Open Arsenal

Step-by-step to shop floor success.

CNC Companion is an open-source AI-powered tutor designed to guide apprentice machinists from their first interaction with a machine all the way to advanced, production-level skills. Built around the idea of “step-by-step to shop floor success,” it transforms traditional hands-on training into an intelligent, adaptive learning experience. Instead of relying solely on manuals or one-on-one instruction, users receive guided lessons tailored to their pace, skill level, and performance, making machining more accessible, consistent, and scalable.

At its core, CNC Companion combines structured learning with real-time feedback. Using computer vision, sensor integration, and AI-driven analysis, it can observe a user’s work, compare it against specifications or CAD models, and provide immediate corrections or suggestions. This allows apprentices to learn not just by doing, but by understanding their mistakes as they happen. Features like tool wear detection, safety monitoring, and predictive guidance help ensure both quality and safe operation, bridging the gap between classroom theory and real-world machining.

The platform also emphasizes progression and personalization. Each user has a tracked skill profile, with performance metrics such as accuracy, speed, and repeatability feeding into adaptive lesson planning. As confidence and capability grow, CNC Companion introduces more complex operations, challenges, and real-world scenarios. Gamified elements like achievements and leaderboards encourage engagement, while simulation and AR-based overlays provide immersive ways to practice before working on actual machines.

Beyond individual learning, CNC Companion is built as a collaborative, community-driven ecosystem. Its modular design allows contributors to add new machine “how-to” guides, lessons, and AI improvements, creating a shared knowledge base that evolves over time. Features like a lesson marketplace, expert review system, and collaborative projects enable machinists, educators, and developers to work together to improve training standards. In this way, CNC Companion is not just a tool—it’s a growing platform aimed at modernizing and democratizing machining education.