Product variety, shorter delivery times, increasing cost pressure: Often, the bottleneck in manufacturing isn't the machine itself, but CNC programming
A wealth of knowledge lies untapped in databases and the minds of individual employees.
The ETH Zurich spin-off Manukai is developing new AI technology to unlock these data sources. This allows the knowledge to be used systematically, saving time and costs in production planning, improving machine utilization, and reducing dependence on individual employees.
CNC programmers invest a large portion of their time in repetitive tasks: finding similar projects, adapting strategies, and transferring operating parameters. Automation offers a solution here.
For his master's thesis at ETH Zurich, Diego Riediker examined the landscape of Swiss contract manufacturers and investigated the strategic, organizational, and economic effects of CNC programming in a typical SME.
ETH Master's thesis: Savings of up to 30 percent through automation
Riediker's work demonstrates that even moderate reductions in programming time significantly lower part costs. Targeted automation can reduce production costs by approximately 10 to 20 percent today; with long-term, extensive automation, savings of around 30 percent are realistic – and this is achievable with practical levels of automation.
The findings of this work are transferable to other Swiss companies that share similar challenges – increasing component complexity, a shortage of skilled workers and a bottleneck in work preparation.
Manukai: AI for faster and better CNC programming
Manukai specifically addresses the automation of repetitive programming tasks. Where previously each part had to be completely reprogrammed, Manukai significantly reduces effort, especially for similar geometries and variants. This is because Manukai systematically accesses a company's historical manufacturing knowledge, analyzes the data, and, based on this analysis, makes optimized suggestions that can be implemented immediately.
"Automation only makes sense once the status quo is understood."
Before considering automation, the existing data within the company must be understood. A holistic view of each operation is needed: What is optimal for manufacturing the part under the given conditions?
"Automation only makes sense when strategies and operational parameters are refined using data, because then exactly the 'right' thing is repeated,"
emphasizes Pascal Weber, CEO of Manukai.
Optimized production processes
Automation with Manukai reduces iteration loops, lowers cycle times, and stabilizes process quality. The solution also promotes leaner production: Standardized programming strategies allow for a reduction in tool and clamping device variety and shorten overall throughput times. Simultaneously, with each processed variant, the internal knowledge base grows, from which the system draws, thus enabling further automation.
Proof of concept with Bosch
As part of a proof of concept at Bosch, Manukai demonstrated that AI-supported NC programming can be integrated into existing processes and highly automated manufacturing. The project involved analyzing NC programs to identify optimization potential: how can machining times be reduced and programs standardized? Manukai showed that even in this nearly perfected environment, there is still room for improvement.
Feasibility study and exclusive early adopter opportunity
For Swissmechanic members who would like a thorough assessment of the potential for cost savings in CNC programming, Manukai offers a structured feasibility study. If suitable, there is the opportunity to actively contribute to the functionality and future of CNC programming as an "early adopter".
Manukai at a glance
- Spin-off from the Chair of Computational Science at ETH Zurich
- Founded in December 2023
- Team: 15
- Vision: To save two million hours of time by 2030 that are lost to repetitive processes.
- Target customers: CNC manufacturing SMEs, contract manufacturers, and series manufacturers in mechanical engineering, watchmaking, and medical technology.
- Security: The software operates 100% on-premises and offline within the company's own IT infrastructure; no cloud dependency; no proprietary data leaves the company environment.
- Compatibility: The solution is available as an add-in for Mastercam, Topsolid, Siemens NX CAM, Gibbscam, and soon for Alphacam and ESPRIT.
