3D printers have made plastic parts something almost anyone can produce at home. Metal is a different story. A bracket, a gearbox housing or a fixture that has to hold tolerance usually means learning CAM software, working out how to clamp the stock, choosing the right cutters and setting work offsets by hand – or sending the job out and waiting a week or two for it to come back.
ToolDance, a team of former DJI and Siemens engineers and CNC veterans, has built the X1 to take most of that work off the user. The company says the project started because 3D printing couldn't give its own engineers the materials, precision and mechanical strength they needed – and that many of the core components in its own products are now machined on the X1. The fully enclosed desktop CNC launches on Kickstarter on October 15 at 11:00 AM EDT, from $2,999, about half its planned $5,999 retail price.
From model to metal
The workflow starts in ToolDance Studio, the company's own CAM software, which is free, needs no subscription and runs its core machining features offline. Users import a STEP or STL model, and the software first runs a design-for-manufacturability check, flagging features that can't be machined before any time is spent on toolpaths. AutoCAM then suggests how to hold the part, picks the tools and generates the machining operations, followed by a material-removal simulation to check the job before any metal is cut. Experienced machinists can take over through Interactive Programming or bring in G-code from their own CAM software, and plugins, due alongside the Windows release of ToolDance Studio, will let them send G-code straight from Fusion 360, Siemens NX and Mastercam.
The machine handles the setup steps that usually trip up beginners. Once the stock is clamped, a Structured-Light sensor and a workpiece probe measure it and set the work offset automatically, so there are no stock dimensions to type in and no edges to find by hand. Nine tools sit in an RFID-tracked automatic tool changer, with a dedicated slot for the workpiece probe. The X1 takes standard cutters with shanks up to 10 mm, so replacements can come from any tooling supplier.
Built for metal
The hardware is sized for metal rather than wood and plastic. The 1,500-watt permanent-magnet synchronous spindle runs up to 24,000 rpm and, according to ToolDance, delivers more torque at low speeds than the induction motors used in most other machines – exactly what steel and titanium demand. It sits on a cast aluminum alloy frame, with preloaded ball screws and closed-loop control on all axes. Rated repeatability is ±0.01 mm, within a 400 × 265 × 180 mm work envelope. It runs on single-phase power, so no three-phase supply is needed. At around 110 kg (243 lb), it is desktop-sized rather than desktop-light, so a sturdy bench is a must. Noise is kept in check too: ToolDance measured under 70 dBA at 50 cm in typical operation while cutting aluminum, and under 65 dBA in quieter operation.
Rather than relying on renders, ToolDance has been publishing its cutting tests. One video follows a Grade 5 titanium (Ti-6Al-4V) part from roughing to finishing with air cooling, before it goes for inspection on a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). In another CMM test, a 160 mm feature on a single X1-machined part measured 160.0176 and 160.0193 mm, with selected straightness, perpendicularity and concentricity results below 0.02 mm. As the company notes, results will vary with material, tooling and setup.
The X1 has also been cutting in public. This year it ran live machining demos at IFA Berlin, IMTS Chicago and Maker Faire Bay Area. YouTube channel The Q, which has more than 13 million subscribers, also took it on in a video made in partnership with ToolDance, turning a solid block of metal into a custom bicycle sprocket.
Room to grow
The base machine is 3-axis, with upgrades that bolt on later. A 4-axis rotary module handles cylindrical work up to Ø120 × 160 mm, and a 5-axis module adds simultaneous 5-axis machining for workpieces up to 110 × 110 × 105 mm, plus 3+2 positioning for workpieces up to 160 × 160 × 105 mm, useful for parts that would otherwise need several setups. An air-blast system is included; the optional Flood Coolant module adds coolant delivery and chip collection for heavier metal work, while the Dust Collection module keeps wood and plastic jobs clean.
Price and availability
When the campaign opens, the base X1 is available at a Super Early Bird price of $2,999. The 4-axis module is $699, the 5-axis module $1,099, the Flood Coolant module $799 and the Dust Collection module $599, with bundles such as the 5-Axis Clean-Cut Deluxe at $4,449 offering better value. Pledge Over Time lets backers split their pledge into three payments. Shipping is DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), so duties and import taxes are included, with nothing extra to pay on arrival; shipping to the continental US is $350, varies by region and is collected after the campaign. Deliveries are targeted for Q1 2027. Before launch, readers can also reserve a VIP spot with a fully refundable US$30 deposit, which adds US$200 cashback per machine and one-hour early access to the Super Early Bird pledges. More than 4,000 people are already following the campaign page.
The X1 comes with a one-year limited warranty (terms may vary by region). As with any crowdfunding campaign, timelines can shift and specifications may evolve, and a Kickstarter pledge is not a pre-order. Readers can click "Notify me on launch" on the ToolDance X1 Kickstarter page to get an alert the moment pledges open.
