6 types of CNC machines

There are so many types of CNC machines are present in the industries to manufacture the custom machined parts. Generally, there are six types of CNC machines, they are used for different purposes :

1. CNC milling machines:

In fact, they might be the most popular type of CNC machines used today. Milling machines utilize rotary cutters to shape workpieces as requested. They can be programmed to provide the required depth, angle and cutting direction. It can be used to machine the aluminum parts, brass parts or parts of other materials.

2.CNC Lathes or turning centers:

A lathe is utilized to develop highly precise conical and spherical shaped parts. This particular machine uses turning centers wherein the cutting tool shaves off the excess material while the material is rotating on a spindle.

3.CNC Routers: 

It is a very common piece of machinery that you will see a lot when learning about CNC.

These are machines built exclusively to be operated by CNC technology and typically have no human interface other than through the computer.

Routers are generally for producing larger dimension parts and more commonly built with the idea of cutting wood, plastics and sheet metal in mind.

Routers also are most commonly found in a 3 axis Cartesian coordinate setup (X, Y and Z). A 3 axis set up will allow cutting of profiles, pocketing and 3 dimensional relief machining.

There are also CNC routers which are 4, 5 or even 6 axis (the additional axes are rotary and used to rotate the tool around the work piece or visa versa), these machines are more suited towards cutting more complex shapes or prototype models.

4.CNC Plasma Cutters: 

CNC plasma cutters are very similar to CNC routers in size and setup.

However plasma cutters don’t require as much of a powerful set up because as opposed to dragging around a spinning tool in material they fly above the table with a plasma torch. 

Plasma cutters are made for cutting 2 dimensional profile shapes into sheet metal.

5.CNC Grinders:

This type of machine utilizes a rotary wheel that abrades the material into the desired shape by repeatedly grinding it.

6.CNC Electric Discharge Machines: 

Electric discharge machining, or EDM for short, includes making a particular shape inside a specific material by utilizing electrical releases or starts. The material is expelled from a particular workpiece by a progression of repeating electrical releases between two anodes. These anodes are isolated by a dielectric liquid, which regularly gets an electric voltage.

If you are interesting to know about what kind of CNC machining service we can offer , please browse our website , we can provide the most efficient and cost effective solution for a single part or small batch production. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or enquiry about your CNC machined parts.