Tuesday, May 15, 2018

CNC Turning Centers, Spinning Like World

By James Ross


People used to work with their bare hands. Blacksmiths hammered metal into armor and weapons. Artists used to sculpt clay and stone into beautiful statues. But times have changed and society has moved forward, and CNC turning centers are how things get done.

Turning is the industrial process in which a piece metal is shaped into something else. This is accomplished by securing the metal in a lathe. The lathe then spins said metal, while a cutting is introduced to the piece and then maneuvered so that the metal is distorted and shaped into something else.

CNC stands for computer numerical code. A CNC turning center is a piece of equipment that works largely by itself, using a predetermined program. By using such a device, the process becomes more automated.

A CNC turning center can cost more than a manual one. However, the costs are offset by the fact that it requires less of a specialized skill set to manage and fewer people to do so. Between the money saved from hiring multiple employees and the sheer efficiency of the machine, one can easily be a solid investment for any industrial business.

Automation makes things more effective, and turning is no different. A machine can produce tools at a greater volume than a person could. Computer code is used to run the machine and since a computer does the same thing every time, each product made is impossible to differentiate from the last. Quality remains consistent across the board even as volume goes up.

A center is also extremely versatile, able to make different kinds of products depending on the programming. Also, because it is a piece of equipment that uses computer, it does not have to be retrained. All a CNC turning center needs in order to expand its skill set is a software update.

There is also no question about whether or not machines can also work longer hours than people can. The short answer is that they very much can. Since the machine has no need for rest or sustenance, just a steady power supply, it can be worked for twenty fours a day, three hundred and sixty five days a year. It only needs to be switched off every now and again for the requisite maintenance.

Progress can be controversial for those who are not progressive. There are those who believe that technology has become a crutch. There is a premium on artisanal, that is, made by hand, products. Automation can also cost jobs, as the work of a factory of hundreds can be done with some computers, some machines, and a few people to maintain and operate said machinery.

Whatever the case, time marches forward. Hands are no longer used to shape rock or steel, but to program code with a keyboard, Controversial as it may be, automation makes for a more efficient workforce, a more streamlined manufacturing process, and for a higher quality product. It does not have to be popular, but automation in all forms in how things are going to be done moving forward. Labor intensive jobs are quickly becoming a thing of the past.




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