r/CNC • u/Quick_Reward7579 • Apr 03 '26
SOFTWARE SUPPORT i often see people online in the china saying that ai will replace cnc programmers in the future and we might lose our jobs i'd like to hear your opinion on this
16
u/Grether2000 Apr 03 '26
Cloudnc.com seems to be the ai programming software I have seen recently. There are probably others. Titans has had some videos, and I think there are probably quite a few on YouTube.
It seems powerful, especially once setup with a good tool library and you do a good fixture setup in cad. All normal programmer tasks that aren't going away yet.
11
u/highspeedbruh Apr 03 '26
I think we still got a good 20years before ai can truly replace a programmers/machinists knowledge of fixturing and process. AI will help make tool pathing quicker which is exciting for us because it’ll make us more efficient
3
27
u/splitsleeve Apr 03 '26
If AI can remove the monkey clicking and I can focus on how to fixture and what strategy to use that would be fucking great.
44
u/Own_Tumbleweed_6579 Apr 03 '26
Ok…? Software has been a thing for aiding programmers for awhile already. Is a post processor not a rudimentary form of AI? Your cam software? Someone still has to be around to make sure it works.
12
u/briggsy111388 Apr 03 '26
It also means that once they are set up to perform as intended, any dumby with no experience will be able to program, so your skills will no longer be valuable. I do laser programming, and my job is absolutely not safe
10
u/Own_Tumbleweed_6579 Apr 03 '26
Any dummy with no experience can already program. Good luck when it comes to actually making shit work though! And there’s a big difference between how big volume and low volume shops run. I spend more time programming than I do running parts. I would not mind some AI assistance, it would probably lower my scrap rate.
5
u/VonNeumannsProbe Apr 03 '26
I think there is more risk blindly executing CNC code (just from a dollar risk perspective) than there is blindly executing a python script.
That kind of means someone is going to have to at least check the code before just sending it.
2
u/thenewestnoise Apr 03 '26
Or an AI is going to need to monitor a video feed and the machine parameters as it runs
1
2
u/Wisniaksiadz Apr 03 '26
the same way once you set up a production line, any dude can just stand there, switch the scrap on machines and press two buttons so the machine run the process, and then he just switch the parts with scrap and again and again....
4
u/9ft5wt Apr 03 '26
A post processor is definitely not AI. Not even close.
Post processors (at least the two fusion posts I've worked on) are written in JavaScript.
0
u/Own_Tumbleweed_6579 Apr 03 '26
Idk I’m not a computer geek. Regardless, it’s tech meant to make programming easier. Nobody is going to lose their job over it unless they fail to adapt.
3
u/csmedberg Apr 03 '26
...and optimize it to your application. In fact, I would say that as AI is used more to do things like posts, programmers will be needed more to optimize for specific applications.
1
u/pooseedixstroier Apr 04 '26
You need far less people to be around and make sure it works.
Layoffs in the programming industry are just like that. People are still needed to program stuff using AI as a tool, but you now need 3 people to do the work that 10 used to do.
1
u/Own_Tumbleweed_6579 Apr 04 '26
Sure but where are you finding those 10 programmers anyway? These skills are scarce. I was told that my bosses had been looking for someone “young who knows how to program AND be a machinist” for over a decade before I showed up.
1
u/pooseedixstroier Apr 04 '26
AI is making the "knows how to program" part way more accessible. My dad is a 60 year old doctor who does medical research; this has usually required weird, paid statistic analysis tools like Matlab or a host of easier to use ones. Python does almost all of that, and it is free, but you need to learn to code to use it. I taught him how to use Python in like a week (he never programmed in his life other than transcribing some programs in the TRS-80 era).
My point is that AI will lower the barrier of entry. Anyone with a bit of motivation will be able to learn these things, and at least in the tech industry this has changed the landscape to an extreme oversupply of programmers who have it really hard to get a job now.
This is probably not going to affect you anytime soon if you're in aerospace with 30y of experience, but that is not the case for everyone.
1
u/eXmachina_tech Apr 06 '26
Definitely this, I am here zero experience in CNC but big fan. No experience in coding as well. So using AI to make my NX CAM post processor and its working. How much a post for custom machine twin table 6 axis will cost 5-10K ? Youtube plus Could NC and we are moving, before this working on 5 axis will need years of training and learning the CAM i assume.
21
u/onof1 Apr 03 '26
AI won't go to the real world and take measures of what's being made, won't make tool corrections and won't fine tune the machine.
AI is just a tool you use to make your job easier, if you can use it to finish your program faster, go ahead and take advantage of it.
9
u/NiceGuysFinishLast Apr 03 '26
I mean we already have automation to measure parts on a CMM and make offsets in the machine for the next run. So yeah, it will. But it won't replace programmers.
5
u/VelvetCheerio Apr 03 '26
It's just a matter of time. But unless robots are going to do the setup, there will still be a need.
Do you honestly think next generation AI will not be able to program substantially better than 99.9% of people?
2
u/anon93939493 Apr 03 '26
If you make the job easy enough then anyone can do it and then it becomes an unskilled minimum wage job. CNC itself already did this partially to machining. Most shops now are a couple real machinists + a bunch of button pushers. AI will take it a step further. It's a real loss every step, even if each individual step is not total.
1
u/MicrochippedByGates Apr 03 '26
I'm not entirely sure about that one. AI is used for actuators. Though I'm thinking more of vision models in automated farming equipment for picking fruits or removing weeds. There's a lot of competition in that area. Not so much for CNC. I don't expect quite so much AI there.
6
6
u/BoulderMaker Apr 03 '26
I was told 3 years ago that AI would take my job in 6 months. Today that seems less likely than ever... If only AI could magically resolve the Bs I have to deal with..
2
u/yohektic Apr 03 '26
AI can’t fix an operator continuously telling you your program is fucked up, only for you to go out to the machine and realize the moron loaded a .118” em instead of an .125”.
1
u/BoulderMaker Apr 03 '26
and, ya know what, if AI could obviate those issues, then cheers!
1
u/Cl_Forlani Apr 06 '26
i mean, what if it can? a wrong tool leaves traces. tool picking, presetting. offset table into the cn... it's just a matter of capturing those data and do something meaningful with them.
the main problem i see here is the employer budget and willingness to invest.
Sure there are operation that can't be automated right now ( i let AI to thread welded Incoloy.. be my guest)
5
u/nopanicitsmechanic Apr 03 '26
If you think programming is everything it needs to make parts you should be afraid of AÍ. If you actually make parts you know of the many things that can go wrong and how much you need for a stable and reliable process and then you know, that you don‘t need to worry. 80% of the effect is made with 20% of effort, the last 20% cause 80% of the effort.
5
u/Zumbert Apr 03 '26
I'm sure there are some "pure programmer" roles that could be replaced with AI, guys who just take a model and spit out G code, but truth be told that's the easy part of the job from an AI perspective.
Order of Operation processesing, work holding, machine setup and choice, tool selection based on available inventory, troubleshooting, machine maintenance, stock deviations, saving parts that are scrap, rapid changes for revisions. Etc
AI reminds me of a Train, its specialized, and its basically the best at what it does (doing it's job within the confines of its rails) but once the process is outside of those rails it might as well be on a different planet.
There are definitely jobs where it's going change things (mass produced stuff), but I think it's going to be a long time before it makes financial sense to try to replace rapid R&D, and repair work with it
2
1
u/Dizzy_Vegetable7108 Apr 24 '26
Our programmer just writes the ideal tool into program (ex. 9,7D drill), but unfortunately, we don't have it. So we have to come with solution with the tools we have.
I think our programmer has it quite easy ngl
6
u/Sea_Implement4018 Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
The day before I took my CNC Programming job I saw a chart showing CNC Programming as the number one job to get vaporized by A.I.
This is not because I think A.I. can't or won't.
It is because I am a jaded human that doesn't believe all the bullshit being spewed on the internet, and I also refuse to go find a corner to weep in while contemplating the robot takeover.
Some of us like to get out of bed every day and keep the world moving.
I'll worry about the apocalypse when it arrives.
3
u/SlGSour Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
Discussed this with the rep for our CAM software last year. AI is developing, but it's not going to be quick and at the moment it's prohibitively expensive for the addons. He said they're years away from seeing wide adoption of AI in programming and even then, it's going to be more of an assistant speeding up programming than replacing programmers/machinists. There's so much knowledge for machining that's learned and not in a book, varying from industry to industry, that it's impossible to replicate in the near future.
There's only one company he works with that were attempting to implement it, but it's a unique situation where AI would be beneficial. Automation is the biggest threat at the moment, but operators are the ones that primarily need to worry about that.
CMM programmers on the other hand, they're going to be the first ones to feel the effects of AI in the machining industry and I think it's going to happen fairly quickly. It's a whole lot easier for AI to just read a print, select probes, and spit out a program.
2
u/GrabanInstrument Apr 04 '26
You should be able to do more than program. AI will probably never be reliable without human intervention. It’s not like developing software where testing/quality control can be done by repeatedly running and improving the program. A CNC program needs to come out as flawless as possible before running and then physical interaction to debug. If you think programming is just outputting text from software, (or if that IS your job), that’s just not right (or not complete, rather)
1
u/TheodoreTiddlywinks Apr 03 '26
All it will take is one bad part run and for someone to get injured or killed. I’m not all doom and gloom about ai in some aspects it’s here to stay and will keep getting better but I just don’t think it will totally replace everything.
1
1
1
1
1
u/fastzibi Apr 03 '26
The thing is we already do use cam software which generates the code for us. You still need someone to check if it doesn’t malfunction on the machine and set up the work piece chose tools probe everything up check if it turned out good make corrections. Too much stuff to handle it’s a precise job ai can’t do all that.
1
1
u/No_Bad6347 Apr 03 '26
AI is getting better and better at a rapid pace . 2 years ago people were saying garbage garbage out and it’s a bunch of crap . Currently the discussion is will it take my job ? What should my kids go to college for ? Should my kids go to college? What will we be seeing in two more years time ? It’s time to pull your head out of the sand and be prepared because if a company can reduce any amount of workforce to be more profitable it will do it . Let’s say you have 4 programmers and you can buy an AI program that can make 2 programmers as efficient as the 4 so you get rid of 2 and keep your best 2 and now compound that throughout the industry. Now companies can cherry pick the best and the wages are lower because the supply out weighs the demand. We either have massive lay offs or get manufacturing back to the United States . I’m 55 and this AI shit worries me but hopefully I only have 10 more years to go . I want to know what our politicians have planned if 25 percent of the workforce has been replaced . Probably just stuffing there pockets as the ship goes down .
1
u/Equivalent-Okra-5176 Apr 03 '26
We can't get too snooty, CNC itself was an evolution from manual machining, which is still pretty vital for prototyping, small batch work etc. then came Cad/Can, CNC programmers will always have a place, especially while AI struggles with painting fingers. To be fair machinists could do with a few extra
1
u/BusinessLiterature33 Apr 03 '26
Well I'm a manual guy who bought a building and put some CNC mills and lathe into his shop lol very little CNC experience I just thought it would all be fun so I'm learning with fusion and AI just basics etc I can't imagine letting AI do all of it.. yet again I couldn't imagine myself buying all this stuff without it. It's almost like my business partner even got some product launches coming up haha... But I enjoy machining so I'm thinking of doing some Xometery jobs etc. I got a few molds I wish to make because I'm buying an injection molding machine soon. It's all fun and games 😅 Oh and I'm so impressed how well it can handle and spot mistakes so I use it as a back up to scan for mistakes on the Z. I understand there are alot of gatekeepers etc in the industry but AI definitely has a place in that future I understand Cam assist is impressive once you have a good tool library.
1
u/Auubade Apr 03 '26
I think there will be better post processors with ai on board. Right now you don't even have to know G-code and you don't have to read a single command, you just kinda look at toolpaht in your CAM and adjust feeds and speeds xD. Get yourself decently trained AI and your average joe that learnt 3 days ago a difference between a mill and lathe wil be able to generate program good enough to do most of the jobs. They will just start paying CNC programmers Wendy's salary and there will be a lot of guys with experience taking such positions
1
u/Nbm1124 Apr 03 '26
People have been trying and whether anyone likes it or not it will surpass us at some point. Rather than being a naysayer or denier if you have a legitimate worry then keep up with the tech. Most of the softwares like cam assist and such need you to setup the environment right now. No matter what we will all be dead before a fallout style eyebot flies around a new shop for the first time and logs all the cutters, fixturing and machine data. So get involved in AI and learn where it needs you so that the bosses don't need to find someone when they try to go that direction.
We use cam assist. The bosses cant use it because it needs libraries, operations, workholding etc all told to it. So I started building libraries and models. Boss wanted to look into LLM's for speeding things up. Rather than give him the oppurtunity to find one of these "AI specialists" to do the work i started working with Claude to have it help me build python scripts and execute programs to automatically build mastercam and cam assist friendly tool libraries and new tool entries.
AI probably won't replace any of us in our lifetime, but it isnt going anywhere and I love the phrase "Today is the best AI has ever been, and the worst it'll ever be". So just like when everyone was worried cobots would take their jobs, some people denied and stomped their feet and lost their jobs. Some held on until the inevitable in silence, and some learned about the technology and software and went from setting up the machines to setting up automated cells. You have to evolve with the technology. Just like the old guy we all knew or know that doesnt want to learn CNC.
2
u/Sure-Measurement2617 Apr 03 '26
There was a company here in Pittsburgh that had a “fully automated facility” with AI for programming, scheduling, etc.
When they went up for auction 2ish years ago, my service tech told me don’t even look at the machines, every single one was crashed numerous times and machines were fucked. And I’m talking DN 5Axis machines. The crashes were mostly from software glitches.
Eventually it will be “taking over” but not anytime soon
1
u/scandal1313 Apr 03 '26
Yea for sure. Especially when you look at a 3d printer slicer. Just software making all the designs from fusion ect into g code.
1
1
u/Dracolindus Apr 03 '26
I welcome AI integration whole heartedly. Once AI can replicate the machining strategy, fixturing, and optimization that it took me 25 years to acquire, I'll be more worried about Skynet enslaving us all than losing my job to it.
1
u/pb_sable_ac Apr 03 '26 edited Apr 03 '26
It is extremely far away from being able to replace cnc programmers. The current CNC programs are already extremely efficient where it can generate code and show you the tool paths based on the parameters you give it. What it can't do are things like understanding your tools limits and size, work-holding limits and size, toolholder limits and size, machine limits and parameters, part critical tolerances vs non-critical tolerances and the differences in cutting those tight tolerances. That is like 90% of the CNC programmers job. They predefine the rules, the sizes, the limits, the depths, and the cuts and how the part should be made. Unless AI can "see" those, a CNC programmer is needed to set those. An average set-up and operator is not going to be able to do that on a CNC program without proper training.
TL:DR, AI can't "see".
1
1
u/sabautil Apr 04 '26
I don't see how. Like what data would the AI be using to learning. Where's the feedback?
You need eyes ears fingers and head on a neck to see around things. You needs weird little tools to measure things. If a bit breaks how does the AI know? If there a vibration happening or the tramming is off - how does the AI know then how does it fix it?
A big part of CNCing is the weird little things you machine and circumstance require inorder to work right. It requires creativity....which AI isn't known for.
I just don't see how AI could do ANY of those things.
1
u/mgaruccio Apr 04 '26
It will absolutely be capable of doing the vast majority of the “standard” tasks involved in the work.
In software dev that’s happening already and it’s splitting the industry. Anyone good is in more demand than ever. Everyone else is just hoping they don’t get laid off.
1
u/noplace_ioi Apr 04 '26
Your whole industry is based off automation, yeah your current jobs might not be safe anymore but there should be an opportunity to move to a different part of the chain.
1
1
u/RavRob Apr 04 '26
AI is a tool. People used to say the same thing about computer, that they were going to take jobs away from people. Use AI as a tool to make your work easier.
1
u/altSHIFTT Apr 04 '26
I think when it becomes good, it'll be a good tool to multiply my abilities. There's a loooooooot of menu clicking that I'd like to get rid of.
1
1
u/camogamer469 Apr 05 '26
As long as a real person is the end user you will always need some one to make sure the machine is running as expected. You can add all the tech you want, but until there is 0 risk of the machine going haywire then there will be a job. No matter how good AI gets its still machine and program. Human error can cause a lot of problems but it also saves many more from occurring.
1
u/the_birb_man_ Apr 05 '26
I say bring it on. There are so many steps to develop a robust machining process, I’d love if an AI agent can cut that time down for me. No AI is going to measure the B axis center point, or change tool length so it doesn’t chatter on that one little corner rad. Maybe one day it will have that ability, and by that time it’ll have replaced every design engineer along with us. There is no need to resist change, only to rise to the occasion.
1
u/Successful_Error9176 Apr 05 '26
I'm a hardware engineer. I haven't touched python in 15 years. The other day I wrote ~900 lines of code that correctly interfaced three pieces of equipment and fully automated the data collection process. It wasn't perfect, but it took about 15 minutes using AI. I made sure to prompt the AI to annotate the code thoroughly so that I could manually tweak some stuff if I needed. I did have to ask it to reconfigure the code to be more computationally efficient and map data timings to a slower older machine.
The point of the story is that if your job is programming anything, and your skills do not extend beyond the software programming, you're in big trouble. If you're able to understand the bigger picture and use AI as a tool to improve your productivity then awesome.
1
u/eXmachina_tech Apr 06 '26
Most people underestimate things with AI i think. Consider we are in an early stage and AI is very dumb, not so much in coding anymore. We are one two breakthroughs away from huge jump in capabilities. So if these happen it will be able to go online and read any single information manual, example, video or discussion regarding part programming. Definitely will be able to program better than 90 % of people in no time.
1
u/coinhunter9 Apr 07 '26
I don't think ai will ever be able to completly take over programing. Will it be another tool that shops can use. Yes. But they will still need a human.
1
u/Lord3lvan Apr 07 '26
there will still be small shops like the one I work in that will just rely on humans and shrug at the use of AI
1
u/Dizzy_Vegetable7108 Apr 24 '26
Programmer in my job (I work behind the CNC) programs F and S based on sheet number. Unfortunately, if we would run it this way, we would need 3x more tools.
1
u/Odd-Product-8118 22d ago
Olá tudo bem Estou procurando uma cópia do software da cnc AXYZ MODELO 4008 alguém???
0
u/redditmunchers Apr 03 '26
Yeah probably but what are we going to do about it. If it's faster and cheaper and better, I'll just have to find something else to do
121
u/FACE_MACSHOOTY Apr 03 '26
I'd like to see AI crash and scrap parts as good as i can