron shares real-world examples of how manufacturers are using AI today, ranging from:
- Fastener consolidation and design standardization
- Understanding material sourcing risk
- Procurement optimization across hundreds of suppliers
- Unlocking visibility across tens of thousands of legacy drawings
We also chat about the culture shift required for AI adoption, the myths that distract from real value, and the most common pain points the CADDi encounters during conversations with manufacturers. He also shares the biggest mistake manufacturers make when approaching AI: Failing to involve the right internal stakeholders.
Grab a beverage and settle in. This episode is a great reality check for anyone planning, starting, or scaling AI deployments across their manufacturing operations.
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3 Quick Things from This Episode
- Why identifying the right use cases is more important than “adopting AI” – Manufacturers often jump into AI because of hype, not because they’ve identified a clear opportunity. Aaron explains how to find the high-impact areas and build momentum through early wins.
- How to prepare your data (and why modern AI can do more than you think) – For decades the rule was: if your data isn’t structured, AI won’t help you. But that’s changed. Aaron breaks down how modern tools extract value from messy, unstructured drawings and legacy systems.
- Why AI adoption depends on culture, not just technology – The myth that “AI will replace us all” still hangs over the workforce. Aaron shares how leading manufacturers are engaging functional leaders, engineers, and boots-on-the-ground contributors early in the process to build trust and uncover real workflow problems worth solving.
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Tweetable Quotes
- “You don’t need to prep your data for AI anymore. You can use AI to prep your data.” -Aaron Lober
- “The goal is not to replace people. The people who I speak with who are talking about AI for lights out manufacturing are years behind their compatriots who are thinking more about how they can move fast for incremental value and empowering people.” -Aaron Lober
Do you want to connect with other leaders that are moving the needle in manufacturing everyday? Then make sure to join us in the Manufacturing Happy Hour Industry Community on LinkedIn.
What We Discuss with Aaron
- The cultural and emotional side of AI adoption
- How CADDi helps manufacturers extract value from decades of engineering data
- Why drawing management is still the biggest entry point for AI
- How AI helps procurement and supply chain teams choose the right suppliers
- Pattern recognition beyond quality inspection
- What manufacturers get wrong about data readiness
- Common myths about AI replacing human jobs
- Why manufacturers must pick implementation partners carefully
- The reality of AI adoption across the industry (including new Federal Reserve data)
- The future of AI-enabled engineering, design, and operations
Recommended Resources
- CADDi leverages AI to digitize drawings and procurement data, making manufacturing insights searchable by shape, text, dimensions and part names
- Kaiser Tiger, bi-level gastropub with tons of brews on tap, plus hearty eats and a huge seasonal beer garden in Chicago, IL
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