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CNC Machining Trends in 2022

1. Manufacturing-as-a-Service will continue to be popular

Manufacturing-as-a-Service has entered the CNC industry in recent years, but it is expected to gain wider acceptance as we move forward for the foreseeable future. Because CNC machines are centrally located, manufacturing-as-a-service options offer companies greater productivity, flexibility, agility, and cost savings by reducing labor expenses.

2. IoT will dominate emerging technologies

IIoT stands for "Industrial Internet of Things". IIoT allows networked CNC machines to communicate with each other without manual intervention. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is a digital automation process that connects factory floors and accumulates real-time data about the environment, efficiency, performance, and operating conditions of every function in a facility.

Although the CNC software of a CNC machine is smart enough, by adding sensors and integrating them with the factory cell via the internet, the CNC machine will generate data about the status of the equipment and the efficiency, productivity level and energy of the production process. consume. All of these will directly affect the profitability of the company.

Also, by using data collected from CNC machines using the IIoT, the company will know the exact production rate for any given number of seconds. When not in use, the device automatically shuts down the engine to save energy costs, recognizes when components are nearing the end of their useful life, and assumes the exact power required to manufacture different components.

We expect higher levels of process automation in 2022 as the CNC industry continues to seek effective ways to increase efficiency and reduce material waste.

3. The application of 6-axis machining will expand rapidly

The 6-axis CNC milling machine, which debuted at the end of 2019, will be the next big thing in the CNC industry. After all, the higher the number of axes, the shorter the production time. For now, the biggest CNC machining revolution in the next decade may be six-axis machining. Multi-axis machining refers to the movement of a specific CNC machine in four or more directions to improve the ability to finish the raw material. It uses a milling procedure to remove excess raw material from the machine and produce the final product.

Currently, most CNC machines offer three to five axis support. This means that the tool can handle products in three dimensions (x, y, and z). A 5-axis machine can rotate seamlessly around the X and Y axes, and a 6-axis CNC machine will allow further rotation around the z-axis, reducing cutting time.

For some time to come, we can expect more and more physical manufacturers and third parties to turn their attention to 6-axis CNC machine tools, which will prove to be high-precision production of aerospace and automotive parts. Ideal for large mechanical parts such as assemblies that require the highest possible precision. 6-axis CNC machine tools will surely become a must-have product in the industry in the near future.

4. Greater emphasis will be placed on reducing waste

Not surprisingly, the pandemic has thrown global supply chains into chaos. While raw materials have always been a valuable resource, in 2022 there will be a greater focus on the wise use of materials. One strategy is to use 3D printing methods to create scale models of parts, rather than experimenting with designs on actual CNC equipment.

5. Skilled people will become more important in the CNC industry

There are growing concerns that automation and technology are taking people's jobs from production facilities, but this is far from reality. There is no doubt that machines have greatly reduced employment in manufacturing firms.

However, there is still a huge demand for skilled employees who need to keep up with advanced CNC machining trends and simplify the manufacturing process.

Skilled and skilled manufacturing mechanics and specialists will be a valuable asset for any production company. They will be decisive factors in the company's development over the next decade.

In addition to having the latest manufacturing technologies, these organizations need highly skilled employees to use them effectively, and these will never change.

6. A lot of CAM software upgrades

Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software is an important part of CNC machining, which integrates computer-aided design (CAD) design into a virtual system. CAM software determines the optimal setup and sequence of the machine to minimize the possibility of wrong or sub-optimal parts.

One of the newest features included as standard in CAM software is conflict disclosure. As machines become more complex and introduce more axes, margins for errors and collisions are more important than ever.

Expect plenty of CAM software upgrades here. These software improvements will be of great benefit to new CNC workers, as they should still develop the skills to predict such failures and setbacks.

Thanks to the new CAM software version, these employees can easily operate the CNC equipment simply by letting the software estimate the number of runs given by the machine.

Expect a lot of software development and improvement over the next few years, as this inevitably and skilled people will become more important than ever. Experienced CNC programmers, software developers and operators will do a lot of work in the future.

2022 The Future of Machining After Popularization

Despite unexpected market disruptions this year, CNC manufacturing remains an essential and thriving industry. To adapt to future crises, the company is turning to automated manufacturing methods to ensure its resources and products are managed wisely. Global companies must turn to automated manufacturing solutions such as IIoT, technological advancements such as 6-axis CNC tools, use advanced software, leverage third-party CNC manufacturing solutions and invest in employee education to ensure smart management of their products and resources. More advancements in CNC machinery are expected to lead 2022 and beyond.