What Is Precision Machining Technology?
Humans have been using machines for thousands of years. They have a history stretching back several years, if not millennia. In fact, there’s even evidence that Ancient Egypt was already making use of machine tools. Despite being handcrafted, these helped the ancient humans out. But dimensional errors in manufactured machine parts were especially prevalent throughout those eras.
Many years later, engineers improved machinery to increase precision and generate superior goods. With time, manufacturing innovations have been required to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for products in every sector. The manufacturing sector began looking for ways to improve precision and reduce waste. Meanwhile, this endeavour necessitated the creation of extremely precise mechanical devices. In response, precision machining emerged.
What Is Precision Machining Technology?
The creation and design of machines, tools, and other hardware all benefit greatly from the use of precision machining, which is a part of technical manufacturing. It’s the most efficient method for transforming large quantities of raw materials into a desirable result.
What is precision machining technology? Precision machining helps ensure a perfect fit between an object’s constituent pieces, making damage to the finished product less likely to occur.
Manufacturers often shave raw materials down to workable sizes. An increasingly common computer-based machine performs the precise operation necessary to make the components more suitable for the manufacturing sector.
Industries That Use Precision Machining Technology
A wide range of industries relies on tools and components made possible by precision machining, including:
Aerospace Industry
The aerospace industry uses components that must withstand intense temperatures, air pressures, and speeds. Precision engineers are required to construct each and every component of the aircraft to exact specifications. This is done to ensure that the aircraft is completely safe.
Oil And Gas Industry
Operations in the oil and gas industry frequently involve situations and materials that could pose a threat to workers and the general public, such as the use of strong chemicals and high pressures.
Equipment utilised in the oil and gas industry must adhere to strict requirements, and therefore its components must be as well. Problems with performance and even safety could result from even the smallest size or shape variation. Thus, precision machining is used to produce a wide variety of materials and components.
Semiconductor Industry
Semiconductors are a vital component of modern technology that affects many aspects of our daily life, from personal computers and mobile devices to cars and home appliances like refrigerators and washing machines.
Although semiconductors have many applications, their processing is extremely precise.
Invisible by the naked eye, its units are substantially smaller than millimetres (mm), micrometres (um), and nanometers (nm). There is a high demand for precision and durability in semiconductors because so many of them are utilised in high-precision machines.
Medical Industry
In the medical field, safety, accuracy, and precision are of the utmost importance. Precision machining helps in the creation of surgical instruments with precise dimensions that fit the surgeon’s hands for a more precise outcome.
Complex components for lasers or robotics used to perform surgeries that were previously impossible are manufactured via machining. More medical innovations will be made as a result of increased access to machining. In order to work, these instruments call on small components and tips that can only be made with Computer Numerical Control (CNC) and electrical discharge machining (EDM) machining technology.
Defence Industry
Members of the armed forces must maintain order and precision when using identification tags, guns, and other forms of defence equipment. There can be no room for error in the defence industry, hence CNC machining is used extensively. CNC machining services create the pins, barrels, triggers, plates, and magazines or ammunition clips used in firearms.
How It Works
Precision machining refers to the process of cutting material into a precise pattern that allows the finished product to fit exactly where it needs to go and perform the necessary function.
CNC equipment is typically used for this process, which entails cutting, milling, turning, and electrical discharge machining.
Most companies that do precision machining follow a set of steps that are the same for different kinds of parts.
- Design the Graphical Model
- Convert Computer-Aided Design (CAD) to Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM)
- Do The Machine Setup
- Execute the Machining
- Completion
Moreover, such components naturally wear out over time, necessitating the help of a precision machinist to carry out recalibration, grooving, and/or welding to restore it to its original, fully functional state.
Tools & Materials Used In Precision Machining
Lathes, milling machines, EDM, saws, and grinders are typically put to use in the precision machining process. The majority of modern factories make use of computer-controlled, heavy machinery specifically developed and used to cut away substrate material to reveal intricate components and finished pieces. To get the desired outcome for the end product, it may be necessary to use high-speed robotics and photochemical procedures.
Precision machining can be used to make products from many different kinds of raw materials such as metal, but it can also be used to produce products out of plastics, ceramics, composite materials, graphite, and glass. Precision machining is often done on the following materials, and each one needs special considerations:
- Stainless steel;
- Titanium;
- Brass;
- Magnesium;
- Carbon steel;
- Copper;
- Aluminium;
- Special alloys; and so on.
Notably, machining with a CNC presents risks even to the most skilled workers. For this reason, it’s crucial for safety managers and industrial hygienists to have a thorough understanding of how CNC machines function and how to ensure the safety of their employees.
Advantages Of Precision Machining Technology
Many industries benefit from precision machining, yet different applications call for specialised materials. Here are some of the advantages:
Cost Reduction
Precision machining can greatly cut down on manufacturing costs due to the decreased probability of making mistakes and providing poor outputs. Because of this, factories can have confidence in their production budgets and avoid overspending on contingency plans. Not only that, but it can also help you save money on labour costs.
Increased Efficiency
Precision machining makes use of high-speed robotics, which may produce components more quickly than traditional lathes and the manual labour involved in their production. With the parts’ high precision and close tolerance finishes, supplementary procedures are unnecessary. Because of this, the workshop is able to produce more in less time.
Guaranteed Quality
You can get guaranteed high-quality products with a precision machining machine. Automatic or automated software makes it simple to control or modify the quality of precision machining within a matter of minutes.
Reduced Material Wastage
The amount of waste that is produced during the manufacturing process can be decreased with the help of CNC machining. This is due to the fact that CNC machines are able to produce parts with extremely precise tolerances, which means that throughout the machining process, less amount of material will need to be removed.
Conclusion
The versatility and efficiency of CNC machining make it useful in diverse sectors. No matter what kind of business you run, it’s important to work with a provider you can trust.