How AI Helps Machinists
Machine shops lose hours to RFQ replies, travelers and setup sheets. 12² builds quote, traveler and setup-sheet templates plus a cert tracker around the shop's ERP or spreadsheets.
Machine Shop Quote & Traveler Desk · From $3,500 + $199/mo, by team size · proposed estimate · It says it is an automated assistant whenever it talks to someone directly, and your team reviews what it drafts before it goes out.
Ai for machine shops: the short answer.
12² builds AI for machinists that takes on the routine work: drafting quote replies from your numbers, drafting travelers and setup sheets, summarizing drawing revisions and tracking material certs. It runs inside the tools you already use. Machinists and programmers still own every setup and program.
Sources
- General office-writing evidence, not a study of this job: in an RCT, ChatGPT cut professional writing time 40% and raised quality (Noy & Zhang, Science 2023)news.mit.edu
Research figures above describe the cited studies, not results 12² promises. Results vary. Disclosures
Where the hours go now.
Drafting quote replies from the estimator's numbers
Machine shops lose hours to RFQ replies, travelers and setup sheets.
Travelers and setup sheets
Rebuilt from scratch each time, usually at the end of the day.
Customer drawings' notes and revisions
Hours go to reading and re-reading before the real work starts.
What it handles, and what it never does.
What it handles
- Drafting quote replies from the estimator's numbersIt drafts quote replies from the estimator's numbers.
- Travelers and setup sheetsIt drafts travelers and setup sheets from job data.
- Customer drawings' notes and revisionsIt summarizes customer drawings' notes and revisions.
- Material certs and due datesIt tracks material certs and due dates.
- Hand-off to your teamAnything that needs a person goes to the right person, with the details attached.
What it never does
- Make up a price or a factIt works only from the documents, records and price lists you give it. Anything it can't find goes to your team.
- Promise a resultQuestions about outcomes go to the person who does the work.
- Pretend to be a personIt says it is an automated assistant whenever it talks to someone directly.
- Send anything on its ownDrafts wait for your team's approval before anything goes out.
Built and tested on your own work.
Before handoff, we run your build on your own real examples and fix anything that misses.
- Tested on your own workBefore handoff, we run your build on your own real examples and fix anything that misses.
- Retainer, then balance on deliveryRetainer up front. Work starts once the retainer is paid; the balance is due on delivery when the agreed test cases pass.
- Fixed price, scope and timelineAll three in writing before work starts. The timeline is set in your quote.
- What 12² buildsQuote, traveler and setup-sheet templates plus a cert tracker around the shop's ERP or spreadsheets.
- How it connectsWe confirm how it connects to your ERP or spreadsheets on the first call and write it into your quote.
Related solutions: Production Paperwork & Expediting Desk · Industrial Engineering Report Assistant · Mechanical Engineering Docs Assistant · all solutions
See also: all industry packages · pricing
From $3,500 + $199/moSetup + monthly, by size. The monthly fee covers monitoring, fixes and re-tests for your package as your templates, documents and staff change. AI and software usage is billed at cost. Proposed starting estimates by team size, not fixed prices; the final price is in a written quote.
- Small: Small shop (1-4 staff, one location)From $3,500 + $199/mo. The core build for 1-4 staff, one location: quote, traveler and setup-sheet templates plus a cert tracker around the shop's ERP or spreadsheets. Proposed estimate. Small tier; monthly covers hosting, monitoring and fixes. Matches the live 12squared.ai ladder for this industry.
- Mid-size: Mid-size shop (5-19 staff)From $9,500 + $450/mo. Everything in Small shop, for more users, inboxes and calendars, with hand-off rules set for each role. Proposed estimate. More users, locations or integrations. Matches the live 12squared.ai ladder for this industry.
- Enterprise: Enterprise (20+ staff or several locations)From $18,000 + $750/mo, custom quote. Everything in Mid-size shop, across locations or departments, with system integrations and a security review scoped in your custom quote. Proposed estimate floor; scope, integrations and security review set the final number. No cap. Matches the live 12squared.ai ladder for this industry.
- Retainer up front Work starts once the retainer is paid; the balance is due on delivery when the agreed test cases pass. Scope, price and timeline are agreed in writing before work starts.
- You own itThe accounts, scripts, templates and data sit in your name. You can leave at any time.
- Compliance and dataAS9100/ITAR rules where the shop does aerospace or defense work: controlled data stays out of public tools.
- Not professional adviceNot engineering advice: your engineers and quality staff approve every spec, drawing and document. 12² builds software and automations. It is not a licensed professional in your field, and your team makes every professional decision. Disclosures
Straight answers.
Does AI write CNC programs?
Not in this offer. It covers quotes and paperwork.
How does payment work?
Retainer up front. Work starts once the retainer is paid; the balance is due on delivery when the agreed test cases pass.
How long does it take?
Timelines are set per project in the quote, after we see your systems and volume.
Are these prices final?
No. They are proposed starting estimates. You get a written custom quote after a short scoping call.
Tell us how you handle travelers and setup sheets now.
A few lines is enough. If it's a fit we'll say so, and if it isn't we'll tell you why.
- You'll hear back within one business day12² reads your note and replies about your project.
- A free 20-minute callHow the work runs now, what gets missed, and what your team needs from it.
- A fixed quoteYour size, scope, date and price in writing before any work starts.
Prefer email? Write to [email protected]
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