AI & Technology
AI handles the pattern-matching — instant quoting, automated DFM screening, smart supplier matching. Engineers handle the judgment calls — complex geometries, tight tolerances, non-standard requirements. Every Factorem order gets both.
Instant
AI quote on standard parts
24 hrs
Engineer review on complex orders
Auto DFM
Screening on every upload
ISO 9001
Certified
How It Works
From the moment you upload a file to the moment parts ship — AI and engineers work in sequence, each doing what they do best.
Quoting
Recognises pockets, bores, threads, undercuts, surface finish callouts
Transparent breakdown: material, machining, finish, QC, logistics
Quote accuracy improves continuously from historical order data
DFM
Tolerances tighter than the process can reliably achieve
Wall thickness below safe minimums; deep pockets limiting tool access
Internal radii too small for standard tooling; surface finish conflicts
Supplier Matching
Matches on process, material, tolerance class, quantity, and lead time
Routes around capacity constraints in real time
Engineer reviews match on high-stakes or non-standard orders
Tracking
Stage-by-stage status: material → machining → QC → dispatch
Proactive alerts when milestones complete or timelines shift
No chasing emails — everything visible in your order dashboard
AI excels at speed and consistency across high volumes of similar decisions. Engineers excel at judgment in novel situations. Neither is better than both together.
Geometry parsing and feature recognition — thousands of times a day, consistently
Screening against a library of known DFM failure patterns
Cost modelling across materials, processes, and quantities
Matching standard parts to the right supplier in the right window
Order tracking, stage updates, and ETA calculations
Novel geometries and edge cases that fall outside training patterns
Tight-tolerance and precision requirements — photonics, quantum, defense
DFM recommendations that require reasoning about application context
Non-standard materials, unusual processes, and special supplier selection
Quality sign-off and documentation accountability
How the platform improves
Manufacturing AI that doesn't learn from production outcomes is just geometry software. Factorem's platform feeds real order results — first-article pass rates, actual vs. estimated cost, supplier on-time performance — back into the models continuously.
Quote accuracy improves as the gap between estimated and actual cost narrows. DFM screening improves as patterns from real failures are incorporated. Supplier matching improves as quality and lead time data accumulates across the network.
Quote model accuracy
Estimated vs. actual cost variance narrows with each order cohort
DFM detection rate
New issue patterns incorporated from real first-article failures
Supplier matching quality
On-time and quality performance data refines routing decisions
The data loop
Order placed
AI quote generated, DFM screen run, supplier matched
Engineer review & production
DFM issues raised, first-article outcomes recorded
Outcome data captured
Actual cost, lead time, quality metrics vs. predictions
Models updated
Quote accuracy, DFM detection, and supplier matching all improve
Your IP stays yours.
Part files are encrypted in transit and at rest, and shared only with engineers and suppliers on your specific order — never across customers. Your intellectual property remains your property. We do not use customer designs to train shared models without explicit consent. NDA available on request.
When you upload a STEP or IGES file, Factorem's AI parses the geometry — recognising features like pockets, holes, threads, thin walls, and surface finish requirements — and generates a cost estimate based on process, material, and complexity. Standard parts get an instant estimate. Complex or precision orders are flagged for engineer review within 24 hours. You always know which applies to your order.
The AI automatically screens for common manufacturability issues: tolerances tighter than the process can reliably achieve, wall thickness below safe minimums, deep pocket geometries that restrict tool access, internal radii too small for standard tooling, and surface finish specifications that conflict with the material or process. Issues are flagged with suggested fixes before an engineer reviews — reducing back-and-forth on straightforward DFM problems.
Factorem's platform uses order data — process, material, tolerance, quantity, lead time requirement, and part complexity — to match each job to the best-fit manufacturer in the network. The matching accounts for each supplier's certified processes, material stock, current capacity, and historical quality performance on similar parts. Engineers review the match for non-standard or high-stakes orders before the job is released.
No. AI handles the pattern-matching tasks — geometry parsing, common DFM checks, cost estimation, supplier matching — so engineers can focus on judgment calls: non-standard geometries, tight-tolerance features, unusual material combinations, photonics and defense-grade requirements. Complex and precision orders always receive engineer review. The AI makes the engineer faster and more accurate; it doesn't replace the engineer.
Every order — quote accuracy, DFM flags raised, first-article outcomes, supplier performance — feeds back into the platform. Quote models improve as the gap between estimated and actual cost narrows. DFM screening improves as patterns from real manufacturing outcomes are incorporated. Supplier matching improves as quality and lead time data accumulates. This compounding effect means accuracy and speed improve continuously, not just when software is updated.
Yes. Your design files are encrypted in transit and at rest. Access is restricted to the engineers and suppliers working on your specific order. We do not use customer design data to train shared AI models without explicit consent. NDA available on request for sensitive programs.
Upload a part file and get an AI-assisted quote — then decide if you want an engineer review. No commitment required.
Instant AI quote · Engineer review within 24 hrs · No commitment to order