Dr. Maor Farid, Co-Founder & CEO at Leo AI
The Hidden Cost of Part Search
A survey among 128,000 engineers and designers revealed that a single design engineer may waste over 1,250 hours per year, costing the company over $100,000. Even locating something as straightforward as springs or bearings can take hours. (1)
Meanwhile, other professions have already embraced AI as part of their daily workflows. Developers use GPT to retrieve code in seconds, lawyers leverage AI to search legal precedents, and 78% of organizations have integrated AI into at least one function. (2) Yet, mechanical engineering still feels tethered to outdated, 1990s-style processes.
The global high-precision mechanical machine components market was $2.3B in 2023 and is projected to reach $3.4B by 2032 (3). Separately, North America’s broader industrial components market is estimated at $34.85B in 2024 (4).
Why Now?
Until now, mechanical engineers lacked AI tools tailored to their world. While other professions have accelerated with AI, engineers were left behind. Now, for the first time, there’s an AI model built specifically for mechanical engineers - combined with TraceParts’ massive catalog. This partnership is the turning point: transforming part search from hours of wasted effort into minutes of smart, seamless results, and giving engineers back the time to focus on what they do best - building great products.
TraceParts - A Global Engineering Resource
TraceParts is one of the world’s largest and most trusted engineering content platforms. With over 6 millions of users in over 195 countries, 112M+ searchable part numbers and more than 2,100+ supplier catalogs, it offers billions of 2D and 3D models for download in 60+ different formats.
Leo AI and the LMM - The First AI Model for the Mechanical World
Leo AI developed the Large Mechanical Model (LMM) - the first foundational AI built specifically for the mechanical domain. Unlike language models that process words, the LMM understands parts, geometry, CAD files, physical properties, and engineering standards.
Protected by two patents, the LMM can break parts into tokens and assemble them into meaningful subassemblies - just as a language model arranges words into coherent sentences.
The New Part Search Experience
With this partnership, Leo’s AI-powered search can access TraceParts’ vast catalog alongside a company’s PLM data.
Instead of juggling filters, engineers can simply type:
“Find me a ball bearing with a 25 mm inner diameter, a lifespan of 10,000 cycles, and a speed of 8,000 RPM.”
Leo’s LMM interprets the request, asks clarifying questions if needed, and retrieves results directly from internal systems or TraceParts’ 2,100+ catalogs. All inside Leo’s desktop app, complete with 3D visualization, supplier data, and validation tools, and CAD downloads.
For engineers, that means finding the right part in minutes instead of hours - without ever leaving their workflow.
The Value for Mechanical Engineers
A new way to search - free-text queries that combine price, supplier, material, geography, and CAD-level properties.
Save time - not only find the part in minutes, but also run calculations against datasets, standards, and engineering guidelines to ensure accuracy.
Avoid design mistakes - choose the optimal part by balancing cost, quality, standards, and availability.
Work seamlessly - everything in one place, directly within Leo.
Our Vision for Mechanical Engineers
At the core of this collaboration lies the shared vision of Leo and TraceParts: empowering mechanical engineers to concentrate on their strengths - creativity, problem-solving, and designing exceptional products - without being bogged down by repetitive, tedious tasks. With TraceParts leading the parts industry and Leo AI pioneering in the AI for mechanical engineering space, this partnership feels not only natural but, in many ways, inevitable.
A Personal Note
Dr. Maor Farid, Co-Founder & CEO of Leo AI:
“The partnership between Leo AI and TraceParts marks a thrilling milestone for us and our customers, who have long been anticipating this groundbreaking innovation. This is more than just a technological advancement – it’s a transformative shift in how mechanical engineers tackle one of their most fundamental tasks: integrating standard parts into their designs.
For the first time, they now have access to an AI tool that truly understands their unique needs, saves them countless hours, and connects seamlessly to one of the world’s largest, most structured, and best-curated parts libraries. This empowers engineers to focus on what they are most passionate about: building, creating, and innovating.
By combining a one-of-a-kind universe of mechanical parts with the first AI system designed specifically by and for mechanical engineers, this partnership represents another step forward in ushering in a new era of engineering excellence.”
Gabriel Guigue, TraceParts CEO and Co-Founder:
"For over 25 years, TraceParts has been the go-to resource for millions of engineers, helping them save crucial time when designing new products. By partnering with Leo AI, we are enabling their large and fast-growing user base to seamlessly access an immense, trusted library of supplier-certified CAD models, ensuring they have accurate and up-to-date design resources. This strategic alliance with Leo AI isn't just about data; it's about fundamentally boosting productivity and accelerating the future of mechanical design."
Looking Ahead
The collaboration between TraceParts and Leo AI goes beyond a mere technical integration of software systems - it represents a transformative cultural shift. This partnership leads to reduced errors, accelerated innovation, and more time to dedicate to the art and precision of engineering.
By joining forces, Leo AI and TraceParts empower mechanical engineers to lead the way in the AI age - an era defined by intelligent search capabilities, faster development cycles, and enhanced engineering outcomes.
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