Innovations Around Manufacturing: AI, CAD, and Costing
January 23, 2025
Also published on LinkedInRead there →Since I began my journey as a mechanical engineer, CAD designs have always intrigued me. The concept of creating something in 3D and bringing it to life through manufacturing felt like a real achievement. During my college days, working on the Formula Student racecar, I spent countless hours designing various components. Fast forward to today, and CAD is now an integral part of our daily work.
This ongoing exposure to CAD made me dive deeper into understanding it—beyond just the visual representation on the screen. I began exploring the math behind it, learning about B-Rep representation, meshes, and metadata, which made the subject even more fascinating.
With the recent advancements in AI and tools like ChatGPT, exploring the intersection of mechanical design and manufacturing has been incredibly exciting. A while back, when OpenAI launched GPT-4, I started experimenting with how it could streamline engineering workflows—such as generating design specifications from text prompts, interpreting engineering drawings, and improving team collaboration. The results were incredibly promising!
Check out my previous article to dive into these experiments and explore what’s possible: Experiments with GPT-4 in Manufacturing
As we continue to work on the Automated Costing Engine (ACE) at Kkonnect.io, I’m constantly keeping an eye out for innovative tools in the manufacturing space. Recently, I came across two fascinating products that push the envelope: Hanomi, a tool that converts CAD designs into detailed 2D drawings, and Zoo, which generates CAD files from text prompts. These tools are revolutionizing the way we bring designs to life—helping anyone with an idea quickly generate models and start building.
Have a design in mind? Use Zoo to create CAD from text prompts.
Need a manufacturing cost for your CAD? Use ACE to get an instant costing with just a CAD file.
Need an engineering drawing for manufacturing? Hanomi can generate detailed 2D drawings in no time.
Let’s dive deeper into how these tools work and how I experimented with them!
Text to CAD - Zoo
I first discovered this tool through a colleague. The website’s messaging was clear: "Generate CAD from text prompts." Intrigued, I decided to give it a try.
I started with a simple prompt and, to my surprise, quickly received a CAD file.
They also offer a modeling app where CAD can be generated and modified with simple instructions. The process is easy to follow, and some complex designs, which usually require a lot of effort to modify in CAD software, can now be tweaked seamlessly.
Still exploring its potential to unlock more capabilities.
CAD to Costing - ACE
ACE, developed by our team at Kkonnect.io, is a web-based tool that allows users to upload a CAD file and receive an instant cost estimation for CNC machining components. It supports milling, turning, and turn-mill operations, offering a simple yet powerful platform.
This tool has been live for a year now, and the feedback has been fantastic. Suppliers are using it to quickly generate costs and convert RFQs into orders. Under the hood, a machine learning model analyzes the CAD features and provides cost estimates accordingly.
The real game-changer here is the costing report. By simply uploading a CAD file, ACE generates detailed cycle times—something that used to take hours and requires expertise in CAM software and Excel sheets.
CAD to Drawing - Hanomi
Our CEO introduced me to this brilliant tool that generates detailed 2D drawings directly from a CAD file. I remember how tedious it used to be to create these drawings—ensuring that tolerances, indexes, sectional views, and more were accurate before sharing them with suppliers. This tool has saved a tremendous amount of time.
I’ve personally used Hanomi for several files, and the output is nothing short of amazing. Plus, the platform is constantly evolving, with new features and customisation options being added regularly.
Check out the demo videos here: https://www.youtube.com/@Hanomi-AI/videos
As we continue to innovate and explore new tools, the future of manufacturing looks incredibly exciting. I’m eager to see how these advancements, powered by AI and machine learning, will continue to shape our industry. If you’ve come across any interesting tech—whether it’s in AI, ML, or other new innovations in and around manufacturing—please share your thoughts in the comments below. Let’s keep the conversation going and inspire each other with the latest breakthroughs that can help us all grow and innovate!
Godspeed 🚀