Aeronautics and Aerospace Engineering
During the flights, aircraft may encounter various situations, including high speed, unstable airflow and air pressure, which may affect the flight stability.
In order to avoid accidents, attention must be paid to every detail during the construction process to ensure that the specifications of the fuselage and parts are very accurate; otherwise those inaccurate parts may affect airflow, form resistance and gradually wear out the fuselage during the flight.
The application of CNC machining is one of the few processing and manufacturing technologies suitable for aerospace and aerospace engineering, and the aerospace industry is also one of the earliest industrial categories to apply CNC machining technology.
As spaceships must be in the space environment for a long period of time, which may last from months to decades, the equipment must be very accurate to ensure the safety of spacecraft and operators.
CNC machining can effectively control the error value of the product in production, so that the production tolerance is less than 0.001mm. In addition, CNC machining is suitable for a wide range of materials, including materials required for aerospace engineering. From metals such as titanium, aluminum, nickel to various plastic materials, these are all suitable materials for CNC machining technology.
CNC machining can manufacture various parts, including manifolds, wings, bushings, electrical connectors, landing gear, antennas, etc., in a customized form with the most precise tolerances.
Due to the large applicability of CNC machining to materials, many attempts and differences can be made in production.
In terms of aviation, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner under the Boeing Company of the United States has developed different product models for different purposes.
For example, the discontinued 787-3 is mainly used for high-density short-haul routes; the 787-8 is the basic model of the 787 family.; the 787-9 has the same wingspan as the 787-8, but the fuselage is longer than the 787-8 and has a larger passenger capacity. The 787-10 can carry more passengers than the 787-9, but has a smaller fuel tank, so it can fly a shorter route.
In the design process of the aviation and aerospace industry, industrial designers not only use computers to draw 3D design drawings, but also use CNC machining technology to make models before formal production, so as to evaluate the function of the finished product and make corrections if necessary. Once the design process is complete, production can begin. Through CNC machining technology, the entire process can be effectively accelerated.
Electronics industry
CNC machining is mainly used in the design of device bodies in the electronics industry. Various materials are available for CNC machining (see “Article 03” for details), which is helpful for the selection of the shell. In addition, various lathes and milling machines can process multi-angle processing, and there are various types of applicable tools. As long as the settings are completed in advance, drilling, cutting and milling can be started, which is easy to process.
Phone body
Apple has always used CNC machining technology in the body processing of various products. The casings of MacBook, iMac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and other products are all made by CNC machining. CNC machining can effectively retain the original material properties of metal, so that computers, mobile phones, and tablets can have more sturdy and durable shells. The luster of various metals also makes the appearance of the product look more elegant. In addition to Apple, major mobile phone manufacturers such as Samsung and Huawei also use various plastics or alloys to make the casings of smartphones and tablet computers.
Electronic internal parts
The most common way of making printed circuit boards (PCBs) is chemical etching, which covers the required parts first, and then dissolves them with ferric chloride. However, such a manufacturing method may cause irritation to human body and even damage the liver. Therefore, some manufacturers will use CNC machining to manufacture printed circuit boards through precise milling.
Heat sinks in electronic equipment are also often processed by CNC, and by milling, a variety of materials can be used, and they are made with strict tolerances, so they are widely used.
Touch glass
In addition to the body, the touch glass of many mobile devices is also processed by CNC. Through the milling technology of CNC machining, it can help manufacturers to drill holes on the glass, and bring the glass’s scratch resistance, crack resistance, and high light transmittance to various mobile devices. In addition to mobile devices, CNC machining is also used in other screen production, including TV, computer or watch screens.
Sockets and Connectors
Sockets and connectors come in a variety of sizes and shapes, so they need to be manufactured with strict tolerances, otherwise they will not be able to transmit/receive various power, electromagnetic and signals smoothly.
CNC machining technology excels at creating complex geometries in a multi-dimensional manner. Therefore, in addition to ensuring the high accuracy of the finished product, the use of machine manufacturing can also effectively reduce costs. If you need to modify the model or hole, you can easily complete it through the modification of CAD/CAM software.
Mobile phone case
CNC machining is also used in the manufacture of mobile phone protective cases and other electronic accessories. Generally speaking, the material of the mobile phone case is TPU, silicone, PC hard shell and other plastic materials or leather, which is mainly made by injection rather than CNC processing.
However, before processing, it is necessary to make molds by CNC machining for injection processing. Mobile phone cases made of materials such as wood or bamboo are often seen on the market. There are two main production methods for such delicate mobile phone cases: CNC machining and manual work. Due to the high cost of manual work and the inaccuracy of CNC machining, many mobile phone cases made of wood or bamboo are manufactured in the form of CNC machining.
Other accessories
In addition to the mobile phone protective case, the production case of the mobile power supply is also often completed by CNC machining. Selfie stick is another example. It can be produced in large quantities and quickly through CNC processing. The brackets of mobile phones or other electronic devices can also be easily processed into the radian suitable for the fuselage through the milling of CNC lathes or milling machines, which brings a lot of convenience to life.
Conclusion
From space capsules to smartphones in the hand, the maturity of CNC machining technology has reduced our travel costs. Cross-border travel is an affordable activity for most people, and intercontinental travel has become more convenient. CNC machining technology is widely used in the electronics industry, which also allows more people to use technology products. During the pandemic, everyone can work, attend classes, and even have instant video conferences with friends thousands of kilometers away even if they cannot go out with the help of laptops, mobile phones or tablets. CNC machining technology has even allowed humans to complete the dream of landing on the moon and space travel. With the assistance of CNC machining technology, human beings can break the barriers of space and realize the dream of the global village.
Reference:
https://customcomponentsinc.com/why-apple-opts-for-cnc-machining-for-its-product-lines/
https://www.3erp.com/blog/cnc-machining-for-smartphone-manufacturing/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io2A5eksdcY
https://www.china-machining.com/blog/electronic-parts-machining/
Read Also: What is CNC machining? ── CNC machining 101
