Most of us think of milling as an old process that still relies on the skills of tradesmen. Although this is still true to an extent, you’ll soon find that this process has very much been brought into the 21st century. Read on for more information on how the CNC milling service has changed milling altogether.
What is Milling?
Put simply, Milling is a machining process where rotary cutters are used to remove materials from a workpiece feeding in a certain direction at an angle to the axis of a tool. It is used in many different industries to create precision parts, from small individual parts to large, heavy-duty gang milling operations. Milling is a frequently used process for machining parts to specific sizes and shapes in industry and machine shops today. The process can be done with a wide range of machine tools, which have changed over the course of time with technological advancements.
A Brief History
The original class of machine tools for milling purposes was the milling machine, although the practice evolved from rotary filing, which was a much longer and less efficient process. Although Eli Whitney is often credited with inventing the first milling machine, scholars suggest that lesser-known inventors such as Robert Johnson, John H. Hall, Simeon North, and Roswell Lee also played a large role in the development. The process was redesigned and honed throughout the nineteenth century, ultimately leading to the invention of the computer numerical control, commonly known today as CNC. With this invention, milling machines evolved into machining centers, generally classified as either vertical machining centers or horizontal machining centers.
Computer Numerical Control
As previously mentioned, CNC stands for computer numerical control. A cnc miling service uses computer controlled vertical mills to move a spindle along an axis known as the Z-axis. This allows for an extra degree of freedom that creates precision engraving, diesinking, and relief applications. When combined with conical tools or a ball nose cutter, CNC milling also significantly improves the general milling precision without affecting speed. This makes the process the most cost-efficient alternative to most flat-surface hand engraving work.
These operating systems run on a closed loop system, function on feedback, and have developed from basic numeric control (NC) machines. The machine is guided through its operations by a program, which uses many of the common codes some of us may be familiar with. Even in trades that seem ancient, like the cutting of materials for machinery, there is still benefit to be found in the advent of digital technologies.
