Curious about the different types of machines that are used in CNC manufacturing? Consider this.
According to John Saunders with London Loves Business:
“CNC machine manufacturing as the name suggests is a computer-controlled manufacturing process. Over time, they have become quite popular with manufacturers. It offers numerous advantages to manufacturers with the most important one being automation.
“CNC machines help factories get around major problems caused by labor shortages. They are automatic and carry out a large load of work, that may need hundreds of workers to implement.
“They also help lower manufacturing costs, through speedy and accurate production.
“Here are some types of CNC machines that companies can invest in to improve their manufacturing process, and product quality.
CNC milling machines
“This is one of the loved and most common CNC machines. The milling machine uses in-built rotary cutters for drilling and cutting. Once the materials are placed in it, the computer then guides the rotary cutters on whether to cut or drill the materials it is working on. A CNC machine is highly accurate and precise.
“Usually the milling machine is a three-axis machine. However, it is also available in 4 to 6 axes for more angles to cut and deliver high quality products.
CNC routers
“This is another common type of milling machine. CNC routers do not require any human interaction. They are completely computer controlled. Also, a three-axis machine, CNC routers majorly work on wood, metal sheets and plastic materials.
“Further CNC machines are meant to work on large products.
CNC plasma machine
“Another common type of CNC machine is the plasma cutting machine. This is a cutting tool that uses a laser torch to cur through wood and metal sheets.
“The CNC plasma cutting machine is a two-axis machine. In addition, it does not require as much power as the milling machine to perform its duties. It is therefore suitable for small manufacturers who deal with wood and metal sheets.
CNC laser machine
“Unlike the CNC plasma machine, the CNC laser machine cuts with a laser. It is therefore more precise and accurate than its the plasma torch machine. Depending on the material it is working on, the strength of the laser needs to be varied. This machine is suitable for manipulating wood, metal sheets and plastic sheets.
“Like the plasma machine, the laser machine is highly flexible and easily creates as many shapes as can be required.
CNC lathe machines
“If you want to create a spherical or cone shape on metal sheets and products, this is the machine to use. It usually has a rotating part and spindle that shaves of the product slowly by slowly to create the perfect circular shape.
CNC pick and place machines
“CNC pick and place machines are the machines used to assemble sensitive components of electrical appliances such as TVs and mobile devices and laptops. They are highly accurate and for that reason are used for such critical tasks as electrical devices assembly. They are highly capable thanks to their several pairs of arms that can suction pieces and fix them exactly where they need to be.
CNC grinders
“This is a CNC machine that grinds metal sheets with a rotary wheel. As a computer-controlled machine, it does not require extreme precision and thus it may be the easiest to use among all the types of CNC machines.
CNC metrology machines
“CNC metrology machines are machines that are used to inspect other machines. They check for accuracy in dimensions. As CNC machines, they carry out their tasks via a 3 -D software. They help to check on the tolerance of machines to ensure that products are made in the correct dimensions.
Conclusion
“There exist numerous types of CNC machines. Different companies can acquire different types of machines depending on the type of work that they carry out. CNC machines automate factories and make work easier to perform and carry out. With little human intervention, CNC machines are highly automatic and rarely if ever produce work that does not meet expectations.”