Many technological innovations can keep us in wonder. The advancement in technology for one has provided us with many machining techniques that have entirely changed the manufacturing industry. One of such manufacturing techniques is customized CNC machining. Aside from providing CNC technicians with many job opportunities, it has also simplified and upgraded the quality of machined parts.
What is CNC Machining?
Computerized Numerical Control machine is a method that uses a range of manufacturing tasks. These tasks are done using a computer-aided device. It started in the 70s, and continuous improvement on the technique that uses CAD (computer-aided design) and CAM (Computer Aided Machine) has continued to replace the use of old school machines operated manually.
The innovation is possible because of programming languages that can perform a variety of task to produce parts with a high degree of precision, accuracy, and efficiency. It has improved productivity, thanks to its automated control. In CNC machining, the pre-programmed software controls the movement of the tools and machinery. This automated process gives a lot of benefits, contributing to further improvements in manufacturing parts.
cnc machining parts, *picture from shankmachining.com
Understanding the Importance of Custom CNC Machining Shops
Although you can find many shops that cater to standard CNC components and parts, if you require something unique, or perhaps a kind product, it is essential that you have a custom CNC machining shop partner. These machine shops provide customized solutions to cater to the different custom CNC parts that multiple industries need.
There are a variety of reasons why you should look for a custom CNC machining shop. For one, a company that caters to customization have a variety of innovative tools and equipment that can do more than the standard work. If you need parts that is drilled, milled, turned, or something out of the standard, you can get peace of mind knowing with full confidence that this shop can provide. Also, if you have a company that can deliver the precise finished product that you need faster can reduce your machine downtime.
When you have a partner custom CNC machine shop, you know that the finished part will have incredible accuracy. Precision is the primary requirement for finished parts or products. Fortunately, you can get them from a machining company that specializes in precision, which is within 0.05 inches in most cases. In other manually operated machines, the finished parts are inconsistent.
Custom CNC machining can also accommodate a wide range of materials. The versatility and flexibility of this method can have you required parts machined, fabricated, and finished by only one shop. Its improved communication and hasten the production because the precision machining company can manufacture more than one product at the same time.
Tight tolerance is also another benefit of working with a top CNC machining shop. Some manufacturing companies require a high degree of tolerance from the components and parts they need. For customized production, you can achieve not only tolerance but also consistent and accurate parts.
How Does Custom CNC Machining Work?
When the CNC machine is set in motion, the computer program commands the desired cuts to the tools and machinery. After which the task is carried on needed. If you require cuts from more than one direction, you can see the cutting process to be seamless and flawless.
In customized CNC machining, the new programs can be included in the existing program as needed. CNC machining allows pre-programming of the tools and machineries like the position and speed. This is in a predictable and repetitive cycle.
The process all starts with a 2D or 3D drawing, and then it is translated into computer code so the CNC system can execute. After the program is loaded, the operator can do a trial run to make sure that the coding has no mistakes.
Today, custom CNC machining is fully automated. By using CAD and dimension for a required part, it is converted into a finished product with the use of a CAM.
What Are the Types of Custom CNC Machines?
The most common machines found in the many CNC machine shops may include lathe, CNC mills, electric discharge machines, plasma cutters, and water jet cutters.
There are times when CNC machines can turn faulty if the exact parameters are not clear on the program. If the program code is wrong, or out of bounds can result in internal collision. This might lead to a structural deformity on the finished part because the directions are incorrect and faulty.
If a finished product requires more than one machine tools, like cutter and drills, to accommodate this requirement, more customized CNC machines have combined the different functions in one cell. In other cases, a complete CNC system can have a set of robotic arms that transfers the material from one application to another. The same program controls all these.
Regardless of what set-up the CNC machining shop has, the process will still allow consistency in producing parts that would be difficult for manually operated machines, if not impossible, to replicate them manually.