AI for Engineering Knowledge Management
The collaboration between Leo and OpenBOM sparks a vision of engineers working with an intelligent partner that understands the full engineering, business, and technical context.
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4 min read
Dr. Maor Farid
Maor Farid is the Co-Founder and CEO of Leo AI, the first AI platform purpose-built for mechanical engineers. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and completed postdoctoral research at MIT as a Fulbright fellow. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and former AI researcher and Mechanical Engineer in an elite military intelligence, Maor leads Leo AI's mission to transform how engineering teams design better products faster.
BOTTOM LINE
The current collaboration between Leo and OpenBOM is building the groundwork for truly connected engineering intelligence. The vision - combining AI, BOM, and Product Memory - paints a picture of a future where design, decision-making, and documentation flow together seamlessly.
It's a future where engineers spend less time searching and coordinating, and more time innovating - supported by an intelligent partner that understands the full engineering context.
The numbers quantify the impact. Engineers spend 35% of their time designing parts that already exist. When they find the right part instead—whether internal or from 120M+ vendor options—BOM costs drop by 15% and time-to-market accelerates. Organizations running Leo report finding existing parts in their own vaults that would have cost thousands to custom-engineer.
Imagine a future where every product comes with its own Product Memory - a living, connected record that preserves all relevant information throughout its lifecycle: from initial CAD design, through manufacturing and supply chain, all the way to field performance and maintenance.
In this vision, engineers no longer spend hours searching through folders, spreadsheets, or disconnected systems. Instead, they can simply ask Leo AI - and get precise, contextual answers in seconds.
Leo AI was created to help engineers work smarter, make faster decisions, and preserve organizational engineering knowledge in an accessible, actionable way.
In this mission, Leo works in collaboration with OpenBOM - a platform for managing Connected BOMs (Bill of Materials) and building a dynamic, lifecycle-aware Product Memory that links engineering insight with connected product data.
The Collaboration Today - Connected Intelligence Between Leo and OpenBOM
Already today, Leo and OpenBOM are forming the foundation of Connected Intelligence by:
Accessing live BOM data from OpenBOM directly within engineering workflows.
Combining Leo’s engineering search and reasoning capabilities with OpenBOM’s complete technical and business data.
Operating in an open data environment where systems exchange information seamlessly without format lock-ins.
This collaboration is still in its early stages, but it demonstrates the potential of combining AI with connected product knowledge.
IN PRACTICE
A Day in the Life of an Engineer with Leo
"The connection to our PDM and using that as a data source is legit the best thing ever. I found three viable bracket options fitting my exact envelope constraints — in minutes, not days."
— Eytan S., R&D Engineer
What Leo Does - Current Capabilities
Leo is a purpose-built AI engineering assistant designed specifically for mechanical engineers, delivering a rare combination of deep technical understanding and instant availability:
Knows Engineering - Provides accurate answers to technical questions from trusted sources, with no misinformation and no broken links.
Problem Solving - Handles everything from simple unit conversions to more complicated calculations and analysis with precision and efficiency.
Find Components - Search and filter standard parts using natural language and intent, matching technical and functional requirements.
Brainstorm Ideas - Collaborate and visualize new concepts instantly. Reduce weeks of back-and-forth into minutes, with on-demand ideas and visualizations that help explore more options, faster.
Vision - AI + BOM + Product Memory
The future we envision is one where AI works hand-in-hand with a Connected BOM and a Product Memory:
In this future:
Every component, change, and decision is documented in a connected product knowledge graph.
AI understands the history, the context, and the implications of engineering decisions.
Engineers can ask: “Which part have we used before that meets these load requirements and is available for delivery within a week?” - and receive a fully contextual answer, including dimensions, materials, costs, availability, and usage history.
This is not a fixed development roadmap, but an open vision of what becomes possible when engineering, data, and AI converge.
What Could This Look Like in Practice?
Component Recommendation and Instant BOM Information access
Leo identifies the optimal component, validates its engineering fit, and adds it directly to the BOM in OpenBOM - complete with supplier, cost, availability, and part number metadata.Smart Search Powered by Product Memory
Searches span not only external catalogs but also the organization’s entire BOM history, enabling part reuse for proven designs.Real-Time BOM CAD Updates
In Onshape, Leo’s suggested part is added to the BOM automatically, without leaving the design environment.Full Decision Context
Every choice is documented with the “why” - including calculations, design constraints, and past usage - ensuring transparency and continuity.
FAQ
Stop Wasting Hours on Manual CAD Search
Leo AI turns your existing vault into a searchable knowledge base.
Leo AI connects to your PDM and makes every part findable by description in under 10 seconds. <a href="/onboarding">Try Leo Today</a>
Schedule a Demo →
#1 New AI Software Globally - G2 2026
Enterprise-grade security
Trusted by world-class engineering teams
Stop Wasting Hours on Manual CAD Search
Leo AI turns your existing vault into a searchable knowledge base.
Leo AI connects to your PDM and makes every part findable by description in under 10 seconds. <a href="/onboarding">Try Leo Today</a>
Schedule a Demo →
#1 New AI Software Globally - G2 2026
Enterprise-grade security
Trusted by world-class engineering teams