CNC has allowed for huge advances in technology on the factory floor. But along with these advances that has allowed for CNC turning centres to produce large amount of high quality precision parts, safety measures have also had to improve. Although you may think that a machine that is controlled by a computer as opposed to a human will indeed be safer, there are still plenty of safety measures in place to ensure that no one can get hurt whilst the machines are in operation.
At your local CNC turning centre, you will find that all the machines have safety features such as a guard that means that the machine will not start cutting until the guard is in place. This guard will also lock into position once the cutter is working, and can only be opened once the cutter has stopped working. Safety in CNC is very important, and all pupils, students, and machine operation need to be trained before they can start using machines at any CNC turning centre.
CNC routers also include a lot of safety features that are necessary when cutting plastic and wood. CNC routers will have a built in extraction facility that will stop the buildup of dust. Dust from plastic and wood can be extremely dangerous if inhaled, and the dust came permanently damage eyesight as well as cause irritation. The CNC routers that are found in turning centres will generally be fully enclosed, meaning that dust cannot escape into the atmosphere. Some units will have an extraction unit fitted to them for automatic dust removal. In the case of manually operated machinery, dust will fly into the air, and the correct safety equipment such as goggles will need to be worn by the operator.
Modern machines found in CNC turning centres will generally be run from single phase electric, the electrical supply coming through a residual breaker. This breaker will cut off the supply immediately if there is a fault and is actually safer than three phase electrical currents. Being able to be plugged into any available sockets, these single phase machines are without doubt the safest machines around. A single phase machine can also be relocated more easily, the plug and play mechanism meaning they are more versatile than three phase machines that cannot be simply unplugged from the electrical supply.
Another important safety feature found at your local CNC machining centre will be a guard or closed, transparent door to protect people from the machine whilst it is working. These transparent doors allow for operators to oversee the machinery in action, but without the danger of sparks or dust flying around and hitting them or entering their eyes. All CNC operators are trained before they are allowed to use machinery, and ongoing training will also be given on site. Much of the safety surrounding CNC centres is common sense, but with the required training and safety measures put rigidly into place, these centres can operate safely, and without the need for human intervention to run the machines.
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