Manufacturing's AI Revolution

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Imagine a world where engineers no longer waste hours on mundane translation tasks after designing a product. That's exactly what Ross Meyercord, CEO of Propel Software, is helping create through cloud-native solutions that are revolutionizing manufacturing.
Manufacturing software has been built on the same stack for 30-40 years, but Propel's cloud approach creates what Ross calls "almost an unfair advantage" - they can deploy innovations before competitors even finish planning. This speed is powering real-world AI applications that solve tangible problems for engineers and product developers.
Most engineers feel their job is done once they've created a CAD file, but the rest of the company can't work with that format. Propel's AI agents now automatically handle part numbering, bill of material structuring, and change order analysis, freeing up valuable engineering time. For highly-compensated professionals, these time savings translate directly to bottom-line benefits.
The transformation extends beyond design efficiency. By building on the Salesforce platform, Propel creates a closed-loop system connecting product data with real-world performance metrics. When quality issues arise, manufacturers can quickly trace problems to specific factories, revisions, or serial numbers. This visibility accelerates fixes and improves future designs.
Despite these advances, many manufacturers still struggle with digital transformation. The majority of manufacturing data remains trapped in on-premises systems, making AI implementation challenging. Moving to the cloud is just the first step – companies must then ensure data quality and integration to realize the full benefits. As Ross advises, manufacturers should start by assessing what data truly matters before selecting a modern platform that can leverage emerging AI capabilities.
Ready to transform your manufacturing processes with AI? Visit Propel in Redwood City, California to see firsthand how cloud-native solutions are creating the future of product development.

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Chapters

1. Propel's journey and cloud-native advantage (00:00:00)

2. Real-world AI applications in engineering (00:02:19)

3. Connecting product data through the supply chain (00:04:58)

4. Data security and platform approach (00:08:37)

5. AI agents automating moderate-value tasks (00:10:46)

6. Advice for manufacturers starting their AI journey (00:13:09)