Methods Machine Tools, Multiaxis, announce AI solution investment

Methods Machine Tools Inc. and Multiaxis LLC announce a joint, exclusive investment to bring to market Multiaxis Intelligence. Multiaxis Intelligence will create a powerful, personalized manufacturing AI assistant for a wide range of functional personas to streamline daily tasks, machining concept designs, service operations, documentation management, and peer-to-peer collaboration.

Seamlessly integrating into a business' existing manufacturing environment, Multiaxis Intelligence will be customizable for each user persona’s specific needs. Multiaxis Intelligence will provide core features including:

• Quick Ask widgets for instant technical answers.
• Web search integration with verified industry knowledge.
• Voice collaboration capabilities for hands-free operations.
• Text-to-speech for presentation audio.
• Document generation and comparison tools.
• Secure local storage environments.

Businesses will build on top of these capabilities with the creation of their unique Private Company Vault (the Vault). The Vault will allow companies to construct their own internal knowledge base built through team member inputs, prompts, and documentation uploads. The result is a secure, easily accessible, on-premises database that will protect companies’ intellectual property and secure information sharing.

“The competition in manufacturing remains as fierce as ever. We know customers increasingly desire more resources, from the machining center to their documentation, that reduce administrative and processing work, so they can spend more time in the cut producing finished parts that drive revenue,” says Rick Alton, Methods CEO.

“By pairing superior machine tools with value-added engineering services and now software solutions that empower a smarter, more capable workforce, we will create a deeper, more meaningful value chain. Together with Multiaxis, we’ll continue to grow the software side of our portfolio and help our customers succeed across their entire operations.”

“Multiaxis Intelligence will serve as a user’s digital twin and your intelligent partner to make daily operational requirements more efficient while providing advanced AI capabilities for modern manufacturing environments,” says Michael Kaminski, CEO of Multiaxis LLC.

“Manufacturers work with highly sensitive information, both their own and their customers, including documents, design files, and production data. Rather than locating that information in a third-party cloud service provider, users can trust their knowledge remains safe in their own environments,” Kaminski adds.

Multiaxis Intelligence will operate in any existing IT environment and workstation with simple network access, reachable across multiple locations for a unified collaborative experience.

Advanced AI capabilities will foster speed and versatility, allowing operators to dedicate their time to their most strategic requirements.

“The platform will grant users more of their most valuable asset – time. This isn’t just another piece of software. We’re changing how manufacturers get their work done by providing answers, insights, and problem solving quickly and reliably,” Kaminski says.

Multiaxis Intelligence builds upon the decade-plus of software innovation between Multiaxis LLC and Methods Machine Tools. The two companies collaborated with CAMplete on TruePath and CAMplete TurnMill for Nakamura-Tome multitasking machining centers, before CAMplete’s acquisition by AutoDesk in 2020.

In 2024, the two companies brought to market the Design and Manufacture Series for FANUC RoboDrill, a seamless, integrated cloud-based solution that enables users to accelerate manufacturing processes.

Methods and Multiaxis anticipate a general availability launch of Multiaxis Intelligence in 2025.