CNC Machining center is a widely used CNC machining machine tool. It can machine flat surfaces, grooves, gear parts, spiral surfaces, and various complex curved surfaces. In addition, CNC machining center can also machine the surface of rotating bodies, internal hole threads, and perform surface cutting, etc; 3D printing using metal powder as raw material can complete mold forming in one step. Currently, the field of 3D printing has covered both military and civilian use. Will the rapid development of 3D printing technology eliminate CNC machining centers?

We have a plan to use a CNC machining center to mill a hollow iron ball. First, we will obtain a sufficiently large cube material. Then, we will use a ball cutter to mill layer by layer, creating two semicircles. Finally, we will weld them together using welding. However, spherical shapes are not particularly complex molds, and welding will also be used in the future. If 3D printing is used, welding will not be necessary, and the plasticity of the sphere can be completed in one step. From this perspective, 3D printing is very simple and fast. Does it have the ability to replace traditional machining centers? The answer is negative for the following reasons:

Although 3D printing is simple and fast, it also has its drawbacks, that is, it is difficult for processing manufacturers to achieve lighting processing, and the production capacity is significantly lower than traditional processing methods. It is also affected by factors such as cost and technological popularization, and cannot penetrate the production line in a short period of time; When the CNC machining center is processing, the workpiece is clamped on the worktable or indexing head accessories, and the rotation is the main motion, supplemented by the feed motion of the worktable or milling cutter. The raw material can obtain the required processing surface. Due to the use of multi edge intermittent cutting, the production efficiency of the machining center is very high. Moreover, using CNC machining centers to process precision parts can greatly guarantee the smoothness of the parts. As for current 3D printing, it is currently impossible to achieve the smoothness of the parts processed by machining centers. The surface of the parts processed by 3D printing technology is generally rough. In terms of factory investment equipment, 3D printing and CNC machining centers of the same price range cannot match the smoothness and accuracy of the products processed by machining centers. Moreover, the strength of the products printed by 3D cannot be compared with those processed by CNC machining centers. The parts needed by users not only need to meet the appearance standards, but also the accuracy and strength of the parts will affect the later stage. Performance is crucial, so this is of utmost importance.

The future solution should be to upgrade and improve both CNC machining centers and 3D printing in the technology fields they lack, and in the future market environment, the two processing techniques will advance simultaneously. Shenzhen EMAR Precision Technology focuses on high-precision CNC machining centers for external processing. Currently, our company‘s machining center models include 650, 750, 850, as well as four axis and five axis linkage equipment, which have excellent advantages in the machining quality and efficiency of precision components.