The computer is becoming widely used in NC programming settings.Fig.2-2-1 shows CNC programming on computer.
Computers offer operators several advantages over manually preparing programmed instructions for NC machines.It takes less time to prepare a part program using a computer than to prepare the same program manually.Because the computer performers any necessary calculations rather than the calculations being performed manually there are fewer errors in the final program.And because less time is required in using a computer and fewer errors appear in the final program,the overall programming costs are usually lower with computer-assisted NC programming
When using a computer to write an NC program,the operator describes the operations to be performed by the machine tool using English language-like commands.These commands are transformed into a language the NC machine can understand by a post-processor,a special computer program that converts general instructions to machine-specific instructions.The most widely used language for computer-assisted NC programming is the APT language.
The computer offers the NC part programmer the same advantages and benefits it offers other technical workers.By performing complicated mathematical calculations,it reduces the time involved in preparing a program and decreases the number of errors made in producing a program.When errors are made,they are easier to correct.It simplifies the input of program to be stored,retrieved,and used continually without having to rerun a tape each time a machine operation is to be performed.