Productive Machines develops SenseNC™, an autonomous milling optimization SaaS that simulates and optimizes machine settings to streamline machining of high-value, mission-critical components. The software integrates directly with leading CAM platforms, including Siemens NX CAM and Mastercam. The company was spun out from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and targets aerospace, automotive, and precision engineering customers. In July 2025 Productive Machines secured a £0.51M convertible loan note to support growth. The funding will be used to grow its customer base across the UK and Europe and to expand into international markets. The company positions itself as deep tech focused on manufacturing and CNC optimization through software-driven process improvements. Productive Machines is a Sheffield-based AI startup commercialising six years of Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) research on machining dynamics to reduce lead times, cycle times, maintenance, component waste and carbon emissions for manufacturers. The company has developed a computational model and digital twin that predict and mitigate harmful vibrations during metal and composite milling, determining optimal machine parameters to avoid wasteful configuration experiments. Its technology has already been deployed at ten major manufacturers, including Renault and MASA Aerospace. Productive Machines raised £2.2m in Seed funding and received grant support from Innovate UK. The company plans to use the funds to deliver its AI as a fully automated SaaS product and to grow the team from eight people to more than twenty. It is building a partner network with measurement specialist Kistler, metal cutting solutions company Seco and other machine tool and cutting tool manufacturers to commercialise and scale the solution.

Total raised

$3M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Convertible Note

Latest activity

Jul 2025