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#REDIRECT [[Computer numerical control]]
''This is an article about computer-controlled machines; for an article about the French bicycle manufacturer, see [[CNC (bicycles)|CNC]] or for the police force see [[Civil Nuclear Constabulary]]''
[[Image:Small CNC Turning Center.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A CNC Turning Center]]
The abbreviation '''CNC''' stands for '''''C'''omputer(ized) '''N'''umerical(ly) '''C'''ontrol(led)'', and refers specifically to the [[computer]] control of [[machine tool]]s for the purpose of (repeatedly) [[manufacturing]] complex parts in [[metal]] as well as other [[material]]s, using a [[program]] written in a [[notation]] conforming to the EIA-274-D standard and commonly called ''[[G-code]]''.
CNC was developed in the late [[1940s]] and early [[1950s]] by the [[MIT Servomechanisms Laboratory]].
==Tools with CNC variants==
* [[Drill]]s
* [[Electrical discharge machining|EDM]]s
* [[Lathe]]s
* [[Milling machine]]s
* [[CNC wood router|Wood router]]s
* [[Sheetmetal work]]s
==Description==
The introduction of CNC machines radically changed the [[manufacturing]] industry. Curves are as easy to cut as straight lines, complex 3-D structures are relatively easy to produce, and the number of [[machining]] steps that required human action have been dramatically reduced.
With the increased automation of manufacturing processes with CNC [[machining]], considerable improvements in consistency and quality have been achieved. CNC automation eliminated errors and provided CNC operators with time to perform additional tasks. CNC automation also allows for more flexibility in the way parts are held in the manufacturing process and the time required to change the machine to produce different components.
In a production environment, a series of CNC machines may be combined into one station, commonly called a "cell", to progressively machine a part requiring several operations. CNC machines today are controlled directly from files created by [[Computer-aided design|CAD]] [[software]] packages, so that a part or assembly can go directly from design to manufacturing without the need of producing a drafted paper drawing of the manufactured component. In a sense, the CNC machines represent a special segment of [[industrial robot]] systems, as they are programmable to perform many kinds of [[machining]] operations (within their designed physical limits, like other robotic systems).
CNC machines were relatively briefly preceded by the less advanced NC, or [[numerically controlled|Numerical(ly) Control(led)]], machines.
==External links==
*[http://www.stoneworld.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,4046,65312,00.html ''Computers advance stoneworking technology''] – By Jill Critchley (Stone World; www.stoneworld.com), 10 Oct 2001
* [http://www.gefanuc-europe.com GE Fanuc Automation Europe S.A.]
*[http://www.pmozarks.com/article/what_is_cnc.htm "What is CNC?"] – By Mike Lynch
*[http://www.cncci.com/resources/articles/CNC%20basics%201.htm Fundamentals Of CNC]
*[http://www.cnczone.com CNCzone.com - The Ultimate Machinist Community]
*[http://www.franjometal.com/metal-spinning/cnc-metal-spinning.html] Introduction to CNC Metal Spinning Techniques
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[[Category:Production and manufacturing]]
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