Protolabs says it uses AI for toolpath verification in CNC machining in its own factories, and its software automates part-specific manufacturing engineering

Event date / reported

Evidence stage

Tasks this bears on

Where this applies

United States and Europe. The custom-parts manufacturer's annual report says it uses AI in a number of ways, including toolpath verification in CNC machining and automated quality inspection in injection moulding, and that its proprietary software and business process automate the non-recurring manufacturing engineering in many of its services; it says it has used automated digital manufacturing since 1999 to reduce labour dependency. The company's own description of its own plants; it gives no count of programmers or hours, and 'many of our services' mixes machining with moulding and 3D printing.

What this means

What it does not yet show

The company's own description, with no figures on programmers' work, and machining mixed with other processes.

What you can check

Does it change the assessment?

Source