CAM Assist, the first AI plug-in for CAM, now available for GibbsCAM

CloudNC’s CAM Assist solution, which uses AI to generate machining strategies for 3 and 3+2 axis CNC machines, is now available for GibbsCAM users. The new software is available as an AI-enabled add-on for GibbsCAM, the CAM software solution used by machine shops to program CNC machines for everything from everyday production work to complex, geometrically-demanding components.

The development brings the benefits of CAM Assist to even more machinists around the world, enabling GibbsCAM users to program toolpaths with ease and machine parts more efficiently than ever before – all within their familiar CAM workflow.

“GibbsCAM is a powerful fit for machine shops that want a smart, flexible CAM solution that can scale from day-to-day production work to produce complex components,” states Theo Saville, Chief Executive and co-founder at CloudNC. “Bringing CAM Assist to GibbsCAM helps those users go even faster, meaning programmers can spend less time on repetitive toolpath creation, stay firmly in control of the process and focus more of their expertise on getting high-quality parts out of the door.”

Thorsten Strauss, President of GibbsCAM, adds: “At GibbsCAM, our focus has always been to provide manufacturers with powerful, practical solutions that help them produce parts more efficiently. By integrating CAM Assist, we’re bringing cutting-edge AI technology directly into the workflows our customers already know and trust. This collaboration with CloudNC enables programmers to automate repetitive programming tasks, accelerate part programming and focus their expertise where it delivers the greatest value, all while maintaining full control of the machining process.”

CAM Assist uses advanced computer science techniques and AI to generate intuitive machining strategies in minutes or seconds, depending on complexity, which could take CNC machine programmers hours or even days to manually create.

As a result, the amount of time it takes to program a CNC machine to make a component – a bottleneck in many factories – is greatly reduced compared with the previous manual programming process, as is the time spent to estimate how much a new component will cost to program. That gain enables manufacturers using CAM Assist to raise productivity and shorten lead times, while also estimating more quickly for additional work.

GibbsCAM users can also immediately benefit from CAM Assist 2.0. The upgrade combines the speed of AI-powered toolpath generation with step-by-step oversight, allowing programmers to configure machines, materials and tool assemblies. In addition, they can assess parts before running, review AI suggestions as they are made, and use the Strategy Editor to inspect, adjust and approve machining strategies before they are sent back into GibbsCAM.