Monthly Insights
Practical manufacturing news and cutting through the noise with our take!
September 2025
CAM Copilots and the Next Digital Shift in American Machining
In September’s issue of Modern Machine Shop, Brent Donaldson explores “CAM Copilots and the Next Digital Shift in American Machining.” His article highlights how AI-powered copilots are entering the CAM space, reshaping workflows, and accelerating toolpath creation.
Having spent 18 years using Mastercam professionally in industry and 12 years teaching it at the college level, I’ve seen firsthand how critical it is to balance new digital tools with fundamental knowledge.
I began by self-training on Mastercam V9, learning its logic step by step. That foundation has been the backbone of my engineering and instructional work while providing a stable, rewarding career. Over the years, each revision of the software brought new efficiencies, but it was always essential to understand how algorithms generated toolpaths, feeds, and strategies before trusting the output.
AI copilots promise to reduce the learning curve and make CAM more accessible. But here’s the catch: jumping straight into AI without understanding the basics risks shallow proficiency. True mastery requires knowing why a toolpath behaves a certain way, how machining dynamics interact, and how to adjust strategies when things go wrong.
Our Take:
Just as I matured alongside Mastercam’s releases, machinists and programmers today must develop alongside AI. Use them as accelerators but pair them with core skills. That’s where the long term advantage lies for American machining: blending craftsmanship, fundamentals, and the newest digital copilots into one evolving toolkit
AI copilots are transformative but fundamentals remain the backbone of machinist education.
Training should focus first on how CAM software thinks, then leverage AI for speed and efficiency.
The real shift is not just faster toolpaths, but smarter machinists who can mature with technology.
Continuous education and staying up to date with these applications and technology is key!
~ PIO Products LLC
August 2025
Preserving the Craft: Blending CNC Fundamentals with Modern Tech
As automation, AI, and CAM continue to accelerate CNC machining workflows, are we unintentionally phasing out the core skills that built this industry?
This month, we reflect on “Preserving the Craft” by John Miller (Modern Machine Shop, August 2025), a timely reminder that as technology evolves, it should complement, not replace, the fundamentals of precision machining.
Key article Insights:
1. Understand G-Code — Don’t Just Click “Post”
Even with advanced CAM and AI-generated toolpaths, being able to read and edit raw code is still critical. It empowers machinists to:
Catch post-processing errors
Modify toolpaths during troubleshooting
Develop probing cycles and macros confidently
2. Hands-On Setup Still Matters
Software can guide, but only physically torqued toolholders, properly cleaned tapers, and trammed fixtures build long-term process control and minimize downtime.
3. Rigidity Wins in Production
Modular and flexible setups are great for prototyping, but when scaling up, heavy-duty, stable workholding and fixturing consistently deliver better part quality and tool life.
4. DFM Is Still a Human Skill
Software can highlight red flags, but only experience can identify uncuttable corners, awkward tool access, or unrealistic tolerances. Design for Manufacturability lives between the print and the floor.
5. Intuition Isn’t in the Cloud
A seasoned machinist can hear when a cut is wrong or feel when something is off. That kind of awareness can’t be automated — and is often the first line of defense against scrap and spindle damage.
Our Take:
Technology enables, but we are the anchor. CAM, AI, and automation are powerful tools but they work best on a stable foundation of core skills. Without those, you’re scaling noise.
Lean isn’t just software it’s skill standardization. True Lean relies on repeatable human practices such as setup techniques, DFM review, tool care, and process intuition. These aren't “old-school,” they’re essential for standardized work.
Some actionable ideas for your shop:
Host monthly fundamentals trainings or check ins: Spindle runout checks, fixture tramming, manual tool touches, probe calibrations.
Build a technical knowledge base in your shop: Manuals, G-code examples, probing templates, etc.
Encourage peer mentorship: Match seasoned machinists with new talent during critical jobs. Deter tribal knowledge or knowledge hoarding behavior.
Our final thought. You can’t automate good judgment. When things go wrong it’s the fundamentals that bring everything back in line. Reach out if your looking for help to build a sustainable-repeatable process.
~ PIO Products LLC
July 2025
1. Modern Machine Shop: “High-Efficiency Milling in the Real World”
Key Insight: It’s not just about tool speed—it’s about toolpath strategy, engagement, and rigidity.
Our Take: This is a great article! We’ve seen shops dive into high-efficiency milling without adjusting feeds, holders, or accounting for chip evacuation—then wonder why tools fail. OEMs often provide great starting points, but it’s essential to collect data on your tooling for all your applications. You maybe reducing cycle times while killing tool life and increasing your cost of consumables. Sometimes all you need is the right endmill, holder, tool body, or inserts—but more often, there’s other factors at play.
When you’re ripping material at high rates, vibrations-harmonics matter. Shifting to adaptive or dynamic toolpaths, we recommend increasing finish stock, recalculating chip loads, verify holder types, minimize projections, and check the overall assembly for deflection. Rigidity is key. Who knows, your spindle could be washed out also causing tools to pre-maturely wear. Most importantly—COLLECT PERFORMANCE DATA! You paid for it. A high-performance setup can easily cost $400-600 per station. Many machines equipped with 20-40 stations. $15,000 on average. Why wouldn’t you want to understand the tool life and or the cost per edge? Reducing vibration and extending tool life is easy and often overlooked.
We’ve sourced and implemented many solutions from all the leading OEMs. Let us know your application challenges and we’ll guide you in specifying, testing, and collecting the data. Also, be sure to check out our calculators under the resources tab.
2. SME: “How Small Shops Are Leveraging Automation Without Robots”
Key Insight: Automation doesn’t always mean robots. Think: probe cycles, CAM templates, automatic inspection macros.
Our Take: This one hits home. This article has been taken down. I’m assuming it’s due to paid advertisements (robot automation)? Some of the biggest efficiency gains for small shops isn’t always a large capital investment and or maybe your shop doesn’t have the capital. Have you leaned all your processes out? Some of your automation can come from code-level and utilizing your current machine tools. We can deliver custom macros, probing macros, CAM templates, and standardize setups potentially cutting your changeovers in half. We have a few solutions up our sleeve that could cost you 80% less than your average pellet change or tending system. Ready to optimize?
~ PIO Products LLC
