Glossary · CNC and machine tools
Numerical control (NC)
Also known as: NC
German: Numerische Steuerung
In industrial automation, numerical control (NC) is the automatic control of a machine by numerical data, entered as a program, that defines positions, paths, speeds and machine functions.
- CNC
- Standards
In one sentence
Numerical control (NC) is the automatic control of a machine tool by a program of numerical data that defines paths, speeds and functions.
Example
A laser cutting machine under numerical control follows the contour coordinates from the program instead of a mechanical template.
How it applies
- Engineering: NC is used for milling, turning, grinding, laser and waterjet cutting, punching and many other machine tools. The control interpolates the path and commands the axis drives, usually in Closed-loop control with position feedback.
- Operation: NC separates the geometry of the part (the program) from the machine. Changing the product means loading another program rather than rebuilding fixtures or cams.
- Documentation: For an NC machine, documentation typically covers the control (vendor manuals), the machine (builder's manuals) and the programs (production documents). Make the boundaries explicit so readers know where to look.
NC vs. CNC
Classic NC read programs from punched tape with hard-wired logic. Computer numerical control (CNC) is NC implemented with a computer. Today's standards and vendors often use 'NC' as the generic term for both.