CNC History: Origin and Development

When did CNC appear and how did it develop? Through this article, let's learn about the history of CNC.

History of CNC
The first CNC machine
The first CNC machine was invented by John T. Parsons and Frank L. Stulen in 1948. They were engineers working for Parsons Corp., which specialized in manufacturing propellers for jet aircraft. They came up with the idea of using computers to control lathes and mills along complex pre-calculated curves. They collaborated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to carry out this project. In 1952, Richard Kegg, in collaboration with MIT, developed the first CNC milling machine: the Cincinnati Milacron Hydrotel

The development of CNC technology
1952 - 1958

During this period, MIT continued to develop the first CNC lathe, using magnetic tape to store the control program instead of punched cards. Magnetic tape had the advantage of having a larger capacity, and could be recorded and edited more easily. This CNC lathe was introduced at the International Machinery Exhibition in 1955 and attracted the attention of many manufacturers. In addition, during this period, other companies also appeared to compete with MIT in developing CNC technology, such as General Electric (GE), Bendix Corporation and General Motors (GM). They designed separate electronic controllers and computers for their machining machines, instead of using a general computer like MIT. They also applied CNC technology to different types of machines, such as milling machines, drilling machines, plasma cutters and laser cutters.

1967 – 1972

During this period, CNC technology made great strides thanks to the development of microchips and microprocessors. Electronic controllers and computers for CNC were miniaturized and processing speeds increased. Programming languages for CNC were also diversified and standardized, such as APT (Automatically Programmed Tool), EIA (Electronic Industries Association) and ISO (International Organization for Standardization). In addition, during this period, CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing) systems also appeared, allowing for automatic design and processing of products on computers. CAD/CAM systems helped increase the productivity, quality and flexibility of CNC machining.

1976 - 1989

During this period, CNC technology became more popular and cheaper thanks to competition from Japanese, German and Swiss manufacturers. CNC machining machines were improved in terms of accuracy, durability and reliability. CNC systems were also connected to each other via LAN (Local Area Network) or DNC (Direct Numerical Control), allowing data transmission and remote control. In addition, during this period, new technologies related to CNC also appeared, such as EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining), ECM (Electrochemical Machining), LBM (Laser Beam Machining) and EBM (Electron Beam Machining). These technologies have expanded the scope of CNC applications to materials that are difficult to machine or have complex shapes.

Early Applications of CNC
CNC was initially applied mainly in the aerospace industry, due to the demand for products with high precision, complex shapes and high quality. CNC helped reduce production time, labor costs and human errors. CNC also created new products that could not be machined by traditional methods, such as parts for jet aircraft, missiles, satellites and spacecraft. Later, CNC was also applied in other industries, such as automobiles, machinery, electronics, medicine, military and many other fields. CNC has brought many benefits to these industries, such as increased productivity, quality, flexibility, and innovation. CNC has also helped create new products that cannot be machined using traditional methods, such as parts for cars, computers, cell phones, medical devices, and weapons.