A CNC machine is a machine tool that works, as the name says, with computerised numerical control. In the 1980s this technology was only used for high-precision machining; today CNC machines are found in every field of engineering and beyond.
A CNC machine is the evolution of the NC machine, because control of the work is entrusted to a computer. Thanks to their versatility and precision, CNC machines are used successfully in many sectors: woodworking, upholstery, tailoring and packaging.
There are various types of CNC machine on the market that can sew, cut, position, measure and carry out a wide range of operations fully automatically.
CNC machines: the advantages
Compared with manual machines, CNC machines reduce machining times thanks to repeatable operations, and also lower costs while producing higher-quality, uniform products. For example, when properly equipped and installed, the best CNC machines have a tolerance of a thousandth of a millimetre, or one micron. Mid-range machines offer tolerances of a hundredth of a millimetre.
These characteristics make them the best solution for producing large, complex curved surfaces such as turbines or compressors, but also hydrodynamic outlets. The most common types of CNC machine are milling machines, which create perfectly smooth surfaces quickly, automatically and with very high precision.