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Industry and especially manufacturing is a very complicated field of production which fortunately has been speeded up and simplified by machines for a few years now. There are even machines whose job is to control the work of other machines. Although it was unthinkable not long ago, the manufacturing industry is becoming more and more automated, which reduces production time while increasing quality. See what CNC is and where it is used.
CNC, which stands for Computerized Numerical Control in English, is a computerized control of numerical equipment. It is a microcomputer equipped numerical control system, which can be programmed in absolutely any way. It is most often used to control lathes, milling machines or electro-erosion machines, which are used to cut out in a very fast but also extremely precise way complicated shapes, it is a bit like laser burning. Thanks to CNC it is possible to process virtually any material comfortably and efficiently. This is particularly important in industrial production, where it is important to maintain the repeatability of one shape even in the case of large production volumes. CNC machines are most often used for metal, wood and plastic machining, but they can also precisely machine glass and other materials.
The machining of material with a CNC lathe is an extremely precise and fully automated process. It can be illustrated with a rather simple example, because it is based on the same principle as cutting the surface of the material with sharp turning knives. The workpiece placed in the lathe is set in motion, and the knife working in a linear motion cuts the outer layer of material according to the parameters entered into the machine. In the case of traditional turning, the accuracy of the workpiece, the depth of machining and the final shape of the product obtained depend to a large extent on the skills and expertise of the turner himself. When it comes to CNC, the process takes place entirely through a computer-controlled machine, so experience doesn’t matter – there is no room for error
Electrical discharge machining is a type of high-tech precision machining that involves creating an electrical discharge reaction between two electrodes, one of which is the tool and the other is the workpiece. The types of this machining can be divided into plunging and wire EDM. The biggest difference between these methods is the type of electrode used. In the former case, it is an electrode made on a CNC machine and in the latter case, it is a rewound wire. CNC EDM is mainly used in the manufacture of specialized machine parts or the shaping of difficult-to-machine materials. This is because it allows for complex shapes that would be difficult or even impossible to produce without this form of machining. In the case of CNC machining there are also no cutting forces acting on the machined part, which largely eliminates the risk of damaging the element. The advantage of this method is the ability to machine virtually any conductive material.
Technology is encroaching into more and more areas of our lives, but it is not a bad thing at all. CNC allows for a level of production that the human hand could never provide
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