Parts Unleashed: Collaborating to Solve Programming Challenges

“You just have to finesse it...” “...finagle it” “...jockey it around a little.”

These are highly technical terms to describe how engineers, programmers, and machinists make the software and machines at hand do something a little avant-garde to make a workpiece as spec’ed.

For machine shop owners, pressure is growing to deliver increasingly complex, never-before-seen parts—and so are the challenges. From tight timelines to tighter tolerances, the path from design to finished part is rarely straightforward.

But there is a path, and it involves creating a collaborative environment where engineers, programmers and machinists engage in open communication to problem solve on the fly.

This panel will address the key challenges manufacturers face today, including:

· Handling first-time parts with no proven toolpaths or machining history
· Working around software limitations when standard CAM strategies fall short
· Bridging the gap between engineering, programming, and machining to avoid costly miscommunication
· Maximizing existing machine capabilities without compromising part quality
· Collaborating under pressure to solve problems in real time on the shop floor

Panelists will share real-world examples and proven strategies for overcoming these obstacles through smarter programming, tighter collaboration, and creative problem-solving. Whether you're running a small job shop or managing a larger operation, this session will offer practical insights to help your team work more efficiently, reduce rework, and stay competitive in a fast-changing manufacturing landscape.

This conversation will bring this reality to light and attempt to lift up the entire industry, and encourage everyone to never stop learning, tinkering, and tweaking.