CNC machine tools were initially designed for machining aircraft parts with complex surfaces, addressing key challenges that conventional machining methods struggled with. The most significant characteristic of CNC machining is the use of perforated tape (or magnetic tape) to control the machine tool for automated machining. Because aircraft, rocket, and engine parts each have distinct characteristics-aircraft and rocket components are large and complex in shape, while engine components are small and require high precision-the CNC machine tools selected differ between aircraft/rocket manufacturing and engine manufacturing. Aircraft and rocket manufacturing primarily utilizes large CNC milling machines with continuous control, while engine manufacturing employs both continuous control and point-to-point control CNC machine tools (such as CNC drilling machines, CNC boring machines, and machining centers).
Traditional general-purpose machine tools, while flexible, are inefficient; while traditional special-purpose machine tools, although highly efficient, have poor adaptability to parts, exhibiting high rigidity and low flexibility, making them ill-suited to the frequent product modifications resulting from intense market competition. By simply changing the program, new parts can be processed on CNC machine tools, and the operation can be automated, making it flexible and efficient. Therefore, CNC machine tools can adapt well to market competition.
