AI-Enabled Manufacturing Programs to Watch in 2025

While AI continues to dominate conversations across industries, in manufacturing the focus is sharper: how can artificial intelligence simplify complex processes and accelerate automation maturity? And just as important, which companies are worth watching as they shape this future?

Mastercam is working closely with several innovative third-party AI companies who share this vision. Among them, LimitlessCNC, Up2parts, CloudNC, Lambda Function, and Manukai stand out for their unique approaches to reshaping the CNC and precision manufacturing landscape.

This is the future of manufacturing, and there are already some great innovations emerging across the industry. Here’s a closer look at the four AI startups in our radar:

LimitlessCNC 

LimitlessCNC is developing an interactive, AI-powered copilot that integrates seamlessly into CAM software to automate and optimize CNC workflows. Inside Mastercam, it acts as an AI CAM Agent that adapts to customer-specific data—such as part tolerances, machine limits, and tool capabilities—while learning from historical programs. Instead of spending hours creating toolpaths, setting up operations, or reprogramming similar but slightly different parts, Mastercam users can leverage LimitlessCNC to automatically generate, optimize, and adapt toolpaths directly within their existing workflows. This shortens programming time, reduces errors, and accelerates production directly within existing workflows for Mastercam users.

At Limitless CNC, three key differentiators shape the product vision. The first is real-time interactivity, where the system addresses one operation at a time and acts as an AI agent working alongside the programmer to handle complex parts while preserving full user flexibility. The second is continuous learning, as each interaction focuses on a single operation, allowing the AI model to improve incrementally with every click and steadily refine its recommendations. Finally, enterprise customization enables larger clients to enhance the AI agent with historical data and templates, embedding their own machining strategies and decision-making processes directly into the system.

Visit the LimitlessCNC website here and watch a video demo for more information.

Up2parts

Up2parts develops AI-based software to support small and medium-sized manufacturers. In early 2024, the company began collaborating with Mastercam to further develop AutoCAM, focusing on automating CAM workflows. Their key value propositions include automated quoting in Up2parts Calculation, which delivers faster and more accurate estimates, and AI-driven CAM programming in AutoCAM, designed to reduce manual workflows. For Mastercam users, up2parts provides a seamless bridge between work preparation and CAM programming. With its autoCAM plugin, data such as tolerances, cycle times, and machining strategies flow directly into Mastercam, enabling faster project setup and continuously improving results through AI-driven learning.

Furthermore, Up2parts sets itself apart from the other companies by incorporating tolerance information in the planning phase of the CAM project. Users can add the tolerance data to their 3D models manually by selecting which tolerances to apply. They can also do this automatically by uploading a PDF drawing and using the OCR feature to extract and link the information. In both cases, the result is an intelligent 3D model containing critical details such as surface roughness or threads. This enables up2parts to generate work plans and CAM projects with significantly higher accuracy, since the software accounts for real-world tolerances that other solutions often overlook.

For more information, visit the Up2parts website and watch a demo here.

Cloud NC

CloudNC is transforming global manufacturing with AI that accelerates CAM programming, maximizes factory output, and empowers machinists to deliver more. Its core product, CAM Assist, speeds up CNC machining by tackling the most time-consuming and repetitive parts of the process, from machining strategy to toolpath generation. It enables machinists to create effective programs in minutes, unlocking their full potential and helping shops increase throughput and improve consistency.

What differentiates CAM Assist from other AI tools on the market is its scale of deployment and depth of development. In July 2024, CAM Assist for Mastercam became available worldwide, including through North American resellers. The software is already in daily use at around 1,000 machine shops globally, reflecting its maturity in real-world environments. Built on a decade of development, it supports both 3- and 3+2-axis components, typically completing about 80% of the toolpath generation for 3+2 parts. This allows programmers to move through the workflow more quickly, with less manual intervention.

Visit the Cloud NC website for more information.

Lambda Function

Lambda Function develops industrial automation software that enables autonomous precision machining. Its platform combines physics-based machine learning on CAD/CAM data with real-time shop-floor feedback to improve decision-making in manufacturing engineering and operations. Core capabilities include closed-loop learning, anomaly and tool-life monitoring, machining feedback integration, and AI-driven support. With Lambda Function, Mastercam users can automate machining strategy, cutting tool selection, and parameter optimization—reducing hours of manual effort to minutes. The result is faster NC programming, fewer errors, and greater productivity on the shop floor.

Lambda Function delivers customer-specific private AI models that safeguard IP while adapting to individual workflows, and an enterprise-ready design built for high-complexity environments such as aerospace, defense, energy, and automotive. By keeping programmers in control while providing actionable insights, the software reduces variability, accelerates programming, and drives more predictable machining outcomes.

For more information, visit the Lambda Function website, and see a demo here.

Manukai

Manukai develops AI-powered automation and analytics that transform historical data into production efficiency. By analyzing existing CAM programs, the system identifies proven machining strategies and adapts them to new geometries directly in Mastercam. Instead of starting from scratch, machinists receive context-rich suggestions they can preview, refine, and directly apply — resulting in faster programming, reduced cycle times, and greater standardization and reliability.

Three pillars set Manukai apart. First, on-premise deployment keeps all data securely within the shop. Second, interpretability and safety are built in: every suggestion is linked to validated parameters from the source job, keeping programmers in control while fostering active learning rather than relying on a black-box system. Third, knowledge capture preserves expert know-how and scales it across teams, accelerating onboarding and ensuring best practices endure and develop.

Visit the Manukai website to learn more and request early access.

The Role of Mastercam’s API Ecosystem

Thanks to Mastercam’s open architecture and robust SDK, third-party developers are empowered to build innovative solutions that extend and enhance CAM capabilities. Companies like Lambda Function, LimitlessCNC, Up2parts, Manukai, and CloudNC are prime examples of how our platform enables external innovation.

Using resources like Mastercam’s online documentation, SampleBrowser, and dedicated code snippets, they’ve been able to rapidly prototype and build their solutions with confidence. These developers have received dedicated consulting sessions and clear guidance on which toolpaths to prioritize and which API to highlight, as well as how to work with Mastercam’s extensive SDK. When challenges arise, Mastercam’s 3^rd-party integration team provides workarounds and alternative approaches to help them stay on track.

Ultimately, the success of these developers reflects the flexibility and depth of Mastercam’s API ecosystem—and the hands-on support from Mastercam’s team. Their achievements underscore the value of our solution-driven approach and the collaborative spirit that drives innovation across the Mastercam ecosystem.

Mastercam Copilot

In addition to highlighting third-party innovation, it’s worth noting that Mastercam is also building its own AI capabilities with Mastercam Copilot. It is an AI-powered digital assistant designed to make CNC programming more intuitive and efficient. Copilot combines a conversational Help function (smart search across documentation, tutorials, and best practices) with a Command function that translates natural language instructions into Mastercam actions. This means users can ask questions, get step-by-step guidance, or even execute commands directly, reducing time spent navigating menus and learning workflows.

We are still looking for users for the Early Adopter Program, so if you’re interested in testing Copilot and shaping its future, now is a great time to get involved. Sign up here: Mastercam Copilot v1.2.0 Release (Early-Adopter version) – myMastercam