Why manufacturing records are scarce
Most shop-floor knowledge never reaches the public web. It lives in revision histories, non-conformance reports, inspection sheets and technicians’ notes. That makes it hard for AI developers to find, and potentially valuable to license.
Records that can qualify
| Record | Typical system | What makes it useful |
|---|---|---|
| Drawings and models with revisions | AutoCAD, SOLIDWORKS, Siemens NX, PTC Creo, Vault, Teamcenter | Why a design changed, and who approved it |
| Inspection and test results | QMS, spreadsheets, CMM software | Measurements tied to decisions and corrective actions |
| Non-conformance and CAPA reports | ETQ, MasterControl, in-house tools | Root-cause reasoning |
| Maintenance and repair logs | IBM Maximo, Fiix, MaintainX, UpKeep | Fault, diagnosis, fix and downtime |
| Process and production data | MES, historians such as AVEVA PI | Settings linked to yield and scrap over time |
| Work instructions and SOPs | Document systems, shared drives | Step-by-step expert procedure |
Check who owns the drawings
Contract manufacturers often hold customer drawings and specifications under NDA. Those usually can’t be licensed without the customer’s consent. Your own products, internal tooling, process knowledge and maintenance records are typically yours to license. Mapping this early saves time later.
Manufacturers in Japan, Taiwan and China
Much of the world’s precision manufacturing knowledge is recorded in Japanese and Chinese. Language can be a strength, but some programs only accept English. Cross-border transfer rules also apply, especially China’s PIPL. See how to prepare records for licensing.
How to start
- List the systems that hold your records and how many years each covers.
- Mark which records are customer-owned or under NDA.
- Note any personal information, such as operator names, that would need removal.
- Take the free 2-minute check to see whether there’s a likely fit.
Frequently asked questions
Is CAD data valuable for AI training?
CAD with revision history and change notes can be, because it captures engineering decisions. Isolated final drawings without context are less useful.
Can a contract manufacturer license customer drawings?
Usually not without the customer’s written consent. Focus on records your company created and owns.
Do we need to export the data ourselves?
No. Extraction and de-identification are done by agreed specialists under a written scope, after a deal is agreed.
Are machine sensor logs useful?
They can be when linked to events, such as faults and repairs. Raw sensor streams without context are harder to license.