What Is A CNC Machine and Why Is CNC So Important

With the reshoring of domestic manufacturing now underway (will link to new article on American Manufacturing - to be published as a paired/companion article), the manufacturing industry is projected to add 3.8 million jobs overall to its workforce by 2034¹ . Gearing up for this expected resurgence of American manufacturing has helped increase the importance and projected use of the CNC Machine².

What is a CNC Machine?

A Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) Machine is a device used by machinists to create high-precision parts from a variety of metals. These machines have 1 or more functions, such as drilling, milling, lathing, routing, engraving and surface finishing. Many CNC machines combine multiple functions, as described in our article about the types of advanced CNC machines.

The tools and work surface of a CNC machine are controlled by a sophisticated set of actuators and servos that receive their commands from a computer program file that has been entered into the CNC Machine's brain as a stored program. These programs are written in G-Code (Geometric Code). When partnered with Computer Aided Design (CAD), i.e., "CAD/CAM", the design (CAD) and the execution of manufacturing (CAM) becomes an efficient method of manufacturing durable goods.

By the Late 1970s, CNC machines were well on their way towards replacing manually controlled machinery. Essentially, CNC Machines are complex automated versions of the classic lathes, drills and mills that have been the foundation of manufacturing in the late 19th and most of the 20th centuries. The old machines were used for generations by machinists who were skilled at machining parts by hand, measuring tolerances manually, and creating completed products one at a time.

What Does A CNC Machine Do?

CNC machines are controlled through user input. This input is in the form of computer program that a CNC Programmer creates. The program is comprised of G-Code, which usually contains thousands or tens of thousands of lines of commands and sub-routines that represent a roadmap for a cutting tool to follow as it turns a block or rod of raw material, like aluminum or titanium, into a finished product that conforms to standardized tolerances depending on the type of machining performed³.

What Is A CNC Machine Used For?

A CNC machine is used to produce high-quality components for products that require precision fitting. A CNC machine can be used to work with many metals, including aluminum, titanium, bronze, brass, stainless steel and many other metals with specific alloy content. This breadth of raw materials indicates that an almost unlimited number of products can be produced for various industries and uses.

Examples include orthopedic implants such as knee and hip joints, complex automotive engine parts, and precision-milled turbine blades for jet engines. Think about how refined an artificial knee joint must be in both material quality and measurement to enable a person to walk properly and pain-free for years. Or how reliable and precise the turbine blades in an airliner's engines have to be to turn at 10,000 to 15,000 rotations per minute for hours on end. These are just two examples of the types of critical items created by a CNC Machine.

CNC Machine Models Are Under Continued Development

The latest upgrades for some CNC machine models is the introduction of robotic assistance. This allows the CNC machinist to load a specific number of raw materials or blanks into the input magazine of the machine, and the CNC machine will work its way through the supplied inventory using automated robotic subroutines. The machine would stop and await its next input after finishing the specified number of finished pieces. This level of operator control allows for improved productivity by freeing up the machinist to complete other tasks in the shop or factory.

¹ "Facts About Manufacturing" from the National Association of Manufacturers at https://nam.org/manufacturing-in-the-united-states/facts-about-manufacturing-expanded/#:~:text=Over%20the%20next%20decade Retrieved on October 10, 2024.

² "CNC Industry Trends 2024: Embracing Evolution in CNC Machining" from https://www.gotomorris.com/news/cnc-industry-trends-2024/#:~:text=CNC%20machining%20is%20becoming Published on January 22, 2024. Retrieved on October 10, 2024.

³ "A Complete Guide to Standard Machining Tolerances" from https://www.3erp.com/blog/cnc-machining-tolerances/#:~:text=Common%20CNC%20Machining%20Tolerances Retrieved on October 3, 2024.

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