
After initial developmental bugs were worked out in the 1950s, these early NC machines increased production and made it possible to do the types of jobs that a manual worker could never accomplish-jobs such as forming dies, molding cavities, airfoils and other aircraft components. The first NC systems were hard-wired circuits connecting the machine tool servo motors to the machine control unit (MCU).

Instead, they provide a sophisticated, cost-effective technology that is more than living up to early expectations. Recent developments in software and client/server networking lay to rest the old misconceptions of prohibitive expense, complexity and inefficiency. While it's been a protracted and rocky road for numerical control, the latest breakthroughs indicate DNC has truly come of age. These networks also can provide workers access to a wealth of manufacturing information and help management monitor activity on the shop floor. Today's DNC systems do much more than help shops manage their part programs.
