Humans do not like change. Some people were unwilling to let go of their slide rules after calculators were created. While CNC machining has been around for decades, some still prefer manual machining. Although CNC technology can produce and reproduce precision parts that can be interchangeably made, this preference still exists. Manual methods must make matched sets of mating components or create custom replacements.
Benefits of CNC Machining
CNC is not only versatile, as mentioned above, but it’s also widely accessible. CNC machines are used in many industries, and their usage is growing yearly. The market for CNC machines worldwide is expected to increase from 83.99 billion US dollars in 2021 to 128.41 Billion USD by 2028. This is more than 50% growth. It’s mainly due to increased manufacturing efficiency and precision.
A CNC machine can perform more calculations and slightly adjust the cutting rate, depth, or location than a person working on a manual lathe or mill. CNC machining can produce tolerances up to one-thousandth of an incl. Manual machining takes hours to set up, calculate, measure, and train.
CNC machines can produce parts with greater precision and accuracy, making them interchangeable in assemblies.
Difference Between CNC and Manual Machining
CNC machines are more efficient and produce less waste than their manual counterparts. CNC retrofits of manual machines have shown that they produce parts up to 75-300% faster than their manual counterparts. Throughput increases the part cost by reducing the time it takes to produce each part. A CNC machine can switch tools four times faster than a manual machine. This allows for faster turnaround times when customers need their finished parts.
CNC machines produce lower scrap rates and lower parts costs due to their higher precision and accuracy. For a production run of 50,000 units, the following are the rejection rates for CNC and manual machining:
| Method | Total Units | Scrapped Units |
| CNC Machining | 56,155 | 6,155 |
| Manual Machining | 50,000 | 0 |
Low scrap rates mean more money upfront. However, precision machining tends to reduce rejection rates. A repeatable, more accurate process reduces the chance of missing defects in the inspection. This reduces the chance of customers receiving defective parts, which in turn increases customer satisfaction.
The Bottom Line
This article should have helped you to understand the advantages of CNC machining over manual methods. CNC machining offers a huge upgrade to industrial production. CNC machining can create parts more quickly than traditional methods. They also produce parts that are more precise, which means less scrap and less labor. They also increase production speed, which results in greater customer satisfaction. While manual machining is not for everyone, they love making money and making customers happy, CNC machining allows them to do both.
