Don’t Automate Waste | Lean Built - Manufacturing Freedom E162

AI is starting to change the shop in ways that go far beyond ChatGPT.

Andrew and Jay compare notes on the AI tools they are actually using, from automating invoices and administrative work to the possibility of simply describing a part and having AI build a 3D-printable model. They talk about where Autodesk Fusion’s AI tools are today, why learning CAD may look very different in a few years, and why good systems still matter when software keeps changing.

Then it’s back to machines. Andrew is officially lathe-free, which leaves some valuable open floor space and raises the obvious question of what, if anything, should replace it. That leads into CMMs, five-axis machining, the ongoing Matsuura saga, and the constant tension between speed, quality, consistency, and automation. Remember, there is no point in making bad parts faster.

Plus, IMTS is almost here. Andrew and Jay look back at the Instamachinist class of 2016, talk about what they are hoping to see at the show, and reveal how to get your hands on one of Andrew’s limited IMTS shirts.