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Blog and Articles

Articles Written for the Shop Floor, Not the Boardroom

Practical reads for people who run metal processing, distribution, and manufacturing operations. No generic thought-leadership. No consultancy waffle. Just articles written for people who care about what actually happens on the shop floor.

Our articles cover the decisions that actually matter for metals businesses:

  • How to cut scrap without replacing your equipment
  • How to stop chasing mill certificates before every delivery
  • How to get real inventory visibility without a six-figure ERP bill
  • How AI is changing the economics of metals manufacturing

You’ll also find articles on industry terminology, compliance standards, and the wider context of digitalisation for metals SMEs. Turns out knowing what’s broken is step one.

If you’re looking for a specific subject, browse by topic or category. The glossary is a good starting point if you’re new to the terminology your customers use on purchase orders.

From Zapier to GoSmarter: when spreadsheets aren’t enough for metals

  • Ruth Kearney
  • Blog
  • Aug 28, 2026
  • Updated

Missing mill certs and mismatched stock waste time — learn to cut cert entry, restore traceability and get live shop-floor status.

Why metals need different AI than generic workflow tools

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Aug 26, 2026
  • Updated

Paper mill certs and poor cut plans cost time and scrap, learn how plant-focused AI reads certs, reclaims offcuts and speeds replanning.

Standards Library: Every Welding Code in One Place

A free, filterable reference for 14 welding and structural standards — scope, inspection defaults, and sourced links, all on one page.

Cut the Same Plate 50 Times? You're Overbooking Before Lunch

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Aug 25, 2026
  • Updated

Retail plate cutting reserves the same sheet against dozens of orders a day. Manual dimension tracking causes overbooking and shift handover errors. Here’s what to fix first.

The Welding Code Selector: Stop Guessing Which Code Applies

GoSmarter’s free Welding Code Selector runs your job through a rules engine covering 12 welding codes, from AWS and ASME to API, EN, ISO, and CSA, and returns the code, the prequalification stance, and a documentation checklist.

Complete Guide to Welding Codes: AWS, ASME & More

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Aug 24, 2026
  • Updated

Learn key welding codes, including AWS D1.1, D1.2, D1.6, ASME and D17.1, with clear use cases, limits, inspection rules and code selection tips.

GoSmarter vs Generic ERP Planning Modules for Metals Manufacturers

A named comparison of GoSmarter against SAP Production Planning, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, Epicor Kinetic and Prophet 21, and Sage 200/X3, covering cutting optimisation, mill certificate handling, and heat traceability for metals manufacturers.

How to Evaluate a Metals AI Vendor: A Buyer's Guide

A buyer’s guide to evaluating AI vendors for metals manufacturing: what separates a vendor that understands metals workflows from one selling generic manufacturing AI, red flags to watch for in demos, and the questions to ask before you commit.

Real-Time Data with MES and ERP Integration

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Aug 21, 2026
  • Updated

Stop wasting shifts on re-typing mill certs and job cards — learn which flows to connect first for live orders, scrap and traceability.

Real-Time AI Inventory Tracking for Metals Warehouses

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Aug 20, 2026
  • Updated

Missing coils, messy mill certs and a dispatch scramble every shift. See how to fix stock, offcuts and traceability with AI, and hit 98-99% accuracy.