Importance of CNC Machines
Today, there is a wide variety of manufacturing technologies to choose from. While all technologies have their own unique advantages and specific areas where they excel over others, CNC machining has proven to be the most popular industrial choice. Fives machining systems inc designs and supplies machine tools, as well as complete manufacturing solutions for a wide range of industrial sectors.
Here are just some of the reasons why CNC machining is so important to modern manufacturing.
The predecessor of CNC, CNC machine tools, has been around since the 1940s. With the advent of CNC automation in the 1970s, manufacturers were able to further improve existing technologies and advance global production chains. This allowed computer precision and design to be integrated into workshops and factory floors, resulting in higher quality products with greater cost efficiency.
One of the main advantages of CNC over competitors such as additive manufacturing is speed. While companies are looking for alternatives, there is really no better way to produce high-speed products. Needless to say, machining can achieve levels of cutting, milling, or drilling that humans cannot, but it also has the ability to quickly prototype or quickly adjust workpieces. These possibilities can greatly increase the efficiency and productivity of the manufacturing process.
Compared to 3D printing or manual production, CNC machining also brings inefficiencies in reasonable, efficient mass production. While high-volume production methods such as injection molding can outperform CNC machines in terms of part count, these methods are expensive in terms of producing molds, and not all companies can operate at such high volumes, making them a less attractive prospect. This is especially true because molds need to be changed, and injection molding cannot make changes to an object as easily as a 3D model can.
Other methods also generally do not have the level of consistency that CNC machining can achieve. CNC machines can repeatedly manufacture an object with little to no variation in quality. Repeatability has long been a major concern of modern manufacturing technology, but no other technology has been able to replicate the success that CNC machines have achieved in this regard.
Automated precision further enhances this consistency and efficiency. With computerized precision, CNC machines are able to achieve high accuracy, resulting in perfect cuts during machining. They also do a great job of reducing waste on each workpiece. This reduction in material waste reduces a shop’s overall production costs and can result in significant savings. Additionally, due to the automated element, they can reduce labor costs and the potential for human error while working around the clock. Another advantage they bring is that they are simple to use, requiring only a relatively low skill level to use.
CNC machines also offer a fair degree of versatility. Depending on the type and quality of CNC equipment, shops and machinists can essentially purchase multiple machines for the price of one. Therefore, there is little need to purchase separate equipment such as saws and drills. There are also CNC plasma cutters, CNC milling machines, CNC lathes, and electronic discharge machines. A well-equipped machine can process a wide range of materials such as wood, glass, hot wire foam, and more.
The complexity and sophistication of parts is another big advantage of CNC machines. They can carve out some very complex shapes that often leave competitors in the dust. To date, few technologies can replicate digital files as accurately and consistently as they can. CNC machines can follow any programmed instructions down to the finest detail. This allows manufacturers to create more precise products than manual equipment or older automated equipment.
In addition to being able to improve production processes, CNC machines are also safer for workers and have far fewer regulatory requirements. They are also ideal for processing toxic or extremely hot materials. The evolution of CNC machines is not over yet. There are many developments in the future that may further enhance their capabilities in the shop floor. Over time, the industry has grown rapidly in terms of a variety of uses. Just a decade ago, CNC machines were used primarily by large manufacturers and factories for large industrial projects. Now, as the scale has been reduced, the general public and small workshops can use all the advantages that powerful CNC machines have to offer. This makes the technology more and more widely appealing. The technology is also expected to become cheaper, as it has been doing over the past few years. In addition to this, these devices are becoming more mobile and increasingly able to interact with many other smaller devices on different tasks.
Trends also show that not only CNC machines, but other manufacturing technologies are also becoming more dependent on the Internet. In short, it is expected that connectivity between CNC machines will increase, and these machines can do more work, faster, and rely less on human operators. Dealers need to design innovative support services and provide manufacturers with expert guidance to make their CNC machine buying and selling experience smooth and simple.
Hybrid CNC-3D printers are also making their way into various industry applications. Although the development of such machines has been slow, they may show promise in the future, providing a simple, one-size-fits-all manufacturing solution. They can potentially recover materials or create shapes that CNC alone cannot handle. Combining additive and subtractive methods can bring huge advantages. If prices drop and more established industry leaders start using this exciting new technology, it could find a more prominent niche in manufacturing.
Researchers also hope to further automate processes that CNC machines can’t handle on their own. Currently, the focus is on finding ways to integrate CNC machines with robots used to move, pack, and organize goods. This would further reduce waste, save time, and lower labor costs. If such a system comes to fruition, a single control panel might one day be enough to direct the entire manufacturing process.
As with 3D printing, CNC machining is also seeing some new potential technologies emerge that could improve aspects of design and 3D modeling. VR and AR also have potential uses, allowing operators to teach motion trajectories to machine tools, saving individual motion sequences in a machining program. This could allow for more control over the process if very specific tool paths are required.