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SteelWorks Fabrication — Structural steel fabricator

AI deployment blueprint for Structural steel fabricator. Automates fab shop mgmt using Google Sheets, Slack, AutoCAD, Claude.

3 agents4 integrations35h freed/week4-6 weeks (MaterialTakeoffAgent first)13h setupModerate

AI Readiness Score

72/100
RUN
data maturity70

Structured data in sheets, standardized drawing formats

team capacity75

Already using Claude, semi-technical team with manufacturing focus

budget alignment80

Budget range supports comprehensive agent deployment

automation readiness75

Clear repetitive processes in drawing review and material takeoffs with defined quality standards

timeline feasibility70

3-6 month timeline reasonable for phased implementation

integration complexity65

Good API coverage but AutoCAD integration complexity moderate

How This System Works

Architecture

Three-agent system focused on fabrication workflow optimization: drawing review automation, material takeoff accuracy, and compliance tracking. Integrates existing AutoCAD and Google Sheets workflow with enhanced Claude analysis capabilities.

Data Flow

Drawings flow from AutoCAD through automated review and material extraction, with results stored in Google Sheets. Certification data maintained in sheets with automated monitoring. All agents communicate status and alerts through Slack for seamless team coordination.

Implementation Phases

1
Foundation Setup2 weeks

Setup APIs, databases, and initial data structures

2
Material Optimization4-5 weeks

Deploy takeoff automation for immediate waste reduction

MaterialTakeoffAgent
3
Compliance Automation3-4 weeks

Automate certification tracking and notifications

WelderCertificationAgent
4
Drawing Intelligence6-8 weeks

Deploy complex drawing review automation

DrawingReviewAgent

Prerequisites

  • -AutoCAD API license and setup
  • -Google Workspace with Sheets API enabled
  • -Slack workspace with bot permissions
  • -Standardized drawing templates and material database

Assumptions

  • -Drawings follow consistent CAD standards
  • -Material database can be maintained in Google Sheets
  • -Team will provide feedback during initial training period
  • -AutoCAD integration complexity manageable with phased approach

Recommended Agents (3)

How It Works

  1. 1
    Monitor for new drawing files

    Watch designated folders for .dwg files

    AutoCAD API
  2. 2
    Extract drawing data and annotations

    Parse dimensions, weld symbols, material callouts

    AutoCAD API
  3. 3
    Run compliance checks

    Check against AWS D1.1 standards and company guidelines

    Claude
  4. 4
    Generate review report

    Summarize findings with severity levels

    Claude
  5. 5
    Post results to Slack

    Notify engineering team with review summary

    Slack API

Data Flow

Inputs
  • AutoCADShop drawings with dimensions and specifications(.dwg files)
Outputs
  • SlackReview report with flagged issues(formatted message)
  • Google SheetsReview log with timestamps and status(spreadsheet row)

Prerequisites

  • -AutoCAD API access setup
  • -Drawing standards documentation

Error Handling

warning
Drawing file corrupted

Alert engineer for manual review

error
API connection failed

Queue for retry in 30 minutes

Integrations

SourceTargetData FlowMethodComplexity
AutoCADClaudeDrawing data for analysisapimoderate
Google SheetsClaudeMaterial and certification dataapisimple
ClaudeSlackNotifications and reportsapisimple
AutoCADGoogle SheetsDrawing metadata and statusapimoderate

Schedule

0 7 * * *
WelderCertificationAgentDaily certification check at 7 AM

Recommended Models

TaskRecommendedAlternativesEst. CostWhy
Drawing review and analysisClaude Sonnet 3.5
GPT-4
$150/monthSuperior technical document analysis and reasoning capabilities
Material calculations and optimizationClaude Sonnet 3.5
GPT-4
$100/monthStrong mathematical reasoning and structured data processing
Certification tracking and notificationsClaude Haiku
GPT-3.5
$75/monthSimple data processing and notification generation

Impact

What Changes

Before
Engineers spend 20+ hours/week on manual drawing reviews
After
Initial reviews automated, engineers focus on flagged issues only
Before
Material takeoffs done manually with 15% error rate
After
Automated takeoffs with <3% error rate and waste optimization
Before
Certification tracking on paper/basic spreadsheets
After
Proactive monitoring with automatic renewal reminders
Capacity Unlocked
Engineering team can focus on complex design work instead of routine reviews and material calculations
Time to First Impact
4-6 weeks (MaterialTakeoffAgent first)

Quality Gains

  • Consistent drawing review standards
  • Accurate material quantities
  • 100% certification compliance tracking
35h freed up/week$325/mo estimated cost

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What's next?

This blueprint is a starting point. Fork it, remix it, or build your own.