TABLE OF CONTENTS Development of any CNC program should always begin with a very carefully planned process. Such process typically starts with an engineering drawing (also called a blueprint or a technical print) of the required part, released for production. Before any machining process can be completed, several steps have to be considered and carefully evaluated. Placing a greater effort into program planning will yield better program and better machined part.
Individual steps required in program planning are generally determined by the nature of part to be machined. There is no magic overall formula available for all jobs, but some basic steps are quite common and should always be considered carefully:
Initial information provided / Machine tools features
Part complexity / Evaluation of machining features
Manual programming / Computerized programming
Typical programming procedure / Program structure
Part drawing / Engineering data
Methods sheet / Material specifications
Machining sequence - Operations / Tool order
Tooling selection / Cutting Holders / Inserts / HSS Tools
Part setup / Part holding / Fixtures
Technological decisions / Cutting conditions
Work sketch and individual calculations
Quality considerations in CNC programming
All steps in the list are suggestions only - they are guidelines. Individual steps should always be flexible, so they can be adapted for any job and its unique requirements.
The main purpose of most engineering drawings is to define the part shape, individual dimensions, and relationships between part features. Some drawings may also include data about the...
