What is numerical control? What are the main applications?

Numerical control is the abbreviation of numerical control, which refers to a method of controlling mechanical movement and machining process by using digital information. There are two versions of numerical control, NC (numerical control): representing the old version and the original numerical control technology. CNC (Computerized Numerical Control): Computer numerical control technology, the preferred abbreviation of numerical control. After 1970, computers gradually replaced hardware circuit components, which is called computer numerical control system. Usually, dedicated computers and interface circuits are used to control the actions of multiple numerical control devices. So now CNC generally refers to CNC (Computer Numerical Control).

Application field:

1, manufacturing

Machinery manufacturing industry is the earliest industry to apply numerical control technology, shouldering the heavy responsibility of providing advanced equipment for various industries of the national economy. Focus on the development and production of high-performance three-axis and five-axis high-speed vertical machining centers, five-axis machining centers and large-scale five-axis gantry milling for modern military equipment. CNC machine tools, high-speed machining centers, welding, assembly and painting robots, panel laser welding machines, laser cutting machines, etc. used in flexible processing production lines of engines, gearboxes and crankshafts in the automobile industry. High-speed five-axis machining center for processing propeller, engine, generator and turbine blade parts in aviation, shipbuilding and power generation industries, and milling compound machining center for heavy vehicles.

2. Information industry

In the information industry, from computer to network, mobile communication, telemetry, remote control and other equipment, all need manufacturing equipment based on ultra-precision technology and nanotechnology, such as wire bonder, wafer bonder, mask aligner, etc. for chip manufacturing, and the control of these equipment needs to adopt numerical control technology.

3. Medical equipment industry

In the medical industry, many modern medical diagnosis and treatment equipment adopt numerical control technology, such as CT diagnostic instrument, whole-body knife treatment machine, minimally invasive surgical robot based on visual guidance and so on.

4. Military equipment

Many modern military equipment adopt servo motion control technology, such as gun automatic aiming control, radar tracking control and missile automatic tracking control.

5. Other industries

Printing machinery, textile machinery, packaging machinery and woodworking machinery with multi-axis servo control (up to 50 motion axes) in light industry; In the building materials industry, CNC water jet cutting machine is used for stone processing; CNC glass engraving machine for glass processing; CNC sewing machine for Simmons processing and CNC embroidery machine for garment processing.

Advantages and disadvantages:

(a) CNC machining has the following advantages:

1, the number of tools is greatly reduced, and complex tools are not needed to process parts with complex shapes. If you want to change the shape and size of parts, you only need to modify the processing program of parts, which is suitable for new product development and modification.

2. The machining quality is stable, the machining accuracy is high, and the repeatability is high, which is suitable for the machining requirements of aircraft.

3. In the case of multi-variety and small batch production, the production efficiency is high, which can reduce the time of production preparation, machine tool adjustment and process inspection, and reduce the cutting time because of the use of the best cutting amount.

4. It can process complex surfaces that are difficult to process by conventional methods, and even process some unobservable machined parts.

(2) The disadvantage of NC machining is that machine tools and equipment are expensive, which requires high level of maintenance personnel.