Gone are the days where factories rely on assembly lines filled with workers who each perform one simple function. Today, even in the manufacturing facilities that have “reshored” and returned to the United States, factory work has become a high-tech process that relies on heavy machinery controlled by computers. These computer numerical control or CNC devices control every movement in a workspace, so productions can be completed without error. These mechanisms can be used to build anything from car and aerospace parts to consumer products and indoor plumbing and electrical equipment.
But how does machinery alone pull off such complicated jobs, you may wonder? Simply put, it’s all in the programming. These machines are programmed by way of tool presetting machines, which store information about the specifications for creating parts. The tool presetting machines, or presetters, don’t work on their own, though: these must be programmed by the people in these factories.
The interesting thing about tool presetting machines and programs is that they can often be set up remotely via an internet connection. This relates to the concept of the Internet of Things, which connects objects in the home or the workplace to the internet. Programs like this allow factory owners to oversee operations without having to be on the floor of the facility. They can receive reports and updates from CNC machinery in operation without having to manually operate the machines. This is also an advantage in keeping workers safe.
In addition to presetters, there are several other types of machines that perform different functions. For example, lathes and milling machines are just a couple of the most common types of machinery in factories. These devices cut and shape workpieces and can also do specific tasks, like using boring heads to create holes in the articles of manufacture. Tool holders are used to constrain the boring heads and other cutting tools, to ensure that they don’t slip or cause the machine to break down. Finally, there are other pieces, such as the many types of tapping tools, which help to thread pipes and other objects.
What it all comes down to, however, are the specifications placed in tool presetters. Without these machines, perfectly uniform productions would not be possible, and automation would be non-existent. Want to know more about this topic? Leave a comment below.
