Productive Machines and Siemens: Accelerating the Future of Machining with AI
What if your machine could set the right feeds and speeds — before the first cut? That’s the promise behind Productive Machines, a spin-out from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in the UK, and now one of Siemens newly announced technology partners. Explore firsthand how Productive Machines’ SenseNC™ plugin for Siemens NX CAM is transforming machining productivity. But behind the demo is a deeper story of innovation, collaboration, and the urgent need to address industry-wide challenges.
How Productive Machines and Siemens NX CAM Are Shaping the Future of CNC Machining
Founded by Dr. Erdem Ozturk, Productive Machines was born out of more than two decades of machining dynamics research at AMRC. The company’s mission is simple yet ambitious: help manufacturers reach the best part faster—on the very first attempt.
For technology like SenseNC to work, it must fit seamlessly into existing workflows. That is why Productive Machines has fine-tuned its integration with Siemens NX CAM to ensure ease of use for CAM programmers.
In machining, operators spend years building expertise about feeds, speeds, depths of cut, and material responses,” explained Ozturk. “But that knowledge is becoming harder to find as the skills gap widens. Even with decades of experience, switching to a new machine or material introduces uncertainty. That’s where technology like ours comes in.”
The result is SenseNC™, the first autonomous toolpath optimization software embedded directly in NX CAM software. By leveraging advanced physics-based models and cloud computing, it automatically optimizes cutting parameters such as feed rates and spindle speeds. Instead of trial-and-error, machinists get programs that are safer, faster, and more efficient—right from the start.
As discussed in the interview use case, Siemens and Productive Machines featured the technology with a gearbox machining demo which showed what this looks like in practice: a 25% increase in productivity simply by letting SenseNC optimize the toolpath.
Industries from aerospace to medical devices and beyond face mounting pressure to deliver precision parts faster and more cost-effectively, even as skilled operators become scarcer. Traditional CAM programming often relies on hard-won tribal knowledge — but that model isn’t sustainable.
Machines are like complex robots,” Ozturk noted. “They need guidance, but the expertise is rare. Technology like ours helps fill that gap, minimizing waste and making every cut count.”
Looking Ahead: A Shared Vision
For Siemens and Productive Machines, this is just the beginning. As Ozturk shared, the partnership is expanding with availability on the Siemens Xcelerator Marketplace, opening doors for more manufacturers to adopt this breakthrough.
The collaboration underscores Siemens broader vision: harnessing AI and digitalization not to replace human expertise, but to amplify it — helping part manufacturers overcome today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities.
