Intro
Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machinery has been one of the biggest advancements in manufacturing. Today, it’s hard to find a machine shop that doesn’t have at least one CNC machine. You’re probably familiar with CNC machines, but do you know the full extent of their usefulness?
In this guide, our machining experts will explain the applications of CNC with respect to faster, better, more reliable manufacturing. We’ll uncover 8 innovative reasons to use a CNC machine in your next project.
A Variety of Available Machines
The phrase “CNC machine” refers to any number of manufacturing equipment that uses a computer to program and automate the process. Some examples of CNC machines are milling machines, lathes, plasma cutters, and waterjet cutters. With this variety, there are even more CNC industrial applications that you can consider.
With a wider range of machines to pick from, you can ensure you get the best results when you choose CNC machining. Compare this to a 3D printer, which is really good at doing one thing — the difference is that you get more versatility when you choose CNC machining.
In more advanced shops, you’ll find CNC machines that have five axes of operation. That means that the head of the CNC machine can move in X, Y, and Z, but it can also rotate around two of those axes. It’s incredible to watch these machines run, but it’s even more impressive if you realize what they can do.
A 5-axis machine can machine multiple faces without the need to remove and re-zero the raw material. These machines can make more intricate parts than ever.
Higher Precision
A good machinist working on a high-quality CNC machine can achieve incredible tolerances of +/-.002 or tighter, and meet very high precision standards. In fact, CNC machines can hit tolerances that are tighter than non-CNC machines could dream of hitting.
When precision matters for your application, you could consider CNC machinery.
Unlocking Rapid Prototyping
CNC machines are really quick, and they can involve a lot of programming to further simplify the process. In the right machine shop, you can unlock prototypes even faster.
This is great news for companies that want metal prototypes, or don’t want to overpay for the manufacturing efforts required to make a single prototype part. With a faster prototype, you can breeze through the prototyping phase and get your product out even sooner.
Complete Customization
Our CNC machines are able to make completely custom, one-off parts for your operation. A lot of our CNC machining business comes from people who want small-batch production of unique parts.
The customization is all thanks to how the CNC machine works — it can drill, ream, face-off, cut, lap, grind, and create internal features easily.
Cost-Effective Small-Batch Production
For making a few items at an affordable price, it’s hard to find a better option than CNC machining. Our experts can help you pick the right manufacturing style for your specific application, but the rule of thumb is that CNC machining is a good go-to whenever you want to prototype or make a small-batch production run.
Choose from Multiple Materials
Within the world of CNC machining, you can make parts with almost any material you can think of. Our shop can handle a range of plastics and metal, giving you the option to hand-pick the material properties of your prototypes and production parts.
We can deliver traditional aluminum 6061 parts, or complicated titanium prototypes using the same CNC machinery.
Incredible Repeatability
If you need a dozen dimensionally-identical metal parts fabricated, then CNC machining is the best option. A well-made CNC machine is incredibly repeatable and reliable, meaning our machinists can hit the same tolerances on every part we work with.
When we’re making the same part over and over again, we typically set up a program that automates a lot of the operation.
Conclusion
As you learned, there are a lot of CNC industrial applications which can save you time and money, while getting precision parts. We can’t stop talking about CNC machines, and our professional machine shop has at least one CNC machine running every day that our doors are open.
If you want your own high-precision, production-quality CNC-machined parts, trust Rapid Axis. We have multiple CNC machines on our floor, and we can deliver exactly what you’re looking for. To connect with your new go-to all-service manufacturer, get a free quote from Rapid Axis today.