About Justin

The career

Started in CNC programming and worked up to head of department over 15 years. In that time I ran programming desks for large-scale plasma and laser cutting operations in Perth's industrial sector — from the first enquiry landing in the inbox through to parts being dispatched, I've seen it all.

I've worked with all the major nesting packages in production environments. PrimeCut, ProNest, SigmaNEST — not in demos or training labs, but on live production floors with real deadlines and real consequences. That's a different thing from knowing how software works in theory.

I know what a busy programming desk looks like. I know what happens when sales are pulling programmers off the floor, when quoting is a bottleneck, and when missing information on a job blows up at the worst possible time. I've been in the middle of it for most of my working life.

Why ProtoForge exists

After more than a decade in the industry, the same bottlenecks kept showing up. The problems weren't unique to one shop — they were structural. Quoting taking hours when it should take minutes. Tribal knowledge that lived entirely in someone's head. Software set up badly because no one had the time to do it properly.

ProtoForge exists to help cutting shops work smarter. Not by selling them more software — there's no shortage of that — but by understanding the workflow well enough to know where the real improvements are. That requires knowing the work from the inside.

The goal is straightforward: shorter quoting cycles, better use of the software they already have, and workflows that don't depend on one person knowing everything. Practical improvements with measurable outcomes — not consulting theatre.

The side interests that keep me sharp

The consultancy doesn't exist in isolation. A couple of things outside the main work keep the thinking current.

3D printing

FDM printing, including multi-material and AMS workflows. The focus is on functional parts — custom jigs and fixtures for manufacturing applications. Not hobbyist trinkets. Things that solve real problems in a workshop environment.

IT setup for small manufacturers

Helping small workshops get their tech sorted. M365, networking, the basics that let a business function without a dedicated IT department. It's the same skill applied differently: understand what the operation actually needs, then build something practical that fits.

These aren't side projects that run separately from the consultancy. They're extensions of the same approach — find the real problem, build a solution that works in the real environment, and don't overcomplicate it.

Based in Perth

I'm based in Perth, Western Australia, and work primarily with cutting shops in the local industrial sector — the companies supplying mining, construction, and fabrication. The Perth market has its own character. I've worked in it for 15 years and understand the clients, the pressures, and the way business gets done here.

That's worth something. A lot of consulting advice comes from people who don't know the local context. I do.