ABSTRACT
This chapter intends to give an insight into computer numerical control (CNC) machining, such as drilling, milling and turning, although CNC is used in many industries in a wide range of applications including: grinding, plasma, laser, foam, waterjet cutting, tube benders, routers, turret press and punching machines, and electro discharge machining (EDM), as well as coordinate measuring machines (CMM) and industrial robots. For CNC purposes, the origin point on the graph is commonly called the part origin point or part zero. When a CNC machine tool is first turned on, it does not know where the axes are positioned in the workspace. This power up/restart sequence drives both axes slowly to their extreme positive locations until their limit switches are reached. This signals to the control system that the home position of each axis has been reached. Once both axes have stopped moving the machine is said to be homed.
