| By :
Nadine Davis
Copyright (c) 2010 Nadine Davis Manufacturing processes are usually a mystery to the consumer who has had little exposure to sophisticated 5 axis machining technology. Without realising it, though, consumer product demands have largely driven the development of such technology, more often referred to as CNC (Computer Numerical Control). However, most people don't really understand just how the CNC process works, or the types of services it can offer to manufacturers and further down the supply chain, to the end user of the product. Without it, delivery deadlines would blow out, costs would increase, and many of the household items and industry components used daily would simply not be available. In its simplest terms, the CNC process means the cutting, drilling or removal of metal or timber through the use of a computer program to control every operation. All CNC machines are motion controlled, meaning that they have two or more directions of motion. These are called axes which can be linear (in a straight line) or rotary (circular), and the more axes the machine has, the more complex the operations it can perform. CNC offers the following benefits to the manufacturer: > Reduced human intervention in the actual operation of the machine. Once the program has been written and tested, and the machine set up, the program directs the rest of the processes, usually without further manual adjustment. This reduces mistakes caused by human error, and frees the operator up to perform other tasks while the machine is running. > Consistent levels of quality, which should not vary provided that the raw materials are of a consistent size and quality. All things being equal, as the old saying goes, the finished product, regardless of number, should be the same. > Much greater levels of precision and difficulty. This is especially true with multiple-axis machines which allow complex and delicate cuts to be made at awkward angles. These types of machines increase the range of engineering services that can be offered to the customer, as they allow for greater creativity and flexibility in the process of making the component. > Higher levels of productivity through reducing waste and cutting production time. As there is very little chance of error, CNC reduces re-machining incidents and speeds up production, as the machines are able to run continuously until the programmed production run is completed. All of these benefits eventually flow to the customer through "on-time" delivery of their product, and fewer warranty returns. This reliability enhances their reputation and market position against their competition. CNC services these days are generally readily available to customers who need precision machining Townsville included.
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