ABSTRACT

The introduction of numerical control has heralded a new era of automation systems which can be flexibly configured by programming. The numerical control (NC) machine tool directs the movement of the material processing tool (such as a cutter or a high-pressure water-jet nozzle) relative to the workpiece to generate the desired geometry according to a set of commands or part program. With rapid advance in digital computer technology, the mini­ computer and, subsequently, the microcomputer soon replaces the hardwired functions of the NC system with software and the computer numerical control (CNC) system is evolved. CNC systems are the predecessors of the new generation of microprocessor-based controllers that provide the intelligence and versatility of mechatronic systems.