Computer Numerical Control: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 11:18, 12 January 2009

Revision as of 13:25, 12 January 2009

Line 8:

==Historical overview==

CNC was preceded by [[numerical control|numerically controlled]] (NC) machines, which were hard-wired and their operating parameters could not be changed. NC was developed in the late 1940s and early 1950s by John T. Parsons in collaboration with the [[MIT]] Servomechanisms Laboratory. The first CNC systems used NC style hardware, and the computer was used for the tool compensation calculations and sometimes for editing. CNC works very well and is a big success to the industry.

Punched tape continued to be used as a medium for transferring G-codes into the controller for many decades after 1950, until it was eventually superseded by [[RS232|RS232 cables]], floppy disks, and now is commonly tied directly into [[Computer network|plant networks]]. The files containing the G-codes to be interpreted by the controller are usually saved under the .NC extension. Most shops have their own saving format that matches their [[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]] certification requirements.