Nowadays when the term automation comes up, a lot of people’s minds go straight to some of the evolutionary developments of the Digital Revolution, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. However, when it comes to AI, robotics, hyperautomation, or any of those other buzzing innovations of the Digital Age, they can all be regarded to owe their conceptions to the systems and processes of a particular innovation that goes back to even before the 1900s: CNC machining.
It’s known well that CNC machining can produce virtually every kind of machinery needed in any type of manufacturing. What might not be such broadly-held knowledge is that the systems and processes grown for CNC machining are the roots from which the very similar systems and processes of most highly-complex modern digital capabilities have sprouted.
What is it about CNC machining to which modern digital capabilities owe their existences? Let’s break it down to the core components: CNC machining is all about establishing better precision, better efficiencies, and altogether better costs. Think about AI and robotics. What do those do for the many industries that utilize them? That’s rights–just like CNC machining, when you break them down to their base purposes, AI and robotics too are all about improving precision, efficiencies, and costs.
This is not a new concept. The Digital Revolution is also known as the Third Industrial Revolution. And just what CNC machining did between the first and second industrial revolutions is what AI and robotics are accomplishing in the third now. But guess what? CNC machining is right there with AI and robotics helping them to accomplish what they are doing.
Computer numerical control (CNC) is automation itself. Via CNC in machining, products have become programs. The programs now behind products have established a different way of thinking which emphasizes scalability in addition to performance. Performance is important and a factor which CNC machining has never lost sight of; but in an ever- (and sometimes sporadically) changing environment members of most modern industries can attest to living in, the ability to rapidly scale is of equal importance to establishing high-level performance. How do we stay on top of this? Back to our main subject: it’s automation.
Bottom line: further enhanced automation is the force that keeps industries and individual companies afloat through the turbulent waters of all steady as well as rapid changes that can be expected in current times–especially from 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic, and whatever may eventually lie beyond. If you are interested in exploring automation for your business, start with where it began. Start with CNC machining.
Jim Dunkin, Owner of Deluxe Machine & Manufacturing in Burnsville, Minnesota is particularly apt to translate the vague concepts of automation through the (arguably) most practical source of automation since the First Industrial Revolution: CNC machining. Jim is especially well-qualified to approach the automation needs of your business with his background and education as an engineer.
Interested to learn more about the differences Jim and Deluxe can make for your new venture or interest in automation? Learn more about Jim’s education and over 40 years of experience with automation by reading his bio on the homepage of the Deluxe website. Also read about Deluxe’s various custom services available to its customers on the Deluxe Expertise page. Or, if you’re ready to get started, give Deluxe a call today at (952) 641-6620 or email Jim at [email protected].