What Is CNC Machining? So, we now know how CNC machines work. But not all these machines are used for CNC machining.
We will take a closer look at all the different types of CNC machines that are available a little later. But in a traditional sense, CNC machining refers to only a few of these automated processes. Namely milling, turning, grinding, routing, drilling, etc.
Milling It is an operation where the cutting tool rotates. When the milling tool comes into contact with the workpiece, it removes chips from it.
Milling operations include:
End milling Chamfer milling Face milling Drilling, boring, tapping, etc. It is a very universal fabrication method with great accuracy and tolerances. Milling is suitable for a variety of materials and is also very quick. The ability to manufacture a wide range of complex parts is a great advantage.
The disadvantages include a large amount of waste, need for a variety of tooling and high cost of equipment.
Turning While the two are often called just CNC machining, turning and milling have distinct differences. Turning is pretty much the opposite of milling. This means that instead of the cutting tool, the workpiece is rotating.
CNC turning services are commonly used for producing shafts, for example. The tool is brought against the rotating workpiece to cut off bits of metal, known as chips or swarf. Achieving high accuracy for a suitable type of limits and fits system is possible.
Turning is usable on the outside of a cylinder or on the inside. The latter operation is called boring.
Grinding CNC grinding machines use a rotating grinding wheel to remove material. The objective is to give a high-precision finish to a metal part.
The achievable surface quality is very high. Therefore, it is used as a finishing operation rather than creating the final piece from raw materials.
Routing CNC routers are seemingly similar to CNC milling machines. Here also the rotating piece is the cutting head. The main difference lies in the materials suitable for cutting.
Routers are a perfect fit for cutting softer materials (not metals) that do not require very high accuracy. The reason for that is its lesser output power.
At the same time, routers are quicker. Therefore, they are able to produce the parts in less time.
Drilling While milling equipment can also produce holes, drills are meant for only that job.
The difference? While milling tools use cutting edges around the cutting head’s periphery, drills use the tip of the tool to produce a hole.
CNC drilling machines are commonly used to automate this job, provide better accuracy and a more cost-effective solution.
Types of CNC Machines As said before, CNC machines are not limited to the traditional sense of CNC machining equipment.
CNC is widely used to automate a variety of different fabrication methods. These include:
Laser cutters Plasma cutters Waterjet cutters Flame cutters Press brakes Milling machines Turning machines Routers Electrical discharge machines, etc. All these operations greatly benefit from the automation factor. This reduces the human element in the final quality, enhances repeatability of processes and accuracy.
The description above about the workings of CNC machines applies to all these methods. When turning to a laser cutting service for example, the same logic applies – the cutting path is automatically generated.
This process like many others, however, does not need some of the extra information like the change of tooling. Because the same cutting head is suitable for the whole duration of the process. What Can CNC Machining Make? Seemingly, CNC machining has no limitations. It is suitable for a wide range of materials, including different types of metal, plastics, foam, composites and wood.
3-axis milling machines are able to produce most of the more basic geometric shapes. For more complex parts, multi-axis milling centres are available. For example, a 5-axis CNC milling centre can help out. While the more common 3-axis one has 3 linear axes of movement, 5-axis machines can also rotate the cutting head and the machine bed.
This significantly improves flexibility but also increases cost. Even though CNC is a lot quicker, manual machining still has its place in the industry. Especially for low-volume rapid prototyping.
But CNC machining still prevails in the sector when high accuracy is necessary. This is the reason why so many industries take advantage of it, including:
Aerospace Electrical Defence Mining Industrial machinery Food & beverage Clothing Automotive Product design, etc. All in all, CNC machining has cemented its place in the manufacturing sector as a reliable and useful way of producing parts. At the same time, CNC machining cost may often be a little bit higher compared to other fabrication methods.
The machinery itself comes with a high price and is difficult to operate, posing some dangers. Thus, the best you to get machined parts is turning to a company who has the necessary expertise to assure top-notch quality. Elimold wide network of vetted manufacturers can accommodate your needs for both CNC turning and milling.