Through the development of the computer numerical control, there has been a tremendous leap in the productivity of machine tools. CNC machineries can be run with minimal supervision from the operator. CNC machining Toronto has been popular these days. In fact CNC machining in Toronto is specialized by several shops in the area. The RWD Tool and Machine Ltd is best known for their CNC machining in Toronto. The company offers various machinery products and is also ready to assist in CNC machining in Toronto.
Before the computer numerical control or the CNC was developed, automation opportunities were very scarce. Automation came in the process of hydraulic tracer systems. The process uses hydraulics to allow the cutting tools of a mill or a lathe to follow certain templates that are preprogrammed in the machine. When the NC and the CNC were introduced, there was a radical increase of the amount of automation works.
Brief history of CNC
In the 1950s, the first ever commercial Numerical Control machines were built and tested. It was made into use through the punched tape. The machine proved that it could cut costs and work time. However, the idea of the Numerical Control was very different and rare that manufacturers were very slow to accept and catch on with the idea. In order for people to adopt the machine and to bring light to manufacturers regarding the new invention, US army bought a total of 120 Numerical Control machines and loaned these to different manufacturers. The manufacturers in turn became familiar with the machine and how it operated that by the end of the 50’s manufacturers were able to catch on.
During the 1960’s there was a rapid development of the Computer Numerical Control. It was during this decade that CAD came into the picture and completely revolutionized how things were processed then. Paper drawings were replaced by the rise of the CAD. By the year 1970, CAD was booming in its industry along with key players such as the Intergraph and Computer vision.
During the 1970s, there was economic fallout among countries in the West. This led to a slowing down in the different sectors and the rate of employment wages were high. Although this bad stroke of luck occurred, CNC did not slow down in its development. The firm foundation that it had in the 1960’s helped it tremendously cope up with the harsh times. It began to outrun older technologies which include manual machining and the use of hydraulic tracers.
Recently, the production of microprocessors made CNC controls very competitive in terms of prices. Companies in the United States had a great role in the revolution of the CNC but they have been much focused in continuously developing it that they overlooked the need to reduce the prices so that it can be very attractive in the market. The Germans seized the opportunity of developing ways to reduce the prices of CNC and by lat 1970’s, they were selling more CNC compared to companies in the US.