Machine shops producing products for customers and looking for ways to speed up the process may want to consider making a move to CNC (Computer Numeric Control) machining in their shop. There are benefits for the business, but there are some things to consider when moving to computer-guided machines if you are not already experienced with the equipment.

Speed And Accuracy

One of the most significant advantages of CNC machining is that the process is controlled by a program written and loaded into the machine specifically for the item you are working on. The CNC machine typically has multiple heads on it, so milling, boring, and drilling can all be done in one machine, and the steps are written into the program to time them at points that make the most sense as the product is created. 

The computer program that controls the process for that one specific item can be saved to an archive and reloaded to the CNC machine later so you can recreate parts and items that are identical to the previous parts. This allows a shop to reproduce a part in a week or a year, so the client can return to you if they need another one made, and the digital file is easy to store until it is required. 

When the program is written correctly, the CNC machine is highly accurate. It can plot points so precisely that the tolerances on the parts are extremely tight to meet the needs of many different clients. 

Materials And Tooling

Most CNC machines use tooling similar to what you are already using on your machines. The material options are also nearly unlimited, so CNC machining steel, aluminum, brass, or even polymers and plastics is possible.

Your local vendor can go over the machine options with you and discuss your needs to get you started. Most shops making a change may want to add one machine and slowly work it into the process, then buy additional machines later. In some situations, mixing the process of CNC machining and manual production is a better option for shops just getting started with automated machines.

Training And Support

Learning to operate a CNC machine is not overly complicated. A machine that already has a program loaded only requires the operator to load and unload materials, monitor the process, inspect parts coming out, and ensure everything is working correctly. Over time the operator can learn to load programs and make adjustments to the program if they are required.

Small shops that are changing over to CNC machining will need to either take some training to learn how to write the programs required or hire someone that already knows how to do it. While it can be intimidating to create the programs for the CNC process, there are programs that can use technical drawings or designs to create the CNC program for you. Look into CNC machining for more information.

Share