It never fails, closed communities develop their lingos when they get used to working together. CNC machining is not the exception to the rule, mainly because most workshop teams need to quickly and easily navigate technicalities. For them is not only necessary to be able to communicate, but also to be efficient while doing so.

If you are not familiar with CNC machining, do not fret, we are here to help you out. As a newcomer to the industry or as someone who needs to learn his way around the industry to understand the technicalities related to your project, it's essential to know all of these terms. It will help you navigate the world of CNC machining, and it will give you some insight into the stages of your project.

Terms Classifications

The little guide we are about to offer touches on the main categories required for CNC machining, such as scientific terms, shop talk, and acronyms. Keep in mind that while this compendium is a glossary gathered from the web, most of them are commonplace, and very little of them change regardless of your location. Now let's dive in on our list:

Alloys

The word is used to refer to any form of metal created by mixing diverse materials.

As-Cast Condition

This how workers call unprocessed castings in a workshop

CNC

The acronym stands for Computer Numerical Control. As the name suggests, a combination of software and hardware carries out the procedure.

DFM

This acronym stands for Design for Manufacturability. It's an engineering principle that simplifies any given design to make it easier to create while accomplishing the original purpose. It's also helpful to determine if any given product requires assembly.

Induction Heating

A heating procedure where particular objects able to conduct electrical power get to interact with magnetic fields. It is commonly used to melt metal without touching them.

Location Surface

This how technicians call a reference point for measurement purposes in any material being machined.

Machine Stock

The remnants of the stock material left on the surface of the part being machined

Metrology

Every aspect related to measurements for a project, is also one of the stages more prone to revisions and redesigns since it demands precisions to get the parts done correctly.

Patternmaker Shrinkage

It's the allowance given to CNC machined materials for all the patterns being created. This allows the technician to counteract any shrinkage of material as it goes cold in a mold.

Permeability

A special treatment received by some materials to make them resistant to the environment. If often carried out with gaseous chemical procedures to get effective results.

PFMEA

This one stands for Process Failure Mode Effects Analysis. It's a diagnostic of all the stages of any given machining procedure to identify potential setbacks or disruptions.

Tooling

The stage where the CNC machine creates the product based on the specs offered in the software. It is often carried out using a robotic axis that carries out the task using the tools equipped on it.