Hexagon AI-Powered CAM Software Streamlines Part Programming

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has announced its ProPlanAI CAM programming tool, which is said to cut the time taken to program factory machine tools by 75%. Powered by Microsoft Azure services built into Hexagon’s cloud-based Nexus connectivity and collaboration platform for discrete manufacturers, the AI technology is said to enable machine shops to achieve operational excellence at scale.

Hexagon’s AI application applies Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service, Azure Cosmos DB and Azure Databricks to help manufacturing businesses of any size to apply their institutional knowledge more quickly, easily and thoroughly by applying AI to automate time-consuming process planning.

ProPlanAI will “learn” from the data being created by a company’s CAM programmers. This will enable manufacturers to automatically explore existing programming information to predict ideal outcomes tailored to a company’s preferences, production capabilities and needs.

On top of streamlining part programming, Hexagon says the technology could potentially help businesses identify latent standard practices, provide notifications about deviations from company programming standards and make better use of product manufacturing information embedded in design files for even more automated CNC programming.

ProPlanAI will also feature a copilot that can guide people through the process of setting up a machine and present to them programs that work. As well as offering support and guidance — for example, tips on how to use the software, processes to make a specific part and the best machining strategy to use — users can use chat functionality to ask specific questions and to launch commands.

ProPlanAI will be available to customers that use Hexagon’s Espirit Edge CAM software from Q1 2025. Customers can add the use of ProPlanAI to their package via an add-on subscription.