CNC, or Computer Numerical Control, has been used for many decades now. It has shaped and promoted every type of manufacturing process over range of industries. Typically, these machines carry out some form of manufacturing process. One of those manufacturing processes involves a drilling operation.
Manual Drill Press Operation
Machine holes are fabricated through use of a drill press. A significant amount of manual intervention is required to use a drill press and drill holes. An individual must perform some type of action throughout the process. While small manufacturing jobs can make use of manually operated drill presses, larger production quantities can benefit from more efficient methods of drilling.
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This CNC form of the drill press utilizes a programmed system in which a drilling operation is carried out in an automatic fashion. All of the independent drilling operations performed by an individual in a manual drill press operation are instead done by CNC machine. This includes positioning the drill in the spindle, activating the spindle, setting the workpiece under the drill, drilling a hole, and shutting off the spindle.
CNC Programming and Precision
A wide variety of drilling operations are carried out by CNC machines. These machines can be programmed to manipulate a part, drill cross holes offer on center, and in either face of the part. These machines can perform drilling operations in various sizes and options. After the drilling operation, CNC machines, responding to programming, can, bore, or thread depending on the specific requirements.
Motion Control
CNC machines share a common characteristic. They possess two or more programmable axes (directions of motion). These axes in motion can be rotary or linear. The complexity of the CNC machine depends on the number of axes it has. The greater number of axes, the more complex tasks it can produce. Highly advanced drilling machines often possess five axes.
CNC Promotes Efficiency
The programmable nature of CNC machines enables them to carry out all of the tasks and individual operator would be required to perform manually. When one of these machines is setup to operate, its continued operation is relatively simple, with even the loading process of the workpiece automated in some cases.