In recent years, CNC machining has been a backbone for numerous manufacturing industries. As CNC technology is evolving exponentially and its role is becoming more and more pre-eminent day by day. It is almost used in every industry from the aerospace and defense industries to automotive, and gas, and oil industries. Wherever you encounter a machine or a molded part then CNC machining technology might have some contributing in its manufacturing.
As CNC machining provides reliable and high-precision part manufacturing and a huge number of industries are benefitting from it globally. The CNC technology has made mass production faster and cheaper than ever before. As 5G technology is becoming largely accessible around the world and the incorporation of IoT with CNC machining operations will bring a revolution in manufacturing field. The future of CNC technology will be phenomenal and it will boom its importance.
What will happen if CNC technology would be integrated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)? Then it would take manufacturing to the next levels. AI will control most of the machining operations by learning them through machine learning. That will reduce the costs of human labor, times to mass-production and machining accuracy will be superlative. But before that the CNC operations were being controlled through humans assistanc and programming CAM codes.
Does it seem like an impossible thing? But it will become a reality sooner than you can imagine. The incorporation of AI with CNC machining technology will bring countless benefits for manufacturers like increased productivity, more durability, and much faster operations. Before we move further, let’s first understand, what’s the difference between artificial and machine learning and their dedicated roles.
Difference Between Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Every so often, machine learning and artificial intelligence are considered the same. AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. But machine learning is a subsidiary application of AI. It enables systems to automatically learn and improve decision-making abilities by learning from previous experiences without being explicitly programmed.
Deep learning is a type of machine learning, that is a sub-category of artificial intelligence. Machine learning is about computers having the ability to think and act with less human intervention. But deep learning layers algorithms in such a way that it creates a learning system for the machine and it is modeled on the human brain.
This learning system does not need much human assistance. But in CNC machining, we have to guide the machine through CAM codes. Without CAM codes machines will not able to perform machining action. But in machine learning, the data passed to the machine will be analyzed on the first layer. Then it will be passed to the next layer that further refine the output and hence the decision-making abilities of the machine.
How Beneficial the Implementation of AI and Machine Learning Will Be on the Machine-Room Floor
The implementation of AI and machine learning on the machine-room floor will outcome in countless benefits. Whether these are the humans working in the environment, machining operations, machines, or products, these all will be beneficiary.
Since there are already many monitoring and controlling systems working in a place in the machine room. But these monitoring systems can be magnificently optimized. If an advanced mechanism for data gathering is implemented such as ERP systems. Then feeding that data to machine learning algorithms. That will improve the decision-making ability of the whole machine room and these decisions can be improvised using sensors.
As more and more data will be gathered and fed to the machine learning algorithms, then it will be advantageous for manufacturers to identify the opportunities to optimize processes, machines, reduce downtime, and much more.
A few of the advantages of implementing AI and machine learning in CNC machining are discussed below
Increased Productivity and Efficiency
There are two areas where the implementation of AI and machine learning would be extremely impactful for CNC machining i.e., its productivity and efficiency. As the tendencies of integration of these emerging technologies will grow, that alternatively will increase CNC workshop’s productivity and efficiency.
Imagine a machine that is making real-time best possible decisions based on the available dada. That will lead to considerably increased productivity. This will keep on improving as deep learning get to know the production data more and more.
Another benefit that CNC machining will have is its increased efficiency. Because the predictive and diagnostic data feed to deep learning will digitally alert an operator. Whenever a machine would require servicing, part changes, and downtime, it will let the machinists and maintenance crews know automatically. In turn, better machining efficiency and functioning would result just because of diagnostic data analysis by deep learning.
Machine Downtime Reduction
The decision-making will be implemented through sensors after a machine would reach to a decision after data analysis. Those sensors will be connected to different elements on CNC drills, lathes, and mills. These sensors will guess the downtime of a particular part of the machine.
Afterwards, machines can break mid-production or a required part that isn’t readily available. Sensor predictive maintenance is very helpful in terms of resource savings. CNC machinists generally perform scheduled maintenance but planned downtime via sensors enables machinists to perform timely maintenance and the serving life of the components will enhance.
CNC Machine Optimization
Before the implementation of AI and machine learning, all the CNC machining process was controlled with the help of human labor and programing instructions (CAM codes) generated according to the CAD designs. But after applying these revolutionary technologies, how CNC machines perform will be totally changed.
The data collected from the machine room will be continuously fed to the deep learning algorithms and decisions will be made accordingly. But the loop that will be analyzing incoming data will keep on analyzing it continuously. Every time a new set of data is fed to deep learning algorithms, the possibilities for the machine’s performance will improve. In this way, the whole CNC machining process will be optimized exceptionally well.
Automation of Processes
The excessive amount of data collected, analyzed, processed, and evaluated by deep learning algorithms is impossible for an individual to perform. With the help of AI and deep learning, the data evaluation will enable the machinists and engineers to produce such outcomes that would have been impossible by an individual.
New exciting opportunities for automation will bring up. When all the data collected through sensors will be converted into useful information is input to ERPs, CRMs, and other systems. These automation opportunities will make sure that the products are being delivered in time and meeting the customers’ demands effectively. But when robots will be introduced to the system that will exponentially pace up the manufacturing process.
Robots & Cobots Can Increase Production & Decrease Accidents
The introduction of robots and cobots (collaborative robots are called cobots) in the CNC machining process together with AI and machine learning will take the technology to the next levels. That alternatively will help to increase the production greatly. For example, robots can perform little tasks such as putting finished parts into bins, replacing tools, or insert pieces into the CNC machine’s chuck.
A great benefit of robots is that they can work extremely faster than humans. Their working hours are also extended. They can work 24/7. That will enhance the production levels of a CNC workshop. Another benefit of robots is that they can notably reduce the chances of accidents.
The future of CNC machining is hugely bright where machines and humans are more linked via the IoT (Internet of Things) sensors and cloud computing with 5G. Think what will happen, after the introduction of 6G?
When more and more workshops will integrate with AI and machine learning, it will not only optimize and improve efficiency on the machine room floor but would also benefit the manufacturing. So, with the help of robots and cobots, the productivity of the whole machining process will be enhanced and the chances of an accident will be lower.
Conclusion
In nutshell, the incorporation of artificial intelligence and machine learning with CNC machining will optimize the machining process and manufacturing magnificently. It will increase machining productivity, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and faster the whole process. It will also help to reduce the machine’s downtime and further automate the process. Moreover, the introduction of robots into the process will be helpful and the chances of accidents will be notably reduced.
