1

NUMERICAL CONTROL
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
• 15th century - machining metal.
• 18th century - industrialization, production-type machine tools.
• 20th century - F.W. Taylor - tool metal - HSS
Automated production equipment -
Screw machines
Transfer lines
Assembly lines
using cams and preset stops
Programmable automation -
NC
PLC
Robots
3
 4

A Definition:
• Numerical Control is a system
in which actions are controlled by
the direct insertion of numerical
data at some point.
• In other words, Programmable
automation in which the
mechanical actions of a ‘machine
tool’ are controlled by a program
 5

NUMERICAL
DATA
(NC CODE)

NUMERICAL
MANUFACTURING CONTROLLER
OPERATOR
Drive Control

PROCESSED
PART

MACHINE UNIT
COMPONENTS OF NC MACHINES
Hardware Configuration of NC
Machine

Machine
MCU Tool

CLU
DPU

MCU - Machine control unit

CLU - Control-loops unit

DPU - Data processing unit

 7

Machine Control Unit (MCU)

• NC machine tool has a main unit, which is known as
Machine Control Unit.

• It consists of some electronic hardware that reads the

NC programme, interprets it and conversely translates
it for mechanical actions of the machine tool.

A typical Machine Control Unit may consist of the following units :

• Input or Reader Unit
• Memory
• Processor
• Output Channels
• Control Panel
• Feedback Channels
 8

Machine Tool

•Machine tool is the main components of a numerical control

system, which executes the operations.

•It may consist of worktable, cutting tools, jigs and fixtures,

motors for driving spindle and coolant and lubricating
system.

•The latest development in the numerical control machine

tool is the versatile machining center.

•This is a single machine capable of doing a number of

operations such as milling, boring, drilling, reaming, and
tapping by Automatic Tool Changer (ATC) under the control
of tool selection instruction.
 9

The MCU may be of three types :

•Housed MCU
Machine Control Unit may be mounted on the machine tool or
may be built in the casing of the machine.

•Swing Around MCU

Machine Control Unit is directly mounted on the machine, which
can swing around it and can be adjusted as per requirement of the
operator’s position.

•Stand Alone MCU

Machine Control Unit is enclosed in a separate cabinet which is
installed at some remote or same place near to the machine.
 10

OTHER COMPONENTS OF AN NC MACHINE TOOL

COORDINATE SYSTEMS
Right hand rule
y

y z

z x
BASIC REQUIREMENT OF NC MACHINE CONTROL
a. Preparatory functions: which unit, which interpolator,
absolute or incremental programming, which circular
interpolation plane, cutter compensation, etc.
b. Coordinates: three translational, and three rotational axes.
c. Machining parameters: feed, and speed.
d. Tool control: tool diameter, next tool number, tool change.
e. Cycle functions: drill cycle, ream cycle, bore cycle, mill
cycle, clearance plane.
f. Coolant control: coolant on/off, flood, mist.
g. Miscellaneous control: spindle on/off, tape rewind, spindle
rotation direction, pallet change, clamps control, etc.
h. Interpolators: linear, circular interpolation
NC MOTION-CONTROL
NC Program

Execut io n
Sy st e m

Di m e n si o n s Co m m and s

Int erpolat or & T r an sl a t o r

Se r v o - c o n t r o l
Mec h an ism

Cont rol Log ic Po w e r Re l a y

Linear Mot ion So l e n o i d

 NEW NCs or CNCs

•high speed spindle (> 20,000 rpm)

•high feed rate drive ( > 600 ipm)

•high precision ( < 0.0001" accuracy)

 15

Types of Numerical Control

• Conventional Numerical Control (NC)

• Direct Numerical Control (DNC)

• Computer Numerical Control (CNC)

 16

Conventional Numerical
Control (NC)
• Data is sent to the machine tool by
means of punch cards or tapes.

• The reader at the machine performs no

calculations or interpolations.
DNC
• Direct numerical control (DNC) – control of multiple
machine tools by a single (mainframe) computer
through direct connection and in real time
▫ 1960s technology
▫ Two way communication

• Distributed numerical control (DNC) – network

consisting of central computer connected to machine
tool MCUs, which are CNC
▫ Present technology
▫ Two way communication
 18

Direct numerical control (DNC) Distributed numerical control (DNC)

 19

Computer Numerical Control

(CNC)

• The idea of computer numerical control is

to position a computer right at the
machine tool.

• Most, if not all machine tools that are

numericaly controlled are CNC machine
tools.
 20

Computer Numerical Control (CNC)

 22

Advantages
o Reduces time for o Reduces storage
delivery of part problems
o Reduces scrap rate of o Less setup time
material o Reduces actual
o Reduces tooling machining time
costs o Allows rapid design
o Reduces layout time changes in part
o Increases machine o Less jigs and fixtures
and tool life are needed
 Cost-Benefits of NC
Costs
• High investment cost
• High maintenance effort
• Need for skilled programmers
• High utilization required

Benefits
• Cycle time reduction
• Nonproductive time reduction
• Greater accuracy and repeatability
• Lower scrap rates
• Reduced parts inventory and floor space
• Operator skill-level reduced
 CLASSIFICATION OF NUMERICAL CONTROL

• Motion control: point to point (PTP)

continuous (contouring) path

• Control loops: open loop and closed loop

• Power drives: hydraulic, electric, pneumatic

• Positioning systems: absolute positioning

incremental positioning

• Hardware and software: Hardware NC

software computer numerical control (CNC)
 1.Motion Control
PTP motion-control
• To move the machine table or spindle to a
specified position so that machining
operations may be performed at that point.

• Moving at maximum rate from point to point.

• Accuracy of the destination is important but

not the path.

• Drilling is a good application.

26
continuous (contouring) control

• To control two or more axes simultaneously to get

desired shape.

• To control not only the destinations, but also the paths

through which
. the tool reaches these destinations.

• In the process of machining, the tool contacts the work

piece.
• Use linear and circular interpolators
28
 Interpolation Methods
1. Linear interpolation
▫ Straight line between two points in space
1. Circular interpolation
▫ Circular arc defined by starting point, end point, center
or radius, and direction
1. Helical interpolation
▫ Circular plus linear motion
1. Parabolic and cubic interpolation
▫ Free form curves using higher order equations
2.Control Loops
table

pulses motor

Open loop - No position feedback.

Use stepping motor.

CLOSED LOOP
• Closed-loop control: to measure displacement of table
motion
• the advantage of a closed-loop system is its positioning
accuracy.
3.Power Drives
• Electric motor
▫ widely used
▫ small size, ease of control, low cost

• Hydraulic drive
▫ much larger power/size ratio

• Pneumatic drive
▫ rarely used in NC positioning system
▫ can be used to drive the auxiliary devices
4.Positioning system

• Incremental positioning system

• absolute positioning system
Absolute vs. Incremental Positioning

Absolute positioning
Move is: x = 40, y = 50

Incremental positioning
Move is: x = 20, y = 30.
 NC MACHINE
RATING
• Accuracy
• Repeatability
• Spindle and axis motor horsepower
• Number of controlled axes
• Dimension of workspace
• Features of the machine and the controller.
 NC ACCURACY
• Accuracy =control resolution and hardware accuracy.

• Control resolution: the minimum length

distinguishable by the control unit (BLU).
• Hardware inaccuracies are caused by physical
machine errors.
Note:-
• BLU (basic length unit)
• BLU is the minimum length distinguishable by the
control unit.
HARDWARE INACCURACIES
Component tolerances:
inaccuracies in the machine elements, machine-tool
assembly errors, spindle runout, and leadscrew backlash.

Machine operation:
Tool deflection (a function of the cutting force), produces
dimensional error and chatter marks on the finished part.

Thermal error:
heat generated by the motor operation, cutting process,
friction on the ways and bearings, etc. Use cutting fluids,
locating drive motors away from the center of a machine,
and reducing friction from the ways and bearings
REPEATABILIT
Y
Programmed position
Repeatability

Avg. error

T est result
LEADSCREWS
Converting the rotational motion of the motors to a linear motion.
Nut

Leadscrew

Pitch

pitch (p): the distance between adjacent screw threads

The number of teeth per inch (n):
n=1/p
BLU: Basic Length Unit (machine resolution)
BLU = p / N
Example
A machine has 1 BLU = 0.001".To move the table 5" on
X axis at a speed (feed rate) of 6 ipm. Calculate pulse
rate and pulse count.

• pulse rate = speed/BLU = 6 /0.001

• = 6,000 pulse/min

• pulse count = distance/BLU

= 5/0.001 = 5,000 pulses