From Reddit to the Film Set Webinar Recording
When filmmaker Michael Martin asked if his camera monitor bracket could be CNC machined from aluminum, we decided to take it on with Toolpath’s AI. Inspired by a conversation on Reddit, our CTO Justin challenged the team to make it happen, so we got in touch with Michael, got his CAD files, and made his part the focus of this webinar. Watch the recording to see how Toolpath handled every step and solved real machining challenges along the way.
Topics Covered in the Webinar
1. Traditional RFQ workflow vs. Toolpath’s automated approach
Scott walks through the pain points a shop faces when a model arrives by email — manual import, measuring, tool library checks, and setup planning. He then forwarded the same email to uploads@toolpath.com and shows how Toolpath quickly returns a browser‑based machining report: feature recognition, tool recommendations, setup strategy, and a first‑pass cost estimate, all before opening the CAM in Autodesk Fusion...
2. Quick‑fire demo: from report to CAM in Fusion
Using the Fusion add‑in, Scott downloads the report automatically generating four fully editable setups with Toolpath‑generated toolpaths. He highlights how programmers remain in control—feeds, speeds and boundaries are all modifiable once inside Fusion.
3. Live machining on the Brother SPEEDIO
Ben takes over from the Toolpath's machine shop, loading the soft‑jaw fixture that holds the part in four orientations. Viewers get to see the part being machines in real-time, while Ben illustrates how Toolpath helps but doesn't replace the CAM programmer, by swapping a roughing and finishing tool in Fusion shaving additional cycle time while still leveraging Toolpath’s adaptive feeds.
4. July product updates & quality‑of‑life improvements
Scott previewed new capabilities:
- Current‑document import in Fusion (now a toggleable preview).
- Editable cloud tool libraries directly in Toolpath.
- Custom‑stock selection for multi‑body uploads.
- UI refinements—grouped machinability issues, free‑orbit view, and multi‑condition filters.
5. Tips & tricks for power users
Attendees learned to expose operation presets on the Strategy tab, use “mouse‑over” to inspect feature groups, and drill down in the Estimate tab to see per‑feature cost and tool assignments—turning Toolpath into a programmer’s setup sheet as well as a quoting aid.
6. Open Q&A and roadmap discussion
The team fielded questions on REST machining, 3 + 2 support, stock overrides, email‑driven RFQ processing, and how upcoming controls will let users impose “may / must / must‑not” rules on the automation. Emphasis remained on releasing reliable three‑axis CAM first and then layering in advanced workflows.
Why start a Toolpath Trial?
Toolpath isn’t here to replace the skilled people who make your shop run. it’s your digital co-pilot, tackling tedious programming steps like feature detection, tool selection, and first-pass toolpaths, so your expertise stays front and center. You maintain full control in Fusion: every operation is easy to review, tweak, or optimize to match your standards. Toolpath's AI does the heavy lifting; you make the final call.
What sets Toolpath apart is a true partnership with the machining community. Weekly product updates, live webinars, and open feedback mechanisms ensure your real-world experience drives our roadmap. Start a free trial today and see why shops are already saving hours per quote and per program. Put Toolpath to work on your next bracket, and help shape the future of AI-powered CNC—together.