What is CNC?

CNC (Computer Numerical Control) is a mechanical production process used to precisely cut components, during which a material is processed and formed into a component to be installed as part of a machine, system or product.

CNC technology allows us to create parts out of nothing, in the most exciting way: a material enters the machine and emerges a sculpted, precise and perfect product, just as the engineer intended. The technology is being used by various industries, including the carpentry industry that uses it to make kitchen cabinets; the plastic industry that uses it to produce all types of plastics (such as phone covers, screens, laptops); the iron industry; the jewelry industry and more. “Israeli hi-tech industry is very much based on CNC. Hi-tech companies develop different products, and when they reach the production stage, we come in and help them develop it, thanks to our accumulated knowledge and experience.”

Tucson tells that: “For instance, in order to make LG’s advanced screens, they use conveyor belts that coat the glass above the surface at a 0.005 level of precision, without any human contact or scratches. These conveyors are manufactured by CNC machines that allow us to reach this level of precision.”

“When it comes to producing cameras for UAVs, the complex in which the lens is installed comes as a simple cube material; it is then cut to the exact shape, per the product and engineer requirements. The cutting is done by the machine and a professional operator. The cutting speed creates the component’s surface. Our guideline is that the component will be aesthetic and smooth, without any scratches, and would look good – as per the client’s demands – mostly if it comes in contact with other end clients. Precision is key in the field of CNC, in order for the part to be placed correctly and attached to the entire complex within the machine. This is why many clients choose to use CNC rather than other methods,” Tucson adds.

CNC is made by diamond-like tools that move in all directions, based on machine commands, cutting the material to the required shape. The component size changes according to the machine you want to create, from 10mm all the way to 2m, or even bigger,” says Tucson. “The commands that control the machine’s movement derive from a program written by the programmers at Dagesh Group’s Programming Department, in accordance with the product engineer’s requirements. The program is then translated by the computer to the programming languages used in CNC processing: G code and M code, and provides a series of orders to be used by the machine. The code languages set the way the axes move, where they should reach, how fast they should work and when to change their speed, as needed. A CNC work plan varies from one part to another and takes between 2 minutes and 8 hours, depending on the part’s complexity, the amount of detailing or unique elements.

“We use a 3-axis Hass machine, made in the U.S., and a 5-axis DMU machine, made in Germany, that can cut the part on all sides, down to a precision level of 0.003 microns, without any deviation,” Tucson elaborates.

“You can cut any material with CNC, and we usually use aluminum, stainless steel, hard steel and plastic. There are differences in the way the various materials are processed. For instance, various tools and production times. Stainless steel is more resistant to cutting, aluminum not so much, and so the process changes between the various materials; it takes more time and requires better technological elements or different processing methods.

After the CNC machine, the components go through an initial inspection by the operator, and from there to a comprehensive inspection at the QA department. There, in case any deviations are found in the component, a repair report is issued and the operators are required to fix them or produce a new component based on these rejects.”

CNC is What We Do

Dagesh Group provides CNC processing and production services by milling and engraving for large companies. The systems it produces for its clients bring on innovation and advancement in a line of industries, among them microchips, medical devices, aesthetics, digital printing, textile and more.

Most of the production companies nowadays use CNC in their production process; from medical devices, aircraft parts, cell phones and all the way to industrial printing houses. As so happens that 80% of the components in the printing press, and bout 40% of components in modern cell phones, are being manufactured by CNC here at Dagesh,” Tucson proudly states.

The Field’s History and Future

The field of CNC has experienced some fascinating moves in recent years, revolutionizing the way precise components are produced. Technological advancement, along with automation and robotics, drove the industry forward and allowed it to produce complex parts with the utmost precision and efficiency. There’s no more manual processing, where technological limitations hinder creativity and productivity. Thanks to Dagesh F.K.’s advanced technology, new technologies and developments can come to life using CNC – the options are nearly limitless.

Before said technological developments, we would use traditional, manual processing, where a skillful and knowledgeable employee moved the machine up and down, right and left, as needed. This significantly limited the number of parts we could produce per day and possible shapes.

Today, using Dagesh Group’s advanced technology, you can produce any shape via CNC, at any size, with the highest precision and limitless quantities. The automation and robotics processes Dagesh had been incorporating allow us to also work on weekends, without any human contact, maximizing our output. In our field, time and precision are essential advantages that benefit both the client and final product. A manual process that could take 3 hours, will be made by a machine in 15 minutes.

When asked about the future of the field and the alternatives to CNC, Tucson replies that, “there are methods, such as 3D printing, that can be implemented instead of CNC, but they still don’t meet the production standards and finishing levels that CNC does. We, at Dagesh, make minimal use of these technologies as an auxiliary to the facilities that hold the part while it’s being processed.”

The future of CNC has great promise, as the technologies advance and improve. As the production requirements evolve and become even more complex, CNC will remain in the front and provide you with the quality and precision required to bring innovative products to life. Dagesh F.K. Group and its uncompromising commitment to excellence, keep leading the way, pushing technological limits.