Computer numerical control is a modern concept in the manufacturing and production industries. However, the concept of CNC harken back to the basic idea of NC, or numerical control.
The idea of numerical control started when the automation of machine tools originally incorporated specific concepts of programmable logic. In the beginning, the first NC machines were built back in the 1940s. Slightly more advanced machines came along in the 1950s. These manufacturing machines were constructed based on existing tools that were modified with motors designed to move the controls of the machine. These controls followed specific points that were fed into the machine on punched tape. These early mechanisms were soon improved with both analog and digital computers. The introduction of computer technology into the concept of numerical control led to what we now know as computer numerical control.
The First CNC Machine
Before the MIT projects, Parsons Corporation in Traverse City, Michigan developed a system to produce templates for helicopter blades. John Parsons, who founded the company, discovered how to calculate airfoil coordinates on an IBM 602A multiplier. He then fed these data points into a Swiss jig borer. To date, this was considered the first true numerical control machine as it manufactured goods – helicopter blade templates, in this case – by feeding punched cards into a system, and the system then read and produced the parts based on preprogrammed information.
As numerical control technology moved into the 1960s and 1970s, a very familiar form of a CNC machine that most would recognize today started taking shape. Digital technology then entered the fray, and automation in production processes became more efficient than ever. In fact, many individuals can purchase – and even design – their own homemade CNC machines. Because of how advanced computers are nowadays, it’s more common than ever to find CNC machines in all industries and most commonly in woodworking.
