What challenges did Hexagon face before AI implementation?

Programming machine tools is highly complex, labor-intensive, and time-consuming, often relying on experienced staff who are in short supply. Knowledge is lost when skilled staff leave or retire, and upskilling new staff is slow. Productivity bottlenecks due to manual programming impact operational efficiency.

What was the impact of the AI solution?

Cuts programming time by up to 75%. Preserves institutional knowledge and mitigates risk from staff turnover. Up-skills new users rapidly through integrated chat guidance. Enables expert staff to focus on advanced and value-added tasks.

Source

Microsoft

Hexagon streamlines machine tool programming with AI automation

Use case typeCode assistantUpdated Jun 13, 2026

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has developed ProPlanAI, an AI-powered automation tool that dramatically reduces the time and expertise required to program machine tools. ProPlanAI uses Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, Azure Cosmos DB, and Azure Databricks within Hexagon's Nexus cloud platform. This solution 'learns' from a company's historical programming data, enabling automated process planning and real-time suggestions directly within CAM software. The system supports manufacturers through co-pilot chat assistance that helps train new staff, provides real-time guidance, and preserves institutional knowledge, thus reducing risk from staff turnover. The platform is due for global public launch in Q1 2025 and supports scalable productivity in manufacturing environments.

Organization: Hexagon
Industry: Manufacturing
Location: United States
Published: November 2024

Reported outcomes

75%

timeTime & speed

Strategic outcomes

New product / capabilityLaunched AI-powered machine tool programming automationCustomer experience & trustProvided real-time guidance and chat supportRisk & compliancePreserved institutional knowledgeScale & capacitySupported scalable manufacturing productivity

Catalog median for time & speed deployments: +80% across 203 reported metrics. Compare benchmarks →

Primary read

Use case focus

Showing 3 of 3

1Automated Machine Tool Programming
2CAM Productivity Enhancement with AI Copilot
3Real-time Operator Support and Guidance

Programming machine tools is highly complex, labor-intensive, and time-consuming, often relying on experienced staff who are in short supply.
Knowledge is lost when skilled staff leave or retire, and upskilling new staff is slow.
Productivity bottlenecks due to manual programming impact operational efficiency.

Developed ProPlanAI AI-powered automation tool embedded in CAM software leveraging Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, Cosmos DB, and Databricks.
Allows manufacturers to automate and optimize machine tool programming and provides real-time guidance and chat support via a co-pilot feature.
Continuously learns from company data to improve efficiency and maintain standards across teams.

Technologies

Azure OpenAI Azure Cosmos DB Azure Databricks

Cuts programming time by up to 75%.
Preserves institutional knowledge and mitigates risk from staff turnover.
Up-skills new users rapidly through integrated chat guidance.
Enables expert staff to focus on advanced and value-added tasks.

Architecture

ProPlanAI is embedded into Hexagon's CAM software through the Nexus platform and uses Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service for intelligent process planning. It utilizes Azure Cosmos DB for scalable data management and Azure Databricks for advanced analytics and continuous model improvement. The co-pilot guides users via integrated chat and surfaces context-aware programming suggestions.

Sources & evidence1

Groundedness: Unavailable

Primary source

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