CNC machining – fast and reliable

CNC machining involves processing prefabricated stocks in various shapes, mainly bars and plates. These stocks are prepared using various cutting processes depending on the number of pieces, material and dimensions. The preparatory cutting processes include sawing, laser cutting, flame cutting and water jet cutting.

During set-up, a machine tool is prepared for the manufacturing of the CNC parts. The most important steps during set-up are clamping the stocks and preparing the turning and milling tools. When selecting the clamping, the geometry of the stock and the finished part, the expected machining forces, the accessibility for the tools and the work sequence for CNC machining must be taken into account. Depending on the machining task, the technically correct and economical choice of clamping requires a great deal of experience and well-qualified employees. The time required depends largely on the factors mentioned and can range from a few minutes to several hours. For this reason, clamping can be a cost driver in CNC manufacturing.

The machining program, the so-called NC program, describes how the CNC machine is to produce the finished part from the stock with the help of the tools. These programs can be created directly on the CNC machine controller or with the help of CAM software (Computer Aided Manufacturing Software). In general, programming cannot be automated and requires well-qualified employees. Advances in both CNC machine controls and CAM software are increasingly simplifying and speeding up programming. The time required depends largely on the geometric complexity of the parts and can range from a few minutes to several hours.

The actual CNC machining process begins once all preparatory steps have been completed. Depending on the requirements, the part is manufactured on CNC turning machines, CNC milling machines, or multifunctional CNC machines capable of both turning and milling. You can find more information on the machining processes turning and milling here. The total machining time of a workpiece is determined by the main machining operations as well as auxiliary times, such as tool changes or repositioning or replacing the workpiece. The duration of each machining step is influenced by numerous factors. Among these, the material and the volume of material to be removed often have the greatest impact on cycle time and overall manufacturing efficiency.