CNC machining refers to a process method that uses digital devices and information to control the movement of parts and cutters to process the parts on a CNC machine. It is an effective way to solve the variable rapid prototyping components, small batch parts, complex shape parts and high CNC precision machining components and achieve high efficiency parts.
CNC machining is a machining method that uses digital devices and information to control the displacement of parts and tools to process parts on CNC machines. It is an effective way to solve variable rapid prototyping components, small batch parts, complex shape parts, and high CNC precision machining parts and achieve high efficiency parts.
CNC machining is an efficient automatic machine tool composed of mechanical equipment and numerical control system, which is used to process workpieces with complex shapes.
CNC machining center is a high electromechanical product. After clamping the workpiece, the CNC machining system can control the CNC machine to automatically select equipment, automatically set tools, and automatically change different programs such as spindle speed and feed rate.
Rapid prototyping CNC machining can continuously complete drilling, boring. Various processes such as milling, reaming and tapping greatly reduce additional processing time such as workpiece clamping time, measurement and machine tool adjustment. The parts with more complex shapes, high precision requirements and frequent replacement have good economic effects.
Use computer-aided design (CAD) software to create a three-dimensional model of the workpiece, including the geometry and dimensions of the part.
The CAD model is imported into computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software, and the CAM software generates numerical control codes (G codes) that contain machining parameters such as tool paths, cutting depths, and feed speeds.
The workpiece is fixed on the worktable of the CNC machine and the required tools, such as milling cutters, turning tools, or drills, are installed.
The operator calibrates the machine tool to determine the reference point (zero point) of the workpiece so that it is aligned with the coordinate system in the NC program.
The NC program is transmitted to the machine tool through the machine tool controller, and the controller controls the movement of the machine tool according to the program instructions.
The CNC machine tool processes the workpiece according to the preset tool path, removing material layer by layer through operations such as cutting, milling, and drilling to form the final part shape.
4. Inspection and Quality Control After processing, the workpiece is inspected for quality to ensure that its size and shape meet the design requirements. Inspection can be performed by manual measurement or automated inspection equipment.
Based on the test results, if necessary, subsequent processing or correction is carried out to achieve the expected accuracy standard.
The earliest CNC machines date back to the 1940s, when electric motors were first used to control the movement of existing tools. As technology advanced, the mechanisms were enhanced with analog computers and eventually digital computers, giving rise to CNC machining.
The vast majority of today’s CNC equipment is fully electronic. Some of the more common CNC processes include ultrasonic welding, drilling, and laser cutting. The most common machines used in CNC systems include:
CNC milling machines are capable of running a program consisting of numeric and alphabetical prompts that guide the workpiece across various distances. The programming employed by milling machines can be based on G-code or some unique language developed by the manufacturing team. Basic milling machines consist of a three-axis system (X, Y, and Z), but most newer milling machines can accommodate three additional axes.
In a lathe, the workpiece is cut in a circular direction with an indexable tool. With CNC technology, lathes can cut with high precision and speed. CNC lathes are used to produce complex designs that are impossible to achieve with manually run machines. Overall, the control functions of CNC run milling machines and lathes are similar. Like CNC milling machines, lathes can be controlled by G-code or unique proprietary code. However, most CNC lathes consist of two axes – X and Z.
In a plasma cutter, a plasma torch cuts the material. The process is mainly applied to metal materials, but it can also be used on other surfaces. To generate the speed and heat necessary to cut metal, plasma is produced through a combination of compressed air and an electric arc.
Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), also known as Die Machining and Spark Machining, is a process that uses electrical sparks to shape a workpiece into a specific shape. During the EDM process, an electric current discharge occurs between two electrodes, which removes certain parts of the workpiece.
When the space between the electrodes becomes smaller, the electric field becomes stronger and therefore stronger than the dielectric. This allows the current to pass between the two electrodes. Therefore, each electrode removes a part of the workpiece. Subtypes of EDM include:
Wire EDM: Wire EDM uses spark etching to remove parts of electronically conductive materials.
Sinking EDM: Sinking EDM uses electrodes and workpieces immersed in a dielectric fluid to form the workpiece.
During the flushing process, the debris from each finished workpiece is carried away by the liquid dielectric, which appears after the current between the two electrodes stops in order to eliminate any further charge.
In CNC machining, a waterjet is a tool that uses high-pressure water to cut hard materials such as granite and metal. In some cases, the water is mixed with sand or other powerful abrasive substances. Companies often use this process to shape factory machine parts.
Waterjet can be used as a cooling alternative for materials that cannot withstand the high heat of other CNC equipment. Due to the cooling properties of waterjet, several industries such as aerospace and mining rely on waterjet for engraving and cutting, etc. Companies also use waterjet cutters for applications that require very intricate cuts in materials, as the lack of heat prevents any changes that metal-on-metal cutting may cause to the inherent properties of the material.
Before the introduction of Computer Numerical Control (CNC), the manufacturing process involved intense human labor, unnecessarily long production runs, wasted material, and was fraught with pitfalls. Today technology has dramatically improved the manufacturing process.
The introduction of CNC machining technologies offers a high level of reliability, making iterative processes more automatic. But what is CNC machining? What products can be made using CNC technology? How Does CNC Machining Work and What Materials Can Be Used in Manufacturing Processes That Use CNC Machines?
CNC machining technology was born from the needs of the aviation industry. In the late 1940s, an American helicopter company proposed it.
The original idea of CNC machine tools, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed a three-axis CNC milling machine in 1952.
This type of CNC milling machine was used for processing aircraft parts in the mid-1950s. In the 1960s, CNC machining prototypes and programming work became more and more mature and perfect.
Prototype CNC machining services have been used in various industrial sectors, but the aerospace industry has always been the most extensive CNC machine tool.
Some large aircraft factories are equipped with hundreds of CNC machine tools, of which cutting machines are the main ones.
CNC machined parts include integral wall panels, beams, skins, bulkheads, propellers, aircraft engine housings, shafts, discs, blades and unique combustion chamber cavity surfaces liquid rocket engine. The initial stage of the development of CNC precision machining is based on continuous path CNC machine tools, continuous path control.
CNC machining, or Computer Numerical Control, is a technology that uses computer programming to control machine tools to automatically perform precision cutting, milling and other operations. It is widely used in the manufacturing industry. By precisely controlling the tool path, it can achieve high-precision processing of materials such as metals and plastics. It is suitable for producing parts with complex shapes and strict dimensional requirements.
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