Hardware Podcasts

STL: It's Not a Robot, It's a CoBot!

Shop Talk Live · 2 Aug 2025 · 45m

What this episode covers

Zach Dunham and Sean Kirsch of Shaper Tools join the Shop Talk Live hosts at the AWFS trade show to introduce BenchPilot, an automated motion control system for the Shaper Origin handheld CNC router that enables hands-free operation. The guests explain how BenchPilot integrates with the Origin's vision system to allow users to pause, adjust, and resume cuts, effectively turning the handheld tool into a cobot for production workflows. They highlight community usage by woodworkers like Kyle Kidwell and Aspen Golann, who use the tool for complex joinery and prototyping, and discuss how digital tools are helping to bridge the skills gap in modern woodworking education.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Products
Shaper Origin, BenchPilot, Workstation, Shaper Studio
Also
Kyle Kidwell, Aspen Golann, Kim McIntyre, Phil Morley, Adrian Frazouti, Die Gute Form, Skills USA, AWFS, Ligna, Holtzan Verk, IWF

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