Hardware Podcasts

S6E36 Tessa Axsom | Casting, Metallurgy, & Finishing with Fictiv

Being an Engineer · 5 Sept 2025 · 42m · Episode 36

AI in practice: 2 real uses of AI described

What this episode covers

Tessa Axsom, Product Marketing Manager for CNC at Fictiv, discusses how the company leverages AI and human expertise to simplify sourcing for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500s. She details Fictiv's expansion into casting and assembly, highlighting specific DFM improvements like 70% cost reductions through part consolidation and 30% weight savings via die casting. Axsom also emphasizes the importance of metallurgy, material science, and soft skills like storytelling and humility for engineering career growth.

AI in practice

Where this conversation describes AI being used to build or deliver a product. Part of the AI in practice tracker.

Engineering & simulationFictiv's materials AI

The AI analyzes a part's intended function and helps engineers select the appropriate material and finish, simplifying a complex selection process that typically requires consulting textbooks.

“So one of our cool recent advancements is our materials AI, and that can actually go in and look at a part and its intended function and help engineers choose the right material and finish for their parts, which are really complex things to do…”

Tessa Axsom · Hear it at 28:20

Engineering & simulationFictiv's AI

The AI provides instant Design for Manufacturability (DFM) feedback on uploaded parts, including computational rules for hole diameters, edge distances, and radii to optimize cost and manufacturability.

“So what's really cool is our platform does help with design for manufacturability guidance. So whatever you upload a part to the fictive platform, you'll get instant DFM feedback from our AI. So we have a lot of computational engineers and software engineers who've worked tirelessly to code in DFM rules and guidelines to help to guide our customers.”

Tessa Axsom · Hear it at 26:41

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Fictiv, Misumi
Materials
6061 aluminum, C101 copper

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