Numerical control

Numerical control or numerically controlled (NC) machine tools are machines that are automatically operated by commands that are received by their processing units. NC machines were first developed soon after World War II and made it possible for large quantities of the desired components to be very precisely and efficiently produced (machined) in a reliable repetitive manner. These early machines were often fed instructions which were punched onto paper tape or punch cards. In the 1960s, NC machines largely gave way to CNC, or computer numerical control, machines.

Related Topics:
Machine tool - World War II - Machined - Paper tape - Punch card - 1960s - CNC - Computer

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Numerical Control (NC) was the precursor of today's Computer Numerical Control (CNC), which controls the automation of machine tools and the inherent tool processes for which they are designed. The CNC machine tool is the servo actuator of the CAD/CAM (Computer Assisted Design/Computer Assisted Manufacturing) technology both literally and figuratively.

Related Topics:
Servo - Actuator - CAD/CAM

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CNC inherits from NC the essential character of by-the-numbers interpolation of transition points in the work envelope of a mult-axis motion platform, based on the separation of programming from operations. The set of instructions, or "program" (usually an ASCII text file in which, in its simplest form, a line of text specifies the axial coordinates of a point in the work envelope) is prepared from a blueprint or CAD file and transferred to the memory of the CNC via floppy drive, serial data interface or a network connection. Once stored in the CNC memory and selected, the program is executed by pressing the appropriate key on the machine operator panel.

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