5 Ways to Boost CNC Machining Productivity!

CNC Machining

Computer Numerical Control, or CNC Machining, is a valuable process for many manufacturing industries. It can help make products with increased quality and consistency while also allowing more opportunities to save labor costs.

If you are looking for ways to boost the productivity from CNC machining, here are five valuable tips:

1. Developing a Realistic Workload Plan

One way to boost productivity with CNC machining is by developing a realistic workload plan. Specific projects necessitate special processing. In creating a workload plan, you will need to decide how many employees or associates you will have and then determine their work hours and salaries, while also selecting the suitable machine to invest in.

This will help you keep track of everything so that the time invested into CNC machining produces products that are perfectly made and ready to deliver. 

2. Knowing Your Power Requirements Before Installing a CNC Machine

In some cases, a CNC machine’s power requirement is more than the standard 3-Phase 240V that most outlets are rated for. If your CNC machine requires around 3600 amps of current to operate and you only have a 20 amp outlet, this will cause issues with the power supply, as it tries to deliver the required amount of amperage. Make sure to know what kind of power your machine will need by doing some research into its manufacturer specifications, it is essential to consider the requirements before installing any machinery at your place or business. 

Ideally, if possible, you want to make sure that your area has an electrical grid that can accommodate large amounts of demand. If you don’t, you may want to investigate the possibility of upgrading your electrical supply system to a higher capacity one.

3. Hiring Qualified and Well-trained Machine Operators

Bringing on the right team is an integral part of boosting production capabilities. Of course, you want to take in someone who knows how to operate CNC machine tools and follow standard operating procedures. However, you also want to make sure all associates involved are attentive, work quickly, precisely and without outside intervention or assistance. Furthermore they must have a good attitude while working, and follow instructions and adapt as needed, so problems do not arise later on.

4. Employing an Excellent CAD/CAM Software

There are many software options available, but not all of them are created identically. A good CNC machining CAD/CAM package can help you ensure that your parts are produced to the proper dimensions and can easily be manufactured in a precise and repeatable way.

Consulting with industry experts or reading online reviews about the various types of software for these purposes is a great place to start when deciding which one you want to choose.

5. Using Updated and Well-maintained Machines

The last way to enhance your productivity is by using updated and well-maintained machines. This means that you need to schedule regular maintenance checks for the machines so they are kept in good working order all the time. It also means you want to make sure that only qualified people check over these machines. This will help decrease the likelihood of any costly issues caused by a machine lacking proper maintenance.

More Productive CNC Machining

Cutting CNC machining costs is one thing but figuring out how to make precision products more efficiently is both economically and ethically more important. These five approaches can assist businesses in increasing output, reducing waste, and improving workforce morale.

CNC machining article and permission to publish here provided by Bailey Hudson. Originally written for Supply Chain Game Changer and published on July 27, 2021.