{"id":1970,"date":"2019-05-29T07:07:48","date_gmt":"2019-05-29T11:07:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robodk.com\/blog\/?p=1970"},"modified":"2024-11-20T13:59:33","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T18:59:33","slug":"difference-robots-cnc-machines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robodk.com\/blog\/difference-robots-cnc-machines\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s the Difference Between Robots and CNC Machines?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

People often buy a robot thinking it will be just like a CNC machine. This is not true, but the boundaries between them are blurring. Here are the main differences between them both.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Last year, RoboDK’s CEO Albert Nubiola was interviewed by the Robotics Industries Association<\/a> about the myths surrounding offline programming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One point he raised was a common problem that people run into when they get started with robotics: they think that the robot will behave just like their existing CNC machines. They get disappointed when they find that this is not true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, let’s be clear, robots are not CNC machines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are some big differences between the two technologies. However, these differences have been getting smaller and smaller over the last decade. Robots are now able to do some machining tasks with comparable performance, as we discussed previously in the article: Can a Robot Outperform a CNC Machine for Robot Machining?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s take a general look at the two technologies to explain the similarities and differences between them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are CNC Machines?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The defining feature of Computer Numerical Control<\/a> (CNC) machines is their accuracy. They can achieve high performance for very specific machining operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CNC is a long-established technology for automated machining. The first machine was introduced by engineer John T Parsons in the 1950s<\/a>, not long before the first robot was built. Since then, the two technologies have developed in parallel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The “business end” of a CNC machine is either a movable tool, a movable jig, or both. Usually, these are only movable in the X, Y, and Z axes, although control of the tool orientation is sometimes possible. The axes are precisely controlled by a computer, which allows very accurate material removal compared to machining by hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tasks for CNC Machines<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In general, an individual CNC machine is only suited to one task. However, there is a range of different machines, each designed for a specific machining operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tasks that you can achieve with CNC machines include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n