Acutec Precision Aerospace, Inc. is a vertically integrated manufacturer specializing in precision machining and subassembly for the aerospace, defense, and power generation industries. They’re also a valued Vention Automation Partner.
Read on to learn about their experience of simplifying automation design with Vention’s MachineBuilder platform, in this point of view by Adam Dunn from Acutec.
At Acutec Precision Aerospace, one of our core philosophies is simple: Embrace Change. But when it came to designing a modular infeed system for a new robotic application under a tight deadline, embracing change wasn’t easy.
I remember sitting at my desk late one Friday, staring at SolidWorks with 50 different parts imported from multiple vendors. Every bracket, extrusion, and connector had to be mated manually. Fighting mate errors, file crashes, and endless downloads was exhausting. The clock was ticking, the deadline loomed, and I could feel frustration creeping in. I knew there had to be a better way.
Finding a Simpler Way to Design in MachineBuilder
Our partnership with Vention had been growing for years. We trusted them for robot stands, automation components, and 7th-axis systems. Acutec’s mission is aligned well with Vention; empower communities through education and hands-on learning. In 2025, we officially became part of Vention’s VAP (Vention Automation Partner) program which promotes working in unison to share knowledge, train future automation professionals, and make cutting-edge technology accessible.
Back to my story of battling an infeed design using the conventional CAD method. Our Vention partnership provided more than a mission, it provided a solution. As part of our partnership, we were given the opportunity to receive full training on their MachineBuilder design platform.
During that training, a moment of clarity hit me. I was dragging and dropping parts from Vention’s catalog into an assembly, resizing multiple extrusions in one click, and watching the AI-powered Design Assistant automatically flag potential errors. I leaned back in my chair, almost laughing at how much time I had wasted with traditional CAD. It felt like a lightbulb had gone off. I wasn’t just working faster; I was working smarter.
Transitioning from SolidWorks to MachineBuilder
Every aspect of MachineBuilder erased a headache I constantly battled in traditional SolidWorks workflows. I could even tweak the mouse configuration to match my usual SolidWorks setup. This might seem minor, but not having to retrain my habits was a lifesaver. Combine that with lightning-fast shortcuts for placing multiple connectors and resizing frame members with a single press of “L,” and I was basically in design heaven. The best part? I didn’t have to change my design style at all to fly through projects in MachineBuilder.
“It’s like upgrading your car to a sports model but still being able to drive it like a cozy sedan.”
- Adam Dunn, Automation Engineer, Acutec Precision Aerospace
Most design platforms include some form of structural analysis, but let’s be honest. It’s usually so generic it might as well be a fortune cookie. Vention took it further and built a structural validation tool designed specifically for their extrusion profiles. Translation: no more guesswork, no more crossed fingers, and no more late-night “is this thing actually rigid?” moments. Big win for me, big win for my designs, and a big round of applause for MachineBuilder. It really turned the design chaos into clarity.
Repetitive components were placed in seconds, complex adjustments were effortless, and my computer wasn’t constantly freezing under the load. Quick keys, customizable settings, and familiar navigation made the software feel like an extension of my own workflow rather than a foreign tool.
A Few Weeks Into the New Way to Design
The difference was immediate. One afternoon, while revising the infeed system under a looming deadline, I realized I could finish in a fraction of the time it would have taken using traditional CAD. The ‘Design Checker’ tool flagged a misaligned connector I would have missed, saving hours of rework. My team could instantly collaborate on changes, view real-time costs, and even request a personal design review from Vention engineers.
How MachineBuilder transformed our workflow:
- Designs that used to take weeks now take days
- Errors were caught before they caused delays
- Collaboration became seamless across teams
- Assembly instructions were generated automatically, reducing miscommunication
- Automated Bill of Materials in real time as you design
- Automated purchasing system for direct ordering of your design
At Acutec, the goal is product standardization. The reason is clear: The purchasing process comes with built-in costs. Every purchase order, every delivery, and every vendor payment chip away at time and resources. And when you’re juggling five different vendors, it only takes one late shipment to stall an entire project. Vention’s MachineBuilder cuts through that complexity, eliminates unnecessary costs, and ensures every component arrives on time like clockwork (only without the snooze button).
I still remember the relief on our purchasing team’s faces when they didn’t have to chase down dozens of mismatched components. They could focus on execution rather than troubleshooting my overcomplicated designs.
Partnership Impact: Embracing Change Together
My experience of using MachineBuilder made me realize that Vention truly understands the real-world frustrations of engineers. Their commitment to listening, innovating, and supporting designers perfectly aligns with Acutec’s philosophy of embracing change.
Through this partnership, we didn’t just adopt a new tool, we adopted a new way of thinking. And it’s helping us build smarter, faster, and more efficient automation systems. We’re not just meeting deadlines; we’re pushing boundaries, innovating with confidence, and empowering our team to focus on what really matters: creating the future of aerospace automation.
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Learn more about Acutec’s collaboration with Vention with a custom 7th Axis system to automate multi-machine tending.
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