Machine tools (machine tools) refer to machines used to manufacture machines, and are also called "machine tools" or "machine tools". Early machine tools appeared as early as the 15th century. In 1774, a barrel boring machine invented by the British Wilkinson was considered to be the world's first real machine tool, which solved the problem of processing the cylinder of the Watt steam engine. By the 18th century, various types of machine tools appeared and developed rapidly, such as threaded lathes, gantry type machine tools, horizontal milling machines, gear hobbing machines, etc., which laid the foundation for manufacturing tools for the industrial revolution and the establishment of modern industry. In 1952, the world's first numerical control (numerical control, NC) machine tool came out at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States, marking the beginning of the machine tool numerical control era. A CNC machine tool is a machine tool equipped with a digital control system ("numerical control system" for short). The numerical control system includes two parts: a numerical control device and a servo device. The current numerical control device is mainly realized by an electronic digital computer, also known as computerized numerical control (computerized numerical control). control, CNC) device.
CNC machine tools can be classified according to processing technology, motion mode, servo control mode, machine tool performance, etc. Traditionally, CNC machine tools are generally divided into two categories: CNC metal cutting machine tools and CNC metal forming machine tools based on the characteristics of the surface forming process of the processed object (part). In recent years, due to the increasing application of new materials in complex products (such as airplanes, automobiles, aero engines, etc.), the materials for the processed parts of CNC machine tools are no longer limited to metal materials, but have expanded to non-metallic materials such as composite materials and ceramic materials. The processing technology also includes special processing methods. In addition, from the perspective of function and performance, CNC machine tools can be divided into three categories: economical, mid-range (or popular), and high-end. At present, there is no clear and unified definition of high-end CNC machine tools. The author believes that: high-end CNC machine tools are CNC machine tools with high performance, intelligence and high value characteristics and reaching corresponding functions and performance technical indicators. High-end CNC machine tools are a typical representative of the technical level of the CNC machine tool industry and the competitiveness of the equipment manufacturing industry.
