How Machina Labs mitigated risk and created substantial upside amidst scaling its operations

Conventional manufacturing tools make engineering parts for aerospace and defense slow and expensive. Machina Labs is unlocking manufacturing with AI and robotics, delivering flexible, on-demand production solutions that eliminate traditional tooling constraints. The company’s RoboCraftsman platform integrates advanced robotics and AI-driven process controls to rapidly manufacture complex metal parts and structures for aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial applications.

‍ Disparate systems compromise data access, workflows and margins

As Machina Labs scaled operations to meet growing demand, they faced mounting challenges in procurement that threatened timelines, margins, and compliance.

To address these risks, Machina’s head of procurement, Robert Reeser, got in touch with Silkline. After seeing Silkline’s capabilities and intuitive UX, Robert and two of his colleagues decided to pilot the software to mitigate risk and create substantial upside.

Challenge 1: Supplier Communications and Order Statuses Lost in Email

Machina Labs’ procurement data and information were scattered across email, PDFs, and manufacturing execution systems, creating blind spots and delaying the delivery of critical parts up to several months. The team couldn’t be certain which suppliers were delayed, which supplier would deliver the material, or which POs they needed to follow up on. Production delays can result in significant financial impact, making procurement visibility critical for success.

Silkline now centralizes Machina’s purchasing data, integrating with their internal systems to ensure real-time visibility of order status from request to receipt. This allows Machina’s purchasing team to prevent delays, track orders, and make fast, informed decisions.

_“Silkline makes it so easy for us to come in every day and see what's late. Being able to protect ourselves from a potential loss of $50,000 per day is transformational.