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What is a CNC?
Home » Manufacturing » CNC » What is a CNC?If you work in a manufacturing facility where you use machines to produce goods, you may have heard of CNC. If you do work in such an environment but the term is new to you, this explanation and the facts that follow will help you to know what it means and will clarify what it does. CNC is an acronym for Computer Numerical Control. This actually is not a new term. It has been in use since 1970. Before 1970 it was called a Numerical Control.
If you work in a manufacturing facility of any type of you more than likely have run across this type of machine. CNC machines are put in place to replace and make it easier for factory workers to do their jobs. It takes over the redundant work that a machinist would do. For example, in using a drill it takes a lot of precision. Many movements of the hand and arm are required to drill a hole in some kind of material. A CNC machine can be programmed to perform this same operation as the driller did but in a more automatic fashion. These operations would include placing a drill in the spindle, activating the spindle, positioning the work piece for drilling, drill the hole, and turning off the spindle. Once the machine is set up and running, the machine will continue to work in this fashion. The only thing the machinist is there to do is monitor the machine to make sure it works without problems.
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