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<h6>CADDi Drawer addresses time-intensive quoting and drawing management woes for a leading Illinois-based global manufacturer of mold &amp; die components</h6>CHICAGO — <a href="https://caddi.com/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CADDi Inc.,</a> a global procurement solutions provider for the manufacturing industry, announced a strategic partnership with <a href="https://punch-us.com/about-us.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PUNCH INDUSTRY USA INC</a>, a prominent supplier of mold and die components in the medical, consumer, and automotive industries. This partnership marks a significant milestone as PUNCH INDUSTRY USA <a href="https://caddi-drawer.wistia.com/medias/j7093a975a" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">adopts CADDi Drawer</a>, an AI-enabled drawing management system designed to revolutionize efficiency and productivity.PUNCH INDUSTRY USA, a small yet forward-thinking company focused on sales to mold and dye makers, plastic injection molding companies, and metal stampers, faced challenges in its daily operations that threatened to impede its growth. The quoting process had become time-consuming, drawing information management was complex, and concerns arose about the impending knowledge gap due to international team members moving. Recognizing these challenges as common roadblocks in the manufacturing sector, CADDi stepped in to implement CADDi Drawer.“We recognize that many players, like PUNCH INDUSTRY USA, grapple with common pain points. CADDi Drawer was designed to address these challenges head-on,” said Yushiro Kato, co-founder and CEO of CADDi. “By leveraging technology and innovation, CADDi Drawer is not just a solution tailored for one company; it's a transformative tool designed to elevate the efficiency and productivity of procurement teams across the entire manufacturing landscape.”With a strategic decision to integrate CADDi Drawer into its operations, PUNCH INDUSTRY USA aims to streamline its quoting processes and optimize drawing data management. CADDi Drawer’s proprietary "similar drawing search" function utilizes advanced algorithms to analyze and identify drawings with similar shapes, facilitating efficient data utilization. The company anticipates a significant reduction in turnaround time, enabling the team to deliver quotes efficiently and with newfound speed.“In the face of challenges, we saw an opportunity for growth,” said PUNCH INDUSTRY USA President Hiroshi Noguchi. “CADDi Drawer has the potential to address our current pain points and propel us forward in the competitive manufacturing market. We believe this partnership will redefine how we operate and position us for greater success.”CADDi Drawer emerged as the transformative solution to help streamline quoting processes, optimize drawing data management, and facilitate knowledge transfer within the organization.###AboutAbout CADDi Inc.:<a href="https://caddi.com/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CADDi</a> is a global manufacturing company on a mission to "unleash the potential of manufacturing." The company strives to transform the manufacturing industry through its primary offering, "CADDi Drawer," an AI-enabled drawing management system, helping further unlock the potential of manufacturing by significantly improving the efficiency of procurement teams.About PUNCH INDUSTRY USA INC.:PUNCH INDUSTRY USA INC. supplies high-quality standard and custom mold &amp; die components, such as pins, punches, dies and accessories to our customers in the Americas. Customers include mold &amp; die makers, plastic injection molding companies and metal stampers in industries including medical, consumer and automotive. Established in 2017, PUNCH INDUSTRY USA INC. is a subsidiary of PUNCH INDUSTRY CO., LTD.

CADDi Partners with PUNCH INDUSTRY USA to Solve Industry Challenges with CADDi Drawer Implementation

<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2F209ee507cedf4c298e100edae4bba2df%2F17f818d2962c4cf3b4498609558af785" alt="Four warehouse workers, two in yellow high-visibility vests, gather around a laptop at a desk in front of tall racks of stacked boxes and pallets.">In recent years, American manufacturing has experienced a remarkable resurgence fueled by heightened investment and robust industrial policies. From 2020 to 2023, corporateAmerica’s capital expenditure on manufacturing increased from <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-28/us-manufacturers-to-temper-investment-pace-after-vibrant-2023" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">$29B to $50B</a>, growing at nearly 60% over three years. Yet, despite the influx of capital promising prosperity, the industry is confronted with a daunting challenge: a growing gap between investment and available workforce. Nowhere is this tension more palpable than in the emblematic Midwest, historically renowned as the heart of American manufacturing but now grappling with a scarcity of skilled labor.<h3>Retiring Workforce and Institutional Knowledge Drain</h3>The statistics paint a stark picture: Between 1990 and 2019, the Midwest witnessed a staggering loss of 1.1 million manufacturing jobs, highlighting a troubling trend of dwindling workforce participation. Compounding this issue is the looming specter of an aging workforce, with a significant portion of manufacturing employees <a href="https://www.aem.org/news/the-aging-workforce-4-ways-manufacturers-can-prepare-themselves" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">over the age of 55</a>. As these seasoned workers approach retirement, they take with them decades of invaluable institutional knowledge, leaving behind a void that threatens the industry’s sustainability.The imperative for American manufacturing is clear: to thrive in the face of labor shortages, it must learn to do more with less. Fortunately, firms across the Midwest are rising to the challenge, focusing their efforts on mitigating knowledge drain – a critical aspect of retaining expertise within the sector.<h3>Strategic Solutions to Preserve Expertise</h3><h4>Centralization</h4>Centralization emerges as a key strategy in this battle against knowledge loss. By documenting and centralizing the experience and institutional knowledge of veteran workers, manufacturers can ensure that critical insights are preserved and accessible to future generations of employees. Whether through step-by-step process instructions stored on cloud platforms or shared digital repositories for reference drawings, centralization facilitates seamless knowledge transfer, safeguarding against the loss of expertise due to retirements.<h4>Cross-Departmental Collaboration</h4>Moreover, centralization fosters cross-departmental communication, addressing another pressing concern for manufacturers. In a landscape where engineering, fabrication, and procurement departments operate in silos, effective communication is essential for streamlining operations and maximizing efficiency. By adopting shared digital platforms that transcend departmental boundaries, companies can break down communication barriers, fostering collaboration and synergy across the organization.<h4>Digital Innovation</h4>Embracing digital innovation is another avenue through which manufacturers can mitigate knowledge drain and enhance workforce productivity. Leveraging AI-driven tools, companies can optimize existing processes, streamline procurement procedures, and extract actionable insights from vast datasets. For instance, AI-enabled procurement platforms can centralize supplier data, providing comprehensive insights into purchasing history and supplier performance. A similarity search function makes this data easily accessible, thereby streamlining decision-making and mitigating the risk of information loss.However, the journey towards knowledge preservation and operational efficiency requires commitment and investment. While the dividends of these efforts are evident, widespread adoption of such tools and methodologies remains a challenge within the industry. Companies must recognize the importance of investing time and resources into these initiatives to reap the long-term benefits of enhanced productivity and resilience.As labor shortages continue to pose significant challenges for American manufacturing, the resilience and ingenuity displayed by Midwestern manufacturers serve as a beacon of hope. By prioritizing knowledge preservation, embracing digital innovation, and fostering collaboration, the industry can navigate the complexities of the modern landscape and emerge stronger than ever before. As the Midwest leads the charge, the rest of the country would be wise to follow suit, ensuring the continued vitality and prosperity of American manufacturing for generations to come.

Strategies to Tackle Knowledge Drain in American Manufacturing

The manufacturing industry is facing a significant workforce challenge. Many older, more experienced workers are retiring, and not enough young people are coming in to replace them. The National Association of Manufacturers has warned that there could be a <a href="https://nam.org/2-1-million-manufacturing-jobs-could-go-unfilled-by-2030-13743/#:~:text=The%20manufacturing%20skills%20gap%20in,%241%20trillion%20in%202030%20alone." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">shortage of 2 million workers</a> by 2030.When experienced employees leave, they take with them years of valuable knowledge and expertise. This “knowledge drain” is a big concern. There’s also a noticeable lack of communication between departments like procurement and engineering, which can lead to wasted time in playing catch-up, as well as missed chances for exchanging valuable information. It’s becoming increasingly important to ensure that these various teams are collaborating by sharing knowledge and data.By prioritizing strategic data management and sharing, companies can not only fill the gap left by retiring workers, but also work more efficiently and stay competitive for years to come.Knowledge drain hits particularly hard in industries like manufacturing, because a significant portion of the necessary know-how comes from hands-on work and specialized training. In these jobs, people learn important tricks of the trade and industry insights over many years — not just from books or courses, but from observing and doing the work themselves. When these experienced workers leave, they don’t just take with them information that can be written down and shared with others; they depart with the hard-earned industry secrets that help organizations run smoothly, solve problems quickly, and develop new ideas.What makes knowledge drain even tougher in the fast-paced manufacturing industry is that every process can be unique. Companies prioritize the quick and efficient movement of tasks over documentation of key processes. The loss of just one person with the right experience can throw a wrench in the works, causing delays, quality issues and struggles to keep up with orders. Since this kind of deep knowledge is difficult to pass on quickly, finding someone new or training them up to speed can be a big challenge.Identifying Knowledge GapsIn many manufacturing companies, a major contributing factor to knowledge drain is a lack of communication across departments like procurement and engineering. This can lead to mistakes, wasted time, and missed chances to improve processes through collaboration. Imagine the procurement team buys materials that aren’t exactly right because they didn’t check with engineering first, or engineering designs something new without knowing procurement has found a more cost-effective part, — or worse, designs something new without knowing that an almost identical part already exists. These gaps can slow things down and waste valuable resources.To fix this, companies need to encourage their teams to work closely together, sharing information and updates regularly. This can mean setting up regular meetings between departments, using a collaboration tool like Slack where everyone can communicate, or even reorganizing teams so there’s a bit of each department in all stages of a project. When everyone knows what the others are doing, and can easily share their knowledge and resources, the company can avoid many of the problems associated with knowledge gaps.Efficient Data Management Is KeyEfficient data management is like having the superpower of keeping all important know-how safe and sound, especially when people leave or retire. It’s about collecting, storing and ensuring easy access to the important stuff — how to do specific jobs, whom to talk to for what, and the little tricks that make everything run more smoothly. Tools drawing on the internet of things and artificial intelligence can help capture valuable worker insights and make them simple to find for everyone in the company, no matter their age or tech-savviness.Manufacturing companies can simplify and streamline their procurement processes by “Amazon-ifying” them. This means making it easy for anyone in the company to find and order what they need without a hassle, using a system that’s smart enough to suggest the best options — similar to online shopping. By keeping track of the best ideas and practices in a neat, organized way, companies don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time they face a challenge, or when someone new comes on board.Effective data management and knowledge preservation are essential gears in the machinery of the manufacturing industry, driving future growth and promoting long-term success. Taken together, these strategies form a solid foundation for manufacturers to not only navigate the challenges of today, but also to innovate and thrive in the future. By investing in tools and systems that support knowledge-sharing and smart data use, manufacturing companies can adapt to the challenges of a rapidly changing workforce, and quickly capitalize on new opportunities with confidence.

Data Management Is the Key to Preserving Manufacturing Industry Knowledge

New digital approaches leveraging cloud simulations and other advanced analytics are helping manufacturers optimize production lines and end products.At the forefront of digital transformation (DX) initiatives is digital manufacturing. Leveraging an integrated computer-based approaches for design, simulation, testing, and production, the use of digital manufacturing could double over the next two years to become a $767B market before 2027. In fact, digital manufacturing is part of a larger trend towards digitization for efficiency and increased ability to customize products.Common permutations include sensor-based IoT functions, cloud-connected computer-aided design (CAD) and engineering (CAE), and digital twins. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are seeing rapid adoption as well — especially to predict the ramifications of manufacturing process changes and automate decisionmaking.Common applications include those in smart factories, additive manufacturing, and operations specializing in custom and on-demand manufacturing. Circular-economy initiatives also benefit from digital-manufacturing approaches for the way in which the latter maximizes resource efficiencies.We recently asked several industry experts about these digital-manufacturing variations and applications. Here’s what those experts had to say.MEET THE EXPERTSArvind Rangarajan | Global head of software and data • HP Personalization and 3D PrintingJacques Lemire | Director — motors and motion business unit • Designatronics SDP/SIJessie Frazelle | Cofounder and CEO • Zoo Corp.Karthikeyan (Karthikk) Munirathinam | Director of digitalization • Schaeffler AmericasMichal Wierzchowski | VP of operations • JabilOri Yudilevich | CTO • MaterialsZoneRobert Luchars | Executive VP • ECM PCB Stator TechnologyYoshi Umeno | Industry manager — global medical and robotics • KollmorgenYushiro Kato | Co-founder and CEO • CADDi<h3>Describe how data travels through one digital-manufacturing operation.</h3>Yudilevich: MaterialsZone facilitates seamless materials data management across organizations — standardizing, normalizing, and securely storing information in a cloud-based platform accessible from anywhere. This collaborative environment supports the entire data lifecycle and makes it ready for slicing-and-dicing, querying, visualization, analysis, and AI-based predictions.In additive manufacturing, material selection and printing configuration parameters strongly influence the quality of the end product and its suitability as defined by regulatory and sustainability constraints. MaterialsZone addresses these challenges by offering unique AI predictive capabilities supported by an explainable AI dashboard that uses the SHAP values technique. These tools empower the engineer by yielding deep insights into otherwise inaccessible multi-parameter spaces.<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2F209ee507cedf4c298e100edae4bba2df%2F88b7d842e7ac430187790a116e20fe80" alt="Close-up of a CNC milling spindle cutting a spiral maze pattern into a round aluminum workpiece held in a vise">Lathe image: Dreamstime<h3>What technologies of yours are spurring innovation in digital manufacturing?</h3>Kato: CADDi Drawer, designed to support DX in the manufacturing industry, is a unique AI-enabled search platform that centralizes drawings in one platform regardless of format with proprietary image-analysis algorithms (with a patent pending). Through high-precision similarity searches on the most important digital asset in manufacturing, drawings, it enables cost reduction in design, procurement, and production departments.CADDi Drawer is not merely a drawing management tool; it serves as a powerful knowledge retention solution. In procurement, essential data is often scattered across decentralized databases and the minds of employees, resulting in a significant knowledge drain when employees leave. Using AI-enabled shape recognition, CADDi Drawer centralizes drawings and cross-references them with purchase histories, effectively preserving crucial knowledge and reducing the time it takes to search for drawings by up to 80%.Wierzchowski: We’re enhancing our overall ecosystem by integrating manufacturing-related functions within the shop floor control system. This integration is facilitated by the adoption of a low-code programming language, which enables us to efficiently scale and increase our adaptability to meet the unique needs of our end users. The success of this modernization stems from the business process management system we established four years ago, which catalyzed the adoption of Jabil’s enterprise process standards.We’re also advancing our enterprise capabilities in the fields of computer vision, knowledge and language processing, and analytics and intelligence. The Jabil strategy for rapid industrialization and deployment of technologies leverages a modular architecture composed of various technologies. These can be combined to fulfill precise customer needs. As a result, we’re cultivating new capabilities to analyze data; address failures in realtime; and anticipate as well as prevent potential failures before they occur.<h3>Any new offerings leveraging AI?</h3>Kato: CADDi is addressing critical issues in the manufacturing industry, offering innovative solutions for procurement and data management, including CADDi Drawer — a SaaS solution that turns drawing libraries into searchable assets for manufacturers. By allowing easy and precise searches for drawings (critical digital in manufacturing) CADDi Drawer helps manufacturing companies save costs in their design, procurement, and production departments.As a global manufacturing solutions provider servicing 600-plus supply chain partners fabricating custom metal partners, CADDi realized a pain point every customer seemed to have — accessing past drawings was an absolute nightmare. So, the team developed a proprietary image analysis algorithm to help clients digitize and search for drawings much faster and more accurately than any other platform in the marketplace. CADDi uses AI to streamline and digitize the procurement process.Realizing the impact of this solution, the team launched CADDi Drawer as a SaaS to help manufacturers procure parts for less by reducing pricing inconsistencies and fabricators win more deals by semi-automating their quotations. CADDi Drawer reduces drawing search time by 80% and overall procurement costs by 30%.What makes CADDi unique in the industry is that is designed with the manufacturing industry and its needs top of mind. If you imagine AI as a child that continues to learn, CADDi’s AI has been born and raised in manufacturing. It doesn’t go off on tangents in other disciplines. It simply knows manufacturing in and out.Lemire: Our machining centers (and Industry 4.0 implementation of intelligent digital technologies in our manufacturing and industrial processes) are key to satisfying future gear demand for robotics applications. Soon, we’ll be collecting data via next-generation computing for a large digital database to allow AI modeling of errors in backlash.For us, AI is also key to supporting predictive maintenance and reducing manufacturing costs. Motion control is evolving to integrate AI learning and predictive models. Electromechanical systems are now more integrated with the IoT. Supporting the robotics industry, carefully documenting the characteristics and unique DNA of next-generation motors and gearmotors will allow for better performance and predictive maintenance.<h3>Can the importance of cloud computing be overstated?</h3>Rangarajan: A significant portion of HP’s 3D printers are connected to the cloud, where data is securely managed to yield valuable insights for end users. The HP 3D center offers a centralized view of fleet activity by providing realtime production data from the cloud.For customer support, telemetry data is used. HP’s 3D Process Development and Digital Sintering solutions provide end users access to a full suite of process parameter settings for experimenting and developing processes to scale. By leveraging orchestrated workflows and scalable cloud computing, software can run cost effectively, eliminating the need for substantial end-user infrastructure investments.Additionally, HP recognizes that in today’s factory environment, there’s a need to interface into MES and ERP systems. Our automated application programming facilitates integration so partners and third-party ISVs can tap into new markets by enhancing the value of their products and offering end-to-end solutions. This integration also enables remote job submission and realtime status monitoring. Plus, a secure cloud-based solution with robust API gives users a way to start developing and scaling additive solutions with new software capabilities delivered every few months.Luchars: PrintStator is a cloud-based CAD/CAM software to print stators for coreless axial-flux electric motors. PrintStator’s SaaS features let any innovator become an electric-motor designer and producer. From the cloud-based interface, PrintStator users can enter precise performance and dimensional specifications to create custom electric motors for consumer electronics, HVAC, e-mobility, medical, robotics, and aerospace applications.<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2F209ee507cedf4c298e100edae4bba2df%2F8083809f1f204bcfb0afee331d4d5fb9" alt="3D rendering of an automated warehouse conveyor with vision sensors scanning boxes, next to a floating dashboard labeled View Data Graphs showing a line chart and 91.25% and 92.86% readouts">Image: Cognex<h3>Describe some recent use of digital twins or digitization.</h3>Wierzchowski: By creating a detailed digital replica of our sites, we’ve enhanced our overall asset use, minimized excess inventory, and improved the flexibility of transferring machines across manufacturing sites.Rangarajan: The next step in the evolution of 3D printing will be the implementation of digital twins — a virtual replica of 3D printers and their operations. Every serial number has its unique live model that represents the machine state. These digital twins are created leveraging physics models of the underlying process as well as telemetry data supported by AI and ML techniques. Digital twins support the creation of continuous, automated, and efficient 3D-printer operations via adjustment and optimization of build and print parameters. This in turn maximizes uptime and reduces variability across machines and within a given build. Digital twins also contribute to efficient and scalable systems for high production.As more processes along the production lifecycle become automatized, manufacturing capabilities will expand beyond the constraints of labor costs — extending production into night and weekend shifts so costly to manufacturers. With lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for 3D-printing technologies, access can expand to new verticals and prompt a new wave of manufacturing marked by lights-out factories.Wierzchowski: We initially implemented digital-twin technology at Jabil for the design of complex automated stations. This technology has since advanced to encompass factory-floor design to give us high-performing production lines, streamlined material flow, and reduced manufacturing costs. The comprehensive view of the manufacturing floor provided by digital twins has also facilitated timely maintenance scheduling so crucial for maintaining uninterrupted production.Kato: Over the past year, AI has been increasingly utilized in optimizing machine and circuit designs, with innovative applications like CADDi Drawer standing out. CADDi Drawer represents a significant advancement in this field by digitizing historical drawings, which includes both design elements and documented quality issues encountered during manufacturing. This comprehensive digital archive enables engineers to learn from past experiences, focusing on innovation rather than reiteration.The AI in CADDi Drawer goes beyond mere digitization. It analyzes various aspects of the drawings, such as the shapes of parts, to identify similarities in designs. This capability allows for the standardization of parts where feasible, which in turn enhances production efficiency and cost-effectiveness. By standardizing parts based on historical data and design similarities, organizations can streamline their manufacturing processes, reduce costs, and improve overall product quality.In essence, tools like CADDi Drawer embody a shift in design philosophy, leveraging AI to convert historical data into actionable insights. This approach helps in avoiding repetitive issues, fostering innovation, and cost of production of machine and circuit design.Munirathinam: As our world becomes increasingly connected, realtime guidance and AI-powered predictions have become essential for Schaeffler and its end users. Functioning as virtual information constructs describing a physical product or system, digital twins create a comprehensive view of Schaeffler products along the entire value chain — from the supplier to the end customer. This holistic view optimizes internal processes and helps Schaeffler offer superior service to machine builders and end users. By providing functional parameters in a machine-readable format, Schaeffler products seamlessly integrate with end users’ production processes, and digital twins even provide relevant data beyond the physical product.Digital twins come in various formats at Schaeffler and include the Service Twin for simulating product performance in the field; the Design Twin for digital 3D CAD designs and simulation tools; and the Process Twin for simulating factory floor processes and machinery. These insights can be used to optimize a product’s performance over its lifecycle through data provisioning, root-cause analysis, feedback loops, virtual sensors, cloud simulation, analytics, and quality prediction.<h3>What about the special case of additive manufacturing?</h3>Lemire: 3D printing helps us quickly deliver prototypes and functional mockups. The range of 3D-printable materials continues to expand for more product-design and development flexibility.Rangarajan: Emerging text-to-3D, text-to-CAD, and AI-based landmark-detection and geometry-morphing solutions will help simplify design processes — so even more engineers can bring breakthrough applications to life. These technologies are also helping to optimize and scale production for lower TCO of 3D printing machines. Additionally, emerging generative-AI solutions such as LLM are helping increase production efficiency and speed.As 3D-printing technology and artificial intelligence continue to grow in lockstep, the additive-manufacturing community will uncover new and exciting ways to help end users develop applications more quickly and easily than ever before in a new era marked by digitized manufacturing.Umeno: Kollmorgen provides motion control to 3D printing for housing and commercial construction applications in the U.S., Europe, India, and China. Our solutions offer several advantages for the efficient and precise printing of large-scale structures. Kollmorgen AKM servomotors offer high torque density and withstand the demanding loads and difficult environments encountered in construction. Our AKD-series drives maintain accuracy and repeatability (and synchronization of print heads or extruder nozzles) to ensure consistent layer deposition during the printing of structures having exacting dimensional tolerances.Our motion-control components are built for reliability when subject to the harsh environments of construction sites. Sealed motors and corrosion-resistant materials enhance their longevity in outdoor applications. Plus, our motors and drives enable faster printing speeds; this reduces printing times and increases productivity for construction companies.<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2F209ee507cedf4c298e100edae4bba2df%2F8e1ad565f6d34ee79a6b931a0696be17" alt="A person in a suit operates a Yaskawa handheld teach pendant showing a cell setup screen, next to a blue Yaskawa GP8 industrial robot arm.">Yaskawa Cockpit collects data from all local devices and stores that data in a local database for access and analysis. The software platform visualizes the status, health, and performance of the connected devices.Luchars: In January 2024, ECM launched the design-to-manufacture Motor CAD platform PrintStator as a public SaaS offering. Within minutes, the platform turns user specifications into PCB Stator motors. Those PCB design files can then be immediately printed anywhere worldwide. ECM’s PCB Stators replace the bulky copper windings in traditional motors with an ultra-thin disc. The motors are up to 70% lighter than conventional options while requiring just 20% of the raw materials — and maintaining around 95% efficiencies.Frazelle: Zoo’s KittyCAD Design API and underlying geometry engine leverages GPUs running in the cloud to render models and compute geometric operations. All of Zoo’s APIs are dynamically scaling cloud infrastructure that can handle large amounts of load. Its machine-learning API ML-ephant leverages cloud computing for training models (Text-to-CAD) based on a large set of production CAD-file data. -Zoo’s Text-to-CAD interface is built on our ML-ephant Machine Learning API and has already gained a lot of traction.Text-to-CAD lets engineers generate models to import into any CAD program. We saw 13,000 CAD files generated by end users the day of this product’s launch and high usage has continued. The model is continually improving to address user feedback and add training data for specific features.Traditional CAD engines can use GPUs for rendering but not for the mathematical operations. Zoo’s CAD engine leverages a GPU for computing mathematical operations — making it much faster than incumbents. What’s more, Zoo’s modeling app utilizes our KittyCAD Design API and geometry engine; the app is an open-source hardware-design interface that lets engineers generate CAD models, both by editing code and with point-and-click actions. This is a first-of-its-kind user experience for mechanical engineering.Yudilevich: MaterialsZone’s platform offers an end-to-end materials informatics solution for Lean R&amp;D processes — to streamline these processes for all stakeholders. By leveraging MaterialsZone, organizations can seamlessly integrate comprehensive internal and external insights and a blend of simulated and experimental data through intelligent analysis. This yields materials-innovation breakthroughs much faster than conventional methods.

Update on digital twins and more for digital manufacturing

<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2F209ee507cedf4c298e100edae4bba2df%2Ffa6780ac3eb347c4a978078dc1ed907b" alt="CADDi Drawer graphic reading Digital Transformation over a photo of a hand pointing at a rising chart"><h3>Global procurement solutions provider CADDi has secured a US$89m funding boost for its work in digitally transforming the manufacturing sector</h3><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/caddiinc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CADDi</a> has announced a significant funding boost for its manufacturing digital transformation.The Series C funding round has secured US$89m, raising total capital to $164m. This was co-led by investors <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/globis-capital-partners/about/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Globis Capital Partners</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/dcm/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DCM Ventures</a>, Global Brain, World Innovation Lab (WiL), JAFCO Group and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/minerva-growth-partners/about/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Minerva Growth Partners</a>.<h2>Digital transformation at CADDi</h2>CADDi is a global procurement solutions provider headquartered in Chicago, which was founded in 2017, with the aim of revolutionizing the manufacturing sector. CADDi has two solutions:<h3>CADDi Manufacturing</h3>A parts procurement platform and a one-stop service for manufacturing which utilizes original technologies to optimize quality, cost and delivery within its supply chain infrastructure.<h3>CADDi Drawer</h3>Launched in 2022, “CADDi Drawer,” is a cloud-based data utilization system which aims to further digitally transform the manufacturing industry.The new round of investment will be mainly used to grow the CADDi manufacturing division, enhance the technological capability of CADDi Drawer, and further expand their global workforce.These steps will look to help them achieve ambitious goals of generating $10bn in revenue by 2030, with CADDi Drawer contributing over $100m in ARR within a few years and $1bn in revenue by 2030. A significant building block of that strategy is growth in the North American market with the US office expanding to 100 employees within a year.<h2>CADDi’s manufacturing growth</h2>CADDI has seen significant growth since the round of Series B funding in August 2021. It has expanded from 230 to 590 employees and has increased their global footprint, and has recently established a US division and Mexico supplier operations to cater to American manufacturers.“Our mission is to unleash the potential of manufacturing,” said CEO, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/yushiro-kato-2006bb147/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yushiro Kato</a>. “As the first step, we will focus on parts procurement for industrial machines and factories, along with software for drawings analysis and utilization. Like a caddie in golf, CADDi strives to guide the manufacturing industry to unleash its full potential.”Source: <a href="https://manufacturingdigital.com/procurement-and-supply-chain/caddi-to-accelerate-manufacturing-digital-transformation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Manufacturing Digital</a>

CADDi to accelerate manufacturing digital transformation

With the benefits of enhanced efficiency, improved collaboration and more informed decision-making, widespread adoption of software solutions will help make supply chains more efficient.For manufacturing and supply chain professionals, the integration of advanced software solutions has emerged as a pivotal force in reshaping operations. From optimizing production processes to enhancing inventory management and fostering collaboration, software solutions have become essential tools in the global supply chain. Here, we evaluate three core areas where we see software solutions transforming the industry and discuss how businesses can determine the best software for their needs.<h2>Streamlining Operations and Enhancing Efficiency</h2>One of the hallmark achievements of contemporary software solutions is their ability to significantly enhance the efficiency of production processes. At the core of these advanced systems are sophisticated data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) algorithms, which collectively work to streamline operations across a wide spectrum of industries. Consider the example of warehouse management software, which is specifically designed to increase output while simultaneously minimizing downtime. This is achieved through meticulous analysis of operational data, allowing for the identification of inefficiencies and the formulation of targeted strategies for improvement.Furthermore, these software solutions extend their impact by focusing on waste reduction and the initiation of improvement initiatives, thereby setting the stage for increased operational efficiency, cost savings, and productivity enhancements. The breadth of industries benefiting from such technological advancements is vast, ranging from manufacturing to logistics, each witnessing a transformative shift towards more streamlined and effective operations. By leveraging the power of data and predictive analytics, businesses are now equipped to make more informed decisions, optimize their resource allocation and achieve a competitive edge in the marketplace. This digital revolution is not just about optimizing current operations but also about reimagining what is possible in the future of industry.<h2>Fostering Collaboration and Critical Knowledge Retention</h2>Collaborative software platforms are breaking down departmental silos that have long hindered the flow of information between departments. By providing a unified platform for sharing data, documents and insights, tools enable teams and stakeholders to synchronize their activities, anticipate bottlenecks and archive essential data for future reference.<h2>Enhanced Decision-Making and Strategic Insights</h2>Driven by the benefits of enhanced efficiency, improved collaboration and more information decision-making, there is a widespread adoption of software solutions within the global supply chain. Traditional inventory management systems often struggle to keep pace with the complexities of modern supply chains characterized by global sourcing, fluctuating demand, and diverse product portfolios. Advanced software can now accurately monitor inventory levels for a wide array of products and utilize AI to automate refilled orders.Thanks to the integration of software solutions into business processes, global supply chains are becoming increasingly efficient. With the benefits of enhanced efficiency, improved collaboration and more informed decision-making, widespread adoption of software solutions will help make supply chains not only more efficient but also more resilient.‍

Three Key Areas Where Software is Impacting the Supply Chain

CADDi, a leading manufacturing solutions provider, is pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Lober as Vice President of Marketing. With a wealth of experience spanning over 15 years across diverse industries, Lober joins CADDi to spearhead strategic marketing initiatives aimed at propelling the company’s growth and advancing digital transformation in manufacturing.Throughout his career, Lober has successfully launched and shepherded products across various industries, navigating every phase of their lifecycle with finesse. He has managed portfolios exceeding $100 million, demonstrating his ability to drive substantial growth and value creation. Notably, Lober played a pivotal role in guiding Procore to its public offering, showcasing his knack for strategic leadership and market positioning.At Procore, Lober launched the company’s first data and analytics product, Procore Analytics, in 2020—the first successful predictive analytics tool in the construction project management ecosystem. He also oversaw the launch of Procore Estimating in 2021, which featured machine learning applications using OCR (optical character recognition) to extract metadata from drawings, a process closely aligned with CADDi’s technological approach.“As we position ourselves for exponential growth, Aaron’s appointment underscores our commitment to assembling a top-tier team,” said Yushiro Kato, CEO and Co-Founder of CADDi. “His deep understanding of marketing strategy will be instrumental in amplifying the reach and impact of CADDi Drawer, further solidifying its position as a game-changer in the industry and driving strategic growth.”Most recently, Lober served as the Head of Marketing at Blameless, where he led transformative marketing initiatives and significantly elevated the brand’s visibility within the incident management industry.In the midst of rapid digital transformation in the manufacturing sector, CADDi remains at the forefront with its revolutionary flagship product, CADDi Drawer—an AI-powered drawing management system designed to revolutionize the way manufacturers operate. CADDi Drawer seamlessly integrates engineering, procurement, and sales teams onto a single platform, providing an interconnected web of actionable manufacturing data. With its advanced AI capabilities, CADDi Drawer empowers users to streamline procurement processes, accelerate project timelines, and reduce operational costs.“I’m thrilled to join CADDi at such a pivotal moment,” said Aaron Lober, newly appointed Vice President of Marketing at CADDi. “Digitization has created amazing opportunities for manufacturers to enhance productivity and profitability up and down the supply chain. That said, most organizations haven’t yet been able to fully harness that potential. What we’re doing at CADDi is going to help manufacturing organizations of every size and type take that next step.”‍

CADDi Names Aaron Lober VP of Marketing to Enhance Brand Visibility in the US and Propel Industry Innovation

The Power of Centralized Data and #AI in Manufacturing

<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2F209ee507cedf4c298e100edae4bba2df%2F906bf4ddff2540748b36f1002f0460f4" alt="CADDi Drawer and Fast Company logos above a lightbulb icon with an upward arrow and the text &quot;Most Innovative Companies 2024&quot; on a bright blue background."><h2>CADDi is distinguished as the sole manufacturing SaaS featured on Fast Inc.’s esteemed annual rankings list</h2><a href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4119229-1&amp;h=185867071&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fdrawer.caddi.com%2F&amp;a=CADDi" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CADDi</a>, a leading manufacturing solutions provider, is honored to announce its inclusion in Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the Most Innovative Companies for 2024. This recognition from a leading media company covering the future of technology and work underscores CADDi’s commitment to driving innovation, efficiency, and cost reduction within procurement departments and the manufacturing sector as a whole.Fast Company’s exclusive list of innovators is an annual ranking that honors select organizations globally that are making a lasting impact in their respective industries. CADDi is recognized among iconic global brands like Nvidia, YouTube, and more.“We are thrilled Fast Company validated the work our organization is doing to help empower manufacturers to unleash their potential,” said Yushiro Kato, co-founder and CEO of CADDi. “This accolade is a testament to our dedication to building a manufacturing platform designed for teams across the supply chain—from sales to engineering to procurement departments—to enhance manufacturing workflows.”Fast Company’s list celebrates organizations that are spearheading groundbreaking advancements in their respective industries, setting the standard for future innovation. CADDi’s inclusion highlights its position as a trailblazer in driving efficiency in procurement and transforming the manufacturing landscape with its flagship CADDi Drawer, an easy-to-use secure SaaS platform that uses AI to help procurement teams centralize and search for drawings in a central hub.“Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is both a comprehensive look at the innovation economy and a snapshot of the business trends that defined the year,” said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. “We saw extraordinary innovation across the board in 2023, but we also saw a handful of clear patterns: the growing footprint and impact of AI, the triumphant return of live events, and great leaps forward in climate tech. We face daunting challenges on many fronts, but the solutions we celebrate in MIC give me plenty of hope about the future.”CADDi Drawer revolutionizes manufacturers’ procurement and supply-chain operations by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to unlock unprecedented access to comprehensive data. Utilizing a cutting-edge, patented image analysis algorithm, CADDi Drawer effortlessly digitizes intricate details from drawings along with their corresponding supply-chain information. This seamless integration of data, combined with its innovative “similar drawings search” capability, establishes CADDi Drawer as the premier search platform in the manufacturing sector. By enabling procurement teams to tap into a wealth of past manufacturing insights, CADDi Drawer breaks the cycle of reinventing the wheel to drive significant cost savings and innovation in future projects.In July 2023, CADDi raised $89 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its total capital raised to $164 million. The company is expanding in North America and opened its U.S. headquarters in Chicago to bring its solution to manufacturers in the region and nationwide.“We want to make the lives of the people who work daily in manufacturing easier,” Kato added. “Organizations have never had the opportunity to access historical drawings and supply-chain data in a centralized system—until now. By harnessing the power of AI and our patented algorithms, we are enabling them to not only access drawings but make decisions based on having essential information literally at their fingertips.”CADDi remains committed to addressing broader industry pain points. The platform reduces manufacturing costs—leveraging past insights to eliminate pricing inconsistencies common in the non-standardized and opaque procurement process to optimize supplier selection—and helps bridge the knowledge gap between experienced workers retiring and newer ones entering the workforce in an era when the manufacturing industry faces persistent worker shortages.CADDi’s recognition in Fast Company reflects its profound impact on the manufacturing sector and industry at large. As CADDi continues to push the boundaries of innovation, the company remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering exceptional value to its clients and partners.For more information about Fast Company’s original article, click <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/91033684/caddi-most-innovative-companies-2024" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

CADDi Named to Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2024

<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2F209ee507cedf4c298e100edae4bba2df%2F70812fb8f63145d4a354cc4d3b79cb4c" alt="CADDi Drawer 2023 Top Tech Startup Awards badge from Food Logistics and Supply &amp; Demand Chain Executive on a blue background">This recognition spotlights the top software and technology startups in the supply chain and logistics space.CHICAGO, Dec. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/— Food Logistics, the only publication exclusively covering the movement of products through the global cold food supply chain, and Supply &amp; Demand Chain Executive, the only publication covering the entire global supply chain, selected CADDi as one of this year’s Top Tech Startups, which spotlights top software and technology startups in the supply chain and logistics space.CADDi’s software, CADDi Drawer, is a drawings search software that optimizes procurement and supply-chain functions by improving supplier section and parts consolidation. It automatically extracts and digitizes structured data from drawings, including shapes, title block information, and dimensions. The “similar drawing search” function uses a patented image-analysis algorithm to analyze and identify similar drawings based on depicted shapes, promoting efficient data utilization.“We are honored to be recognized as a top innovator in the manufacturing and supply chain space. At CADDi, we’re on a mission to unleash the full potential of manufacturing, and this accolade fuels our commitment to transforming the industry through innovative AI-enabled solutions,” said Yushiro Kato, co-founder and CEO of CADDi. “We’re excited about the future and the opportunity to showcase our initiatives on the Innovation Stage at Manifest’s event in 2024.”AI-powered automation retains its top spot from a majority of the winners (46% vs. last year’s 35%), with AI, smart data capture and real-time transportation management trailing behind (41%, 33%, and 29%, respectively). Winners range in revenue from $1 million to $20 million, with startups beginning operation as early as 2000.“Many of today’s startups are poised to disrupt the logistics space. Whether it’s raising money to improve sustainability, visibility, and food safety or empowering companies to enhance the last mile, these startups are putting innovation at the forefront. They’re introducing real-time tracking and carbon footprint solutions and developing robotics and wearables to better move product from Point A to Point B in the safest, most efficient manner,” says Marina Mayer, editor-in-chief of Food Logistics and Supply &amp; Demand Chain Executive. “The future of the supply chain industry is now. And now is the time to spotlight these startups’ initiatives.”This year’s award recipients will also be profiled on <a href="https://foodlogistics.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FoodLogistics.com</a> and <a href="https://sdcexec.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SDCExec.com</a>. Click <a href="https://foodl.me/5z0zecqd" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a> to view the complete list of Top Tech Startup winners.<h3>About CADDi</h3>CADDi is a global manufacturing company on a mission to “unleash the potential of manufacturing.” The company strives to transform the manufacturing industry through its primary offering, “CADDi Drawer,” an AI-enabled drawing management system, helping further unlock the potential of manufacturing by significantly improving the efficiency of procurement teams.<h3>About Food Logistics and Supply &amp; Demand Chain Executive</h3>Food Logistics reaches more than 26,000 supply chain executives in the global food and beverage industries, including executives in the food sector (growers, producers, manufacturers, wholesalers, and grocers) and the logistics section (transportation, warehousing, distribution, software, and technology) who share a mutual interest in the operations and business aspects of the global cold food supply chain. Supply &amp; Demand Chain Executive is the only supply chain publication covering the entire global supply chain, focusing on trucking, warehousing, packaging, procurement, risk management, professional development, and more. Food Logistics and Supply &amp; Demand Chain Executive also operate SCN Summit and Women in Supply Chain Forum. Go to <a href="https://www.foodlogistics.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.FoodLogistics.com</a> and <a href="https://www.sdcexec.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.SDCExec.com</a> to learn more.

CADDi Receives 2023 Top Tech Startup Award by Food Logistics, Supply & Demand Chain Executive

<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2F209ee507cedf4c298e100edae4bba2df%2Feef039c9b2c14b2ca0f977f59ae734cf" alt="CADDi Drawer &#x27;Midwest Expansion&#x27; banner over an aerial view of the Chicago skyline and lakefront">A global supply chain startup is looking to expand its Midwest presence in the next year.Founded by a former McKinsey &amp; Co. manufacturing consultant and Apple Inc. engineer, Caddi Inc., which launched in Tokyo in 2017, opened its U.S. headquarters in downtown Chicago earlier this year. With that opening came a pledge of 100 jobs for the city in the next 12 to 18 months.Caddi has more than 600 employees globally.When Caddi CEO Yushiro Kato was setting up the business, visiting manufacturing companies across the U.S., he noticed that all the connecting flights were in Chicago. That’s when he realized it made the most sense to pick Chicago as the supply chain startup’s U.S. HQ, according to Caddi director John Tezuka.Tezuka added that Kato looked at California before ultimately landing in Chicago. The company operates out of 223 W Jackson Blvd.“We found that there was a rich source of talent in the Midwest and in Chicago and that the affordability index was much greater,” Tezuka said.Kato said the company is focused primarily on the Midwest for expansion for now but expects ultimately to open branches in other areas of the country as well.The startup is looking to bring more efficiency to the global supply chain using artificial intelligence.Caddi closed an $89 million Series C earlier this year, bringing its total funding to $164 million. The funding round was the largest for any Japanese startup in the first half of 2023, according to Caddi.The supply chain startup works with manufacturers on issues like procurement and data management. Its software-as-a-service program uses artificial intelligence to turn drawing libraries into searchable assets for manufacturers, fabricators and engineers.Kato said the AI-based drawing management platform reads, analyzes and stores 2D drawings and data and makes the content easily searchable and accessible for manufacturers.He added that AI is at the core of Caddi’s technologies, and he thinks the emerging technology could transform the global supply chain by digitizing a space that historically has been paper-driven.Tezuka said Caddi’s technology is designed to enhance worker efficiency, not replace people.“Caddi was created in Japan, where it is notoriously difficult to fire anyone, so Caddi has always had as part of its mission to transform the manufacturing industry without cutting jobs,” he said.

CADDi targets Midwest expansion after closing $89M round, opening Chicago office

<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2F209ee507cedf4c298e100edae4bba2df%2Fe96635a9a94041c883329efef552d86c">Suzuki Motor Corporation, an esteemed automotive company, has grappled with persistent issues related to accessing and utilizing historical design drawings when developing new vehicle models. This prompted the company to collaborate with CADDi Inc., a company focused on transforming the manufacturing industry’s supply chain, to implement CADDi Drawer, a cloud-based service aimed at organizing and utilizing drawing data efficiently.<h3>The Problem</h3>Suzuki’s design team consistently faced challenges locating past drawings and identifying relevant part information for new models. This hurdle created inefficiencies in their workflow, resulting in time-consuming searches and hindering productivity. Recreating similar parts due to the lack of an organized system further impacted resource allocation and delayed the development of new car models.<h3>The Solution</h3>To address these challenges, Suzuki chose to introduce CADDi Drawer, a cloud service enabling the registration of a vast number of historical drawings. This implementation provides the design team with a search function that rapidly retrieves information through keywords, part numbers, or images. A pivotal feature is the “similar drawing search,” employing an algorithm that analyzes three-dimensional shapes in drawings to identify and retrieve relevant and similar parts. This functionality significantly reduces redundant design creation and optimizes resource allocation for the development process.<h3>Impacts and Benefits</h3>The integration of CADDi Drawer at Suzuki Motor Corporation is expected to significantly impact the design team’s efficiency. By facilitating quick access to past drawings and parts information, the service is anticipated to improve work efficiency. This optimization in workflow and resource allocation is poised to enhance productivity within the design department and streamline the development of new car models.Suzuki Motor Corporation’s integration of CADDi Drawer represents a significant step toward addressing their challenges in accessing and utilizing historical drawing data. This implementation highlights the potential for improved work efficiency, reduced redundancy, and optimized resource allocation within the design processes of the automotive giant.<h3>About CADDi</h3>CADDi is dedicated to revolutionizing manufacturing by focusing on procurement innovation. Their CADDi MANUFACTURING platform employs proprietary technology to analyze manufacturers’ drawings, connecting them with processing companies worldwide meeting quality, delivery, and pricing criteria. The recent launch of CADDi Drawer further demonstrates their commitment to leveraging drawing data for digital transformation. With a global presence across 11 locations, including Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and the U.S., the company’s recent Series C funding round raised a total of 21.73 billion yen, highlighting investor confidence in their innovative solutions.<h3>About CADDi Drawer</h3>CADDi Drawer is a cloud service designed to leverage accumulated drawing data for reducing procurement costs and enhancing productivity. Drawing on technology from CADDi MANUFACTURING, it automatically extracts and stores structured data from drawings, including dimensions, symbols, and text. The “similar drawing search” function uses a proprietary algorithm to analyze and identify similar drawings based on depicted shapes, promoting efficient data utilization.

Enhancing Efficiency in Design: Suzuki Motor Corporation’s Integration of CADDi Drawer

CADDi leverages AI to digitize drawings and procurement data, making manufacturing insights searchable by shape, text, dimensions and part names.

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