A CNC machining system for education

Abstract A computer numerical control (CNC) machining system has been developed. The system includes a three-axis milling/drilling machine, a microprocessor, system software, and an automatically programmed tools (APT) processor. The objective of developing this machining system is to enable new features to be introduced, especially for the educational environment. A unique feature of the system is the use of a general purpose microprocessor as a controller. The CNC system is designed to include fundamental features with simple software format and a small scale construction. These make the system a versatile educational tool. An APT processor is developed, which can be used to link a geometric file devised by a commercial computer aided design software package to the CNC machine. The cost trade-offs of using the newly designed system and a comparison with commercial systems are also included.