Essential industrial processes explained: The ins and outs of CNC fabric cutting
CNC fabric cutting is a relatively recent innovation but saves companies time and money. You may not have heard of it before but chances are that you have encountered something which has been made using the process; CNC fabric cutting is used in the manufacturer of a wide range of things such as sails, clothing, lampshades, awnings, umbrellas and jewellery. As you can tell it is incredibly useful technology. With that in mind here are some of the things you need to know about CNC fabric cutting:
CNC stands for computer numerical control, which means that the machine tool is operated by a programmable computer system rather than manually. It is used as a means of automated precision engineering in sectors ranging from the car industry to hand tool manufacture. Processes such as CNC fabric cutting therefore have the advantage of the user being able to programme certain settings such as the dimensions of the shape the material will be cut into. Using this technology makes the manufacturing process much more efficient, although you do need a trained CNC operator to use the machinery.
CNC fabric cutting also has the benefit of being extremely accurate – much more than cutting by hand. The technology is used in so many applications because you can programme it to work within very small tolerances. It also eliminates much of the risk of human error (as long is the programmer is given the right information!) so is clearly worth considering. Suitable materials for CNC fabric cutting range from light nylon and silk to PVC and sail-fabrics which contain Kevlar and Spectra yarns.
When it comes to CNC fabric cutting it is very expensive to buy machines as they can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of pounds. It is therefore usually advisable to outsource your cutting to a specialist firm. One business which has carved out an excellent reputation for a quality service can be found at Automatedcutting.co.uk. The company has specialised in CNC fabric cutting for more than 20 years and can cater for clients with a variety of fabrics and thin materials.