PathForge Add-On Brings Automated Toolpath Creation to Mastercam 2026

PathForge has announced a new add-on for Mastercam 2026 designed to help CNC programmers move from part geometry to machining operations faster, with less manual setup and more consistent results.

The software analyzes imported part geometry and automatically identifies common machining features, including pockets, contours, grooves, slots, holes, silhouette boundaries, and 3D surface regions. Once the features are detected, PathForge can generate organized toolpaths directly inside the Mastercam workflow.

For many shops, CAM programming still involves repetitive manual work: selecting chains, identifying machining boundaries, separating inner and outer regions, preparing 3D surfaces, and checking that operations are created in the correct order. PathForge is built to reduce that workload by automating feature recognition and toolpath preparation while keeping the programming process inside Mastercam 2026.

The add-on is aimed at production environments where speed and repeatability matter. By automating routine programming steps, PathForge helps reduce setup time, improve consistency between jobs, and make it easier to process complex parts with multiple machining features.

A key part of the system is its chained automation strategy. Instead of treating each operation as a separate manual task, PathForge runs a structured sequence that detects features, prepares geometry, creates toolpaths, regenerates operations, cleans toolpath data, and produces a report. This gives programmers a clearer view of what was created and helps standardize the workflow from one part to the next.

PathForge also supports verification workflows by allowing geometry such as boundaries, detected regions, and toolpath-related data to be exported for review. This helps programmers confirm what the software detected before moving forward with production machining.

The result is a more automated CAM workflow for shops using Mastercam 2026. PathForge is designed to save programming time, reduce repetitive selection work, and help users create clean, organized toolpaths for both 2D features and 3D surface machining.

Key capabilities include automatic toolpath creation, smart feature detection, pocket and contour recognition, slot and groove machining, hole recognition, silhouette boundary detection, inner and outer boundary handling, 3D surface toolpaths, and export tools for verification.

PathForge is now available as an add-on for Mastercam 2026.