File:Cnc-milling.jpg
Computer Aided Design; Changing the World we Live in
Computer Aided Design (CAD) and CAM machinery are found in all workforces, all over the globe. Many factory floors are now to be found almost entirely void from human interaction, robots working away quietly to produce hundreds of identical parts in the course of one day. The introduction of CNC machinery has enabled workforces to not just cut back on manpower but also to produce a higher quality of precision parts that are entirely free from human error. These parts are available to the consumer cheaper than hand made parts; so it really is a win-win situation whichever way you look at it.
CNC machining and milling does however require the precision of a trained CAD expert; this is where human intervention is still necessary and always will be. Behind every CNC lathe, drill, or machine there is a computer that is using CAD software to transmit the messages to the machine to tell it what to do. Behind that computer there is the software professional who programmed it, behind that the person who designed the software, and behind that the person who designed the computer in the first place.
From this point of view it is easy to see therefore that although a robot can carry out virtually any task required of it in the field of CNC engineering, highly trained professionals are required for the monitoring of these robots and ensuring they do what they are programmed to. On a factory floor you will see many CNC lathes, drills, and machines at work, and no one anywhere to be seen. Some setups are left to run overnight by themselves; this is made possible by the fact that on detection of an error by the computer, the CAD software will shut down the machine in question until an engineer comes along.
Computer aided design is used in almost all applications that you can think of in the modern world; from mass producing car parts to boring out metal tubes, CNC milling can carry out the tasks that it used to take the human being many hours to do. CAD software allows for further precision, and CAD design has somewhat put an end to hand drawings; with precise vector lines being used by CAD software once again the brains behind the design is present but the human error is not.
CNC is changing the world that we live in, it has been for some decades already, and it will continue to do so for many more. With every advance in technology, precision engineered parts can be made to higher specifications, with more complex designs, and without human error that occurred in the past. From something as simple as making a tin can perfectly round, to engineering aerospace parts, CNC machining is almost entirely responsible for the world in which we live today.
--Kristian 11:45, 25 May 2015 (BST)CAM Machine; Your Precision Engineering Experts in Bristol
File history
Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time.
| Date/Time | Thumbnail | Dimensions | User | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| current | 10:42, 25 May 2015 | 300 × 451 (26 KB) | Kristian (Talk | contribs) |
- Edit this file using an external application (See the setup instructions for more information)
File usage
The following 2 pages link to this file:
Metadata
IHBC NewsBlog
Lady Grange’s House repaired on St Kilda
National Trust for Scotland repairs stone cleit with link to famous island resident
Griff Rhys Jones on BBC Radio 4 Today programme
The Victorian Society’s President unveiled its latest Top Ten Endangered Buildings 2026.
Need a MATE? Book your place now.
IHBC offers free webinars on applying for IHBC accreditation (Full & Associate).
UK Stained Glass Repository finds windows new homes
How are stained glass windows are rescued, stored and repurposed?
APPGEBE report sets high aims for quality
'Government must not sacrifice quality in drive to build 1.5m homes'
New measures protect Historic Shipwrecks from heritage crime
Underwater cultural heritage benefits from new HE guidance
How could the City of London skyline look in 6 years' time?
Visualisation shows approved planning applications as completed buildings
National Trust for Scotland calls for VAT cuts
Heritage neglect is encouraged by current policies
IHBC's 'Context' Issue 186 features Industrial Heritage
IHBC's members' journal reports on the challenges of conserving infrastructure
Book now for IHBC Annual School 2026
IHBC Annual School is taking place 18-20 June 2026 in Newcastle
RICHeS Research Infrastructure offers ‘Full Access Fund Call’
RICHeS offers a ‘Help’ webinar on 11 March
Latest IHBC Issue of Context features Roofing
Articles range from slate to pitched roofs, and carbon impact to solar generation to roofscapes
Three reasons not to demolish Edinburgh’s Argyle House
Should 'Edinburgh's ugliest building' be saved?
IHBC’s 2025 Parliamentary Briefing...from Crafts in Crisis to Rubbish Retrofit
IHBC launches research-led ‘5 Commitments to Help Heritage Skills in Conservation’
How RDSAP 10.2 impacts EPC assessments in traditional buildings
Energy performance certificates (EPCs) tell us how energy efficient our buildings are, but the way these certificates are generated has changed.




















