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Top Shops 2025: AQC’s Experience at This Year’s Premier Machining Conference
- Julian Martinez
- Nov 21, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 21, 2025
The Top Shops 2025 Conference brought together machinists, manufacturing leaders, engineers, software innovators, and data specialists from across the country for an immersive look into the future of machining. Designed for both small and mid-sized shops as well as larger manufacturing operations, this event showcased new technology, business tools, and automation solutions shaping the machining industry today.
As a company that works closely with machine shops and engineering teams, AQC was excited to attend, learn, network, and engage with the community. From facility tours to expert led sessions, Top Shops 2025 delivered a memorable and informative experience one that highlighted where the industry is heading and where opportunities still remain.
A Fun and Immersive Experience: Touring the Charlotte Motor Speedway
One of the highlights of Top Shops 2025 was the group tour of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The venue provided an inspiring look into racing history, engineering excellence, and the evolution of performance driven technology.
We had the opportunity to actually drive on the track its self and get a glimpse of just how intense NASCAR races can actually get!
Behind the Scenes at Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions: Advanced Machining at Its Finest
Another standout experience was the guided tour of the Roush Yates Engines manufacturing facility. Known for its cutting edge engineering and incredible attention to detail, Roush Yates offered attendees a close look at their world class equipment, tooling strategies, robotics, inspection systems, and streamlined workflows.
The facility underscored what is possible when a shop embraces modern machining technology, lean processes, and continuous improvement. For many small to mid sized machine shops, the visit sparked conversations about scaling automation, improving process flow, and upgrading equipment to stay competitive.
Roush Yates provided a real world model of precision, innovation, and operational excellence something every machinist, quality manager, and engineer in attendance could appreciate.
Speaker Sessions: Software, Robotics, and Digital Tools for Modern Shops
The educational side of Top Shops 2025 featured a strong lineup of speakers covering some of the industry’s most important growth areas. Presentations explored:
Robotics for machine shops
Digital scheduling tools
Smart manufacturing software
ERP and CRM system integrations
Automation for small to mid-sized shops
Data-driven machining optimization
These sessions catered to shops seeking to introduce new technologies or streamline existing processes. Many speakers highlighted tools that help improve precision, efficiency, and decision making essential goals for any machining business navigating today’s competitive landscape.
Software providers presented solutions that directly support machining operations, from quoting and scheduling to workflow automation and customer management. For machinists and shop owners looking to modernize, these sessions offered actionable insights and practical implementation strategies.
What We'd Love to See More of (From a Quality Consultant's Perspective)
The conference featured many amazing software companies, robotics teams, and project management tools, which is a great inclusion! However something close to our hearts at AQC is of course, quality. There was little mention of quality management or Quality Management Systems (QMS).
Given how critical AS9100, ISO 9001, traceability, inspection processes, and compliance audits are for machine shops, especially those working in aerospace or high precision industries, it was surprising to see no dedicated sessions or exhibitors focused on quality.
For many small to mid-sized machine shops, quality management is one of the biggest challenges they face and it directly impacts customer trust, contract eligibility, and operational consistency. The lack of QMS software providers, quality consultants, or compliance focused content left a significant opportunity on the table.
Our hope is that future Top Shops Conferences include more resources, tools, and educational sessions centered around quality management, inspection readiness, and compliance systems. These areas are not only essential but increasingly in demand as the manufacturing sector evolves.
Event Logistics and Participant Experience
From start to finish, Top Shops 2025 was organized with care and attention to detail. The registration process was simple, sessions ran on time, and the venue layout made it easy for attendees to navigate between presentations and exhibits.
Catering was provided throughout the event, keeping participants energized and allowing plenty of opportunities for informal discussions during breaks. Event staff were helpful, professional, and clearly invested in creating a smooth experience for everyone involved.
Overall, the conference atmosphere was welcoming and well-executed ideal for both first time attendees (which we were) and industry veterans.
Networking and Industry Connections
Beyond the tours and presentations, one of the most valuable parts of Top Shops 2025 was the opportunity to network. Machinists, engineers, quality managers, data scientists, software providers, and automation vendors all shared insights from their respective areas of expertise.
Small to mid sized shop owners enjoyed connecting with peers who face similar challenges in scheduling, workforce development, tooling, and technology adoption. Software providers showcased ERP, CRM, and production tracking tools aimed at improving workflow efficiency.
These conversations offered real world perspectives on what is working, what shops are investing in, and which technologies are shaping the future of machining.
Final Thoughts: AQC’s Positive Experience and Ideas for Next Year
Overall, Top Shops 2025 was a highly engaging and valuable event, filled with learning opportunities, industry insights, and memorable experiences. From touring the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Roush Yates to attending technology focused presentations, the conference provided inspiration and practical strategies for modern machine shops.
As a quality-focused organization, AQC would love to see future events incorporate more content on QMS implementation, compliance auditing, and quality management software areas that are increasingly essential for shop growth and competitiveness.
We appreciate the effort that went into organizing such a comprehensive conference and look forward to seeing how Top Shops 2026 continues to expand and support the machining community.
If you're more of a visual learner, check out the video below summarizing the total experience with plenty of video footage!
If your machining or engineering business needs support with quality management, internal audits, or compliance readiness, we’re here to help. Visit aqc-global.com to book your free Quality Management System consultation.
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