Democratizing Data with AI

As products increasingly house more data, component manufacturers say their clients want more traceable, validated information, according to Patrick Harrigan, vice president of sales at CADDi U.S. (Booth 135454). The company uses AI to digitize engineering and procurement data, turning drawings into a connected, searchable asset. Part proliferation and the cost of managing thousands of variants influence these digital solutions.

CADDi’s 2026 Manufacturing Outlook Study found the average employee spends about one hour a day searching for parts data. And 56% of manufacturers said poor cross-departmental collaboration is their biggest challenge with the data.

“A modern fastener, seal or pump manufacturer often runs tens of thousands of SKUs with small dimensional differences,” Harrigan says. “Without a way to instantly identify which variants already exist, engineering teams design new ones and procurement orders new ones.” Supply chain and trade volatility are additional hurdles. “For a components manufacturer sourcing materials, tooling and subassemblies from a global base, that volatility translates directly into sourcing decisions that have to move faster and rest on better data than they did three years ago,” Harrigan says.

To this end, the company will demonstrate CADDi Drawer, a platform to help manufacturers aggregate, analyze and extract data; and CADDi Quote, which leverages AI to make quoting processes easier. CADDi Quote launched in the U.S. in 2025 and makes its IMTS debut this year. During the past two years, Harrigan says enterprise leaders and engineers have sought more understanding about how AI fits into the data and decision environment. “The conversation has shifted from ‘what value does AI bring?’ to ‘how do we democratize the data we already have to maximize the AI technology we are already investing in?’

Excerpt from article, "COMPONENTS / CLEANING / ENVIRONMENTAL PAVILION: EFFICIENCY, SUSTAINABILITY AND DIGITIZATION", originally published in Manufacturing Engineering & Technology Magazine https://digitaleditions.walsworth.com/publication/?i=867025&p=64&view=issueViewer

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