CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control, and instead of having people to guide tools, computers follow exact instructions to cut, shape or build parts. CNC systems make products from airplane parts to kitchen cabinets with accuracy.
How Do CNC Systems Work?
A CNC system is a smart machine that reads a set of instructions and then moves the tools where they need to go. The computer will take digital designs, and this will control exactly how the machine cuts or shapes materials. Once you program the machine, it will make hundreds or thousands of identical pieces.
The Story of CNC
Back in the late 1940s, the airplane industry needed better ways to make complex parts. First came Numerical Control, which was the early version of CNC. John T. Parsons at MIT had an idea to use punched cards, like old computer cards, to guide the movements of a machine. His team changed a regular cutting machine to follow these card instructions, and it would move its cutting tool based on the holes in these cards. This first machine wasn’t what we’d call a computer, but it showed that machines could follow coded instructions. Later, as real computers developed, NC turned into CNC.
Types of CNC Machines
There are many kinds of CNC machines:
CNC routers cut and shape wood and plastic. They’re used for making furniture, signs and decorative items.
CNC mills or CNC punching machines, like those from www.cotswold-machinery-sales.co.uk/euromac-bending-machines/punching-machines/, work with metal and cut or punch it to make parts for cars, machines, tools and airplanes and aerospace.
CNC laser cutters use a powerful light beam to cut or engrave materials cleanly and precisely.
3D printers are newer CNC machines that build objects by adding material layer by layer instead of cutting material away.
The Future of CNC
By adding extra movement abilities, like a rotating table, the machines can now make more complex shapes. Modern CNC systems are more precise and more automated than ever before. What started as a solution for airplane manufacturers has become essential for making almost everything we use today.
