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InternationalJournalofAdvancedScientificResearch

International Journal of Advanced Scientific Research

ISSN: 2456-0421
www.newresearchjournal.com/scientific
Volume 1; Issue 1; April 2016; Page No. 21-25

Study on computer numerical control (CNC) machines

1
Venkata Ramesh Mamilla, 2 Srinivasulu M, 3 Mani Prasad N
1
Professor & HOD,Department of Mechanical Engineering, QIS Institute of Technology, Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, India.
2, 3
Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, QIS Institute of Technology, Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Abstract
The main objective of this paper is to Study on Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines for fabrication of rollers. This
paper also includes various processes like facing, turning, parting, drilling, boring and knurling to improve production in order to
decrease the production time and also to increase the efficiency in conventional lathe and CNC machines by writing the program
on STC-25 CNC lathe.

Keywords: Study, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machines, various operations

1. Introduction 1.1 CNC Machine-Input, Process, Output

1. The design is loaded into the computer which is attached to A CNC production facility needs three pieces of equipment.
the CNC machine. The computer changes the design into a
special code (numerical) that controls the way the CNC cuts A Computer
The computer is used to draw the design. However, the design
and shapes the material.
is only a picture and the CNC machine cannot use this to
2. The material to be shaped is taped on to a block with manufacture the product. The computer software must also
double sided tape. This must be done carefully so that it convert the drawing into numbers (coordinates) that the CNC
does not come off the block during machining. machine can use when it starts to cut and shape the material.
3. The block is then placed in the vice, inside the CNC. It
must be tightened up carefully. If it is not secure when the An Interface
machine starts to cut the material it can come away from A computer cannot be directly connected to a CNC machine.
The computer is connected to an interface. This converts the
the vice. When the machine starts working, the vice moves
signals from the computer to a form that the CNC machine
up, down, right and left according to the design. understands. The signals are in the form of digital signals when
4. The guard is placed in position. It protects the machine they are sent to the CNC machine.
operator in case the material is pulled out of the vice by the
power of the cutter. For safety reasons, if the guard is not in CNC (Computer Numerical Control) Machine
position the motor will not start. The signals from the interface control the motors on the CNC
5. The CNC is turned on and the shape is cut from the machine. The signals determine the way the vice moves. The
material. When the cutter has stopped the shaped material vice moves in three directions X, Y and Z. (Horizontally,
can be removed from the vice. Total time - for simple vertically and depth). The signals also control the speed of the
designs - 15 minutes. cutting tool.

Fig 1
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1.2 CNC Control Panel used manually as simple operations are best carried out on
A CNC machine is normally controlled by a computer and cheap/basic/manual machines. When a CNC machine is used
software. However, most CNC machines have a range of manually it is been used well below its capability and
controls for manual use. It is rare for a CNC machine to be specification.

Fig 2

Reset Button: The most important control button is usually Speed and Feed: On some CNC machines it is possible to
the reset button. When the CNC machine is turned on, the manually vary the speed and feed of the cutter.
reset button is pressed by the machine operator. This
zeros the cutter, moving the cutter to coordinates 0, 0, 0 2. Setting up the cutting tool to the correct length
on the X, Y and Z axis. In simple terms, the reset button One of the few operations that the machine operator carries out
moves the cutter to the corner of the machine, above the is to change the cutting tool. Each CNC machine has a range of
work table. If the reset button is not pressed, it is possible cutting tools. Straight cutters chamfer V-groove and radius
that the CNC machine will start cutting the material in the cutters are some examples. If a detailed design is being
wrong place or even miss cutting the material and plunge manufactured, it may be necessary to change the cutting tool at
into the work table. least once during the manufacturing process. It is very
Manual Control: The cutter can be controlled manually important that all the cutters are set up to exactly to the same
although this is rarely needed. The X and Y buttons length in the collets. If this is not done the material being
control the movement of the cutter along the horizontal machined will be machined at incorrect depths.
surfaces. The Z buttons control depth and up / down A special depth gauge is used to accurately set up the cutting
movement. tools. (See diagram below). This rule applies to all CNC
Stop Button: Most control panels have stop buttons. When machines although different techniques may be used depending
pressed these stop the machine very quickly. on the type of the CNC machine.

Fig 3

A pair of spanners is used to loosen the collet and locking nut. position. Once the depth gauge has be used to check the
The cutting tool can then be removed and the new tool put in distance from the end of the cutting tool to the collet, the
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InternationalJournalofAdvancedScientificResearch

spanners are used again to tighten the collet and locking nut. as safe as possible. One of the main advantages of CNC
machines is that they are much safer than manually operated
2.1 CNC Machines and Safety machines. The animation below shows a Boxford A3 HSRi
CNC machines are very safe to use as they are designed to be CNC Router with many of its safety features labeled.

Fig 4

1. Most modern CNC machines are designed so that the 3. Programmable Functions
cutting tool will not start unless the guard is in position. The programmer must also know what functions of the CNC
Also, the best CNC machines automatically lock the guard machine are programmable (as well as the commands related to
in position whilst the cutter is shaping material. The guard programmable functions). With low cost CNC equipment,
can only be opened if the cutter has stopped. often times many machine functions must be manually
2. It is essential that pupils / students / machine operators activated. With some CNC milling machines, for example,
receive quality instruction before attempting to use any about the only programmable function is axis motion. Just
CNC equipment. about everything else may have to be activated by the operator.
3. CNC routers, used for shaping materials such as woods and With this type of machine, the spindle speed and direction,
plastics, have built in extraction. Dust can be very coolant and tool changes may have to be activated manually by
dangerous if inhaled and can also cause eye irritation. The the operator.
CNC Router shown above has an outlet for an extraction With full blown CNC equipment, on the other hand, almost
unit. As the router is fully enclosed, dust cannot escape into everything is programmable and the operator may only be
the atmosphere. If an extraction unit is attached the dust is required to load and remove work pieces. Once the cycle is
removed automatically. Most manually operated machine activated, the operator may be freed to do other company
routers have very limited extraction systems which leave functions.
some dust in the air. Reference the machine tool builder's manual to find out what
4. The CNC router above has a single phase electrical supply. functions of your machine are programmable. To give you
Older machines such as manually operated milling some examples of how many programmable functions are
machines and centre lathes have three phase supplies. A handled, here is a list a few of the most common programmable
single phase electrical supply can be plugged into any functions along with their related programming words.
available socket. The electrical supply for the machine
comes through a residual circuit breaker (RCB). If an Spindle control
electrical fault develops the RCB will cut off electrical An "S" word is used to specify the spindle speed (in RPM for
power immediately. machining centers). An M03 is used to turn the spindle on in a
5. Single phase CNC machines can be moved more easily clockwise (forward) manner. M04 turns the spindle on in a
because they are simply unplugged and relocated. Three counter clockwise manner. M05 turns the spindle off. Note that
phase machines are specially wired by an electrician into turning centers also have a feature called constant surface
the electrical supply and cannot be unplugged. speed which allows spindle speed to also be specified in
6. Most CNC machines work behind a guard or even a closed, surface feet per minute (or meters per minute).
transparent safety door. This means that the operated cannot
be hurt by 'flying' pieces of sharp/hot material. Automatic tool changer (machining center)
7. Commonsense applies to the use of all machines including A "T" word is used to tell the machine which tool station is to
CNC machines. Basic safety training regarding working in be placed in the spindle. On most machines, an M06 tells the
a workshop and with other machines applies to CNC machine to actually make the tool change. Tool change (on
machines as well. turning centers) A four digit "T" word is used to command tool

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changes on most turning centers. The first two digits of the T N35G00 X80 Z0;
word specify the turret station number and the second two N40 X70;
digits specify the offset number to be used with the tool. N45 G01 Z-75 F0.2;
T0101, for example specifies tool station number one with N50 G00 X71 Z0;
offset number one. N55 X60;
N60 G01 Z-50 R0.2;
Coolant control N65 X70;
M08 is used to turn on flood coolant. If available M07 is used N70 G00 X200 Z200;
to turn on mist coolant. M09 turns off the coolant. N75 M30;

Automatic pallet changer 2. Step Turning

An M60 command is commonly used to make pallet changes. N5 G54;
N10 M42;
Forms of compensation N15 G95 S300 M0.4;
All types of CNC machine tools require some form/s of N20 T01 D1 M8;
compensation. Though applied for different reasons on N25 G00 X30 Z0;
different machine types, all forms of compensation allow the N30 G00 X40 Z0;
CNC user to allow for unpredictable conditions related to N35 CYCLE95;
tooling as the program is developed. Before discussing how CYCLE95 (STEP TURN, 5, 0.1, 0.1 . . .) X40
compensation applies to CNC usage, let's look at compensation N40 G00 X200 Z200 M17;
in general terms. N45 M30;
Compensation is used in many facets of everyday life. The STEP TURN: (SUB PROGRAM)
airplane pilot must compensate for wind velocity and direction N05 G01 X0 Z0 F0.2;
as a heading is set. The race car driver must compensate for N10 G01 X20 Z-10;
weather and track conditions as a turn is negotiated. A bowler N15 G01 X20 Z-30;
must compensate for the spin of the bowling ball as the ball N20 G01 X30 Z-30;
rolls down the alley. A marksman firing a rifle must N25 G01 X30 Z-45;
compensate for the distance to the target. The marksman N30 G01 X40 Z-45;
analogy is amazingly similar to what happens with many forms N35 G01 M17;
of compensation on CNC equipment.
3. Taper Turning
Offsets N5 G54;
All forms of compensation work with offsets. You can think of N10 M42;
CNC offsets as like memories on an electronic calculator. If N15 G95 S300 M.4;
your calculator has memories, you know you can store a N20 T01 D1 M8;
constant value into each memory for use during a calculation. N25 G00 X01 Z0;
This keeps you from having to enter the number over and over N30 G01 X80 Z-45 F0.2;
again with redundant calculations. N35G00 X81 Z0;
Like the memories of an electronic calculator, offsets in the N40 G01 X60 Z-30 F0.2;
CNC control are storage locations into which numerical values N45 G00 X81 Z0;
can be placed. Just as the value within the memory of a N50 X50;
calculator has no meaning until referenced by its user within a N55 G01 Z-68 F0.2;
calculation, neither does the value within an offset of the CNC N60 X60 Z-15;
control have any meaning until it is referenced by a CNC N65 G00 X51 Z0;
program. N70 X40;
From the marksman analogy, you can think of the values stored N75 G01 X50 Z-6.5 F0.2;
in CNC offsets as like the amount of adjustment required on N80 G00 X200 Z200;
the sight of the rifle necessary to compensate for the distance to N85 M30;
the target. Keep in mind that the rifle only needed adjustment
for one purpose, to adjust for the distance to the target. With 5. Conclusion
most CNC machine tools, there is a need for at least one offset In the study of computer numerical control machines the
per tool. production improvement can be done more effectively and
efficiently.
4. CNC Programming The CNC programming is a way to operate CNC machine.
1. Turning CNC Lathe machine usage gives many benefits of increased
Tool Holder: PDJNL 25*25 productivity and accuracy and time management but the only
Insert: DNMG 150604 drawback is its cost. This could not be employed for all small
N5 G54; jobs and is preferable to use in large amount of production and
N10 M42; complicated shapes.
N20 G95 S300 M4; CNC Lathe machines are economical only for industrial
N25 LIMS=600; purposes in large scale production and is not suitable for small
N30 T01 D1 M8; scale industries because of its high initial cost.
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InternationalJournalofAdvancedScientificResearch

6. References
1. PAS da Rocha R. Diogne de Silva e Souza, M E. de Lima
Tostes, Prototype CNC machine design, 9th IEEE/IAS
International Conference on Industry Applications
(INDUSCON), 2010, 1-5.
2. R E Breaz G, Racz O C, Bologa, Oleksik V S. Motion
control of medium size CNC machine-tools: a hands-on
approach, 7th International Conference on Industrial
Electronics and Applications (ICIEA), 2112-2117, 2012,
8-20.
3. CNC Programming, Michael Mattson, Delmar Cengage
Learning, 2010.
4. Managing Computer Numerical Control Operations, Mike
Lynch, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, 1995.
5. Hace A, Jezernik K. The open CNC controller for a cutting
machine, IEEE International Conference on Industrial
Technology, 2003; 2(1231-1236):10-12.

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