Computer Numerical Control, often shortened to CNC, machines are a cost-effective way to increase the quality of your products, while they can also increase the operational efficiency of a company. This is also the case when outsourcing the production to a CNC machine shop, because CNC machines reduce overheads. Furthermore, they improve your bottom line performance because the production process is quicker, while the products are consistently of a higher quality as well. The same thing happens to your business when you use CNC services. CNC machining is already used by various companies, partially because they want to experience the benefits of this manufacturing method. A few examples of these advantages are mentioned below.
Operational versatility and simplicity
Because you use computer programming when it comes to Computer Numerical Control machines, you are capable of controlling essentially any tool. These are used to cut, form, and shape the workpiece that is being used, which is a block of a certain material. By doing this, a product will be created with total precision in a short amount of time. Usually this will take much longer, which is especially the case when you decide to use traditional manufacturing processes. The operator of the CNC machine will have to key an instruction program into the computer. Afterwards, he or she needs to insert the needed tools and allow the computer to do the cutting automatically, although other CNC machining operations can be employed as well of course.
Versus manual machines
Instead of the Computer Numerical Control machines you could also use manual machines, of course. These are machines that you have to control by hand, which sets them apart from CNC machines. After all, a CNC machine is controlled by a computer. Manufacturing companies benefit enormously from these machines because they are capable of producing complex and irregular shapes. This includes three-dimensional designs for example. Usually these products cannot be made using manual machining. Because of this, several types of CNC machines are already used in many different industries. It is highly important to select the appropriate CNC machine for your business, since this will essentially decide how your products will be made in the future. By outsourcing the production process this is not really the case, since a machine shop offers a lot of different CNC machines.
Wide spectrum of CNC machines
As mentioned before, there are a lot of different CNC machines that can be used. This includes turning centers or lathe machines, machines used to produce cylindrical products. Turn mill centers on the other hand allow both milling and turning functions, while grinding machines are used to grind metal components. On top of that, they can also polish metal and smooth metal surface finishes. Five-axis CNC machines are special machines, these are capable of moving in five directions at the same time. On top of that, machines can be custom built for specific CNC operations. This can include CNC routers, just like CNC plasma cutters for example.