Next-Gen Metal Fab

In this episode of the Next-Gen Metal Fab Podcast, host Tim Heston speaks with Sunny Han, FMA member and founder of Fulcrum, about the role digitized information plays in preparing fabrication shops for adopting AI.


Tim and Sunny discuss how many job shops still rely on spreadsheets, paperwork, and institutional knowledge that lives in people’s heads, and why before AI can deliver meaningful insight, that information must be digitized and accessible.


Sunny also talks about how faster information flow and real-time analysis could reshape how shops quote work, schedule production, analyze profitability, and respond to changing market conditions. The conversation also explores the risks of information loss as experienced workers retire and why improving data visibility may become a key competitive advantage for fabrication companies.


In this episode:


Why “information waste” still slows many job shops

Why digitization is essential before AI can help manufacturers

How AI could change quoting, scheduling, and job costing

The risk of tribal knowledge disappearing as experienced workers retire

What the future may look like for distributed manufacturing



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In this episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, Tim Heston is joined by Caleb Chamberlain of OSH Cut and Lance Thrailkill of All Metals Fabricating to talk production scheduling, software investments, and growth strategy. They break down what a recent Fabricators and Manufacturers Association survey says about automation trends, why scheduling and ERP tools are becoming critical, and how shops are tackling WIP, queue times, and real-world bottlenecks. The conversation also covers using Monte Carlo simulation to model scheduling outcomes, the growing role of AI-driven tools in programming and planning, and what’s ahead for 2026 in terms of capacity, technology, and expansion.


Email Tim at [email protected] with any comments or questions.

In this episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, host Tim Heston is joined by special guest Matthew Nix of Nix Companies, along with OSH Cut co-founder Caleb Chamberlain, for a wide-ranging discussion on how very different fabrication business models can succeed.


Nix, an FMA member and fifth-generation leader of Nix Industrial, shares how a traditional family-owned manufacturer scaled through acquisitions, systems, and leadership development. Chamberlain explains how OSH Cut was built as a software-first fabrication company designed to handle high-mix, low-volume work at scale.


Together, the group compares approaches to growth, customer onboarding, talent development, metrics, and culture, offering practical insights for fabricators navigating change and uncertainty.


Email Tim at [email protected] with any comments or questions.

In this year-end episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, Tim Heston sits down with All Metals Fabricating’s Lance Thrailkill and OSH Cut CEO Caleb Chamberlain to unpack a wildly unpredictable 2025 in metal fabrication.


Lance shares how a flat year suddenly surged in Q4 (driven by data centers, telecom, and a surprise spike in WIP) while investing in five-axis machining, automation, and AI-driven programming. Caleb explains OSH Cut’s record-breaking growth, the balancing act of running an on-demand model, and why capacity, lead times, and recession planning all collide in ways most shops underestimate.


The conversation dives into scheduling pitfalls, tube-bending innovation, lights-out realities, ERP limitations, tooling shortages, and how both leaders think about resilience heading into 2026. It’s a candid look at strategy in a volatile market—and why breaking old models might be the smartest move for the year ahead.


Email Tim at [email protected] with any comments or questions.

In this episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, we break down the biggest trends and takeaways from this year’s FABTECH.


From the surge of cobots and advanced automation tools on display to the practical challenges of integrating and maintaining them, the show revealed just how fast the industry is evolving. We also dig into the wave of private equity interest sweeping through the fragmented fabrication sector and what it really takes to scale these businesses successfully.


Plus, we explore how vibe coding, AI-powered software and large language models could disrupt traditional B2B platforms, and why laser welding is emerging as a key productivity driver for high-mix job shops.


Email Tim at [email protected] with any comments or questions. And learn more about Paperless Parts.