ToolDance X1: A Production-Focused 3-Axis Desktop CNC for Stainless Steel & Titanium

Moving beyond aluminum into stainless steel or titanium places greater demands on spindle power, machine rigidity, and thermal management, often leading makers and engineers to outsource the work or turn to industrial machinery.

Founded by former DJI and Siemens engineers, ToolDance aims to address these demands with the X1, a compact desktop CNC featuring a 1,500 W spindle, automated CAM programming, and an integrated nine-tool automatic tool changer (ATC).

Industrial-Grade Spindle Power

The X1 runs a 1,500 W Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) Spindle, with a top speed of 24,000 RPM. ToolDance says the design holds meaningful torque even at low RPM, unlike the asynchronous motors used in most desktop machines.

The lower end of that torque enables the X1 to cut aluminum, brass, copper, steel, and titanium. Run the motor up toward its 24,000 RPM ceiling and it switches roles, handling wood, acrylic, and plastics, where speed matters more than torque for a clean finish. All of this takes place inside the X1’s 400 x 265 x 180 mm working envelope on a cast aluminum frame rated for ± 0.01 mm positioning repeatability.

An air-blast system is included as standard for dry machining. ToolDance’s published cutting tests include 304 stainless steel and Grade 5 titanium in this mode. The optional Flood Cooling Module delivers continuous coolant flow to the cutting zone to help control heat and clear chips during demanding metal-cutting operations.

ToolDance Studio: Automated CAM, DFM Checks & Simulation

Import a STEP or STL file and ToolDance Studio’s AutoCAM generates the tool selection, toolpaths, and feeds and speeds on its own. Before any machining begins, a DFM (Design for Manufacturability) check flags parts that aren’t realistic to machine.

Once a strategy’s generated, a Machining Simulation feature lets you preview the cut before the spindle ever moves. AutoCAM’s output is fully editable, and experienced machinists can drop into Interactive Programming to adjust parameters directly. Users can also keep their existing CAM workflow. ToolDance supports sending G-code from Fusion 360, Siemens NX, and Mastercam to the X1.

Automated Workflows: Nine-Tool ATC & 3D Sensing System

A nine-tool ATC with RFID recognition handles shanks up to 10 mm, so a job that moves from roughing to finishing doesn’t mean stopping to swap bits by hand.

A built-in sensing stack handles setup, with a line-laser sensor, a touch probe, and a spindle camera that measures stock position and sets the work coordinate offset automatically. ToolDance says this removes manual probing from the workflow entirely, including on multi-sided parts, where the same guided sequence encompassing workholding, flipping, and rescanning repeats after each face.

Modular Design: Expandable from Three-Axis to Five-Axis Machining

Rather than forcing a choice between rigidity and reach, the X1 starts as a three-axis machine and scales up. A fourth-axis module adds rotary work for round or irregular geometry, and a five-axis expansion kit adds two more angles of tilt, so the tool can reach complex shapes in a single setup instead of repositioning the part manually.

ToolDance frames this as a tradeoff users can make per job rather than a fixed spec, with three-axis mode keeping the larger envelope and stiffness for simple parts, and the five-axis trading some of both for reach. A Dust Collection Module is also available for wood and plastic work, and the enclosure stays locked with safety interlocks engaged while the spindle turns.

Built for Prototyping, Small-Batch Production & Hardware Makers

ToolDance says the X1 is suited to three overlapping groups. Makers who’ve hit the material ceiling of FDM and resin printing will enjoy the machine’s expanded material profile. R&D teams who want a same-day physical part instead of a one-to-two-week outsourced turnaround will also find that the X1 satisfies their workflow requirements. The same goes for small manufacturers running short-batch production in wet-machining mode, where the Flood Cooling Module earns its keep over repeated cuts.

ToolDance is now accepting $30 refundable VIP reservations ahead of the X1’s Kickstarter launch in mid-October. The Super Early Bird price will start at $2,999, compared with a stated MSRP of $5,999. Customers who place a VIP reservation and complete an eligible Kickstarter pledge will receive $200 in cashback after the campaign, bringing the effective starting price to $2,799. The $30 reservation fee will be refunded separately. ToolDance has already showcased the X1 at IFA and IMTS Chicago and will exhibit at Maker Faire Bay Area in Vallejo, California, from September 25 to 27.

For a machine trying to close the gap between desktop and industrial-grade CNC, the X1 is set to cover a lot of the ground that’s kept serious metalwork off many makers’ desks.