Page 78 - Modular design for machine tools

Basic Knowledge: What Is the Modular Design? 47

b

a

(b)
Figure 1-32 (Continued)

1.3.3 Application to NC machine tools
The NC is, as already suggested, considered the most epoch-making
contrivance since Wilkinson’s cylinder boring machine of the industrial
revolution era. The NC was developed with amazing speed across the
whole world and affected the enhancement of the machine tool tech-
nology to various extents. In retrospect, the tape-controlled NC boring
and milling machine, and the drilling machine of planer type with ATC
(automatic tool changer) were, e.g., on the market in the beginning of
the 1960s by Gilbert and by Warner and Swasey, respectively.
Consequently, the NC has continuously been developed as represented
with several key terms, e.g., hardwired NC, modular NC, CNC, and
open CNC. With the growing importance of the NC machine tool, the
modular design was forced to change its concept and application method
to a larger extent. Importantly, the modular design has been applied to
the NC machine tool, particularly expecting to reinforce the flexibility
of the machine from the hardware aspect. In fact, a concept having been
once believed is the wider flexibility of the NC machine tool in machin-
ing patterns and methods, which can, in principle, be commissioned to