Articles
Cutting data in practice: cutting speed, revolutions and feed rateTechnique · 8 minCutting data is the foundation of all chip-removing machining. The article covers the relationship between cutting speed (Vc), spindle revolutions (n) and feed rate, shows the formulas you use every day at the machine, and explains why roughing and finishing each require their own values. All relationships follow the technical theory that the training is built on.G-code and ISO 6983: the language behind the CNC machineTechnique · 9 minBehind Every CNC Machine Lies a Program Written in G-Code. The Article Explains the Standard, ISO 6983, That G-Code is Built On, Reviews the Most Important G- and M-Codes, and Shows How Zero Points and Tool Correction Make the Program Hit Right in Reality. Being Able to Read and Correct a Program is a Core Skill for Any CNC Technician.From 3D model to finished workpiece: CAD/CAM in the CNC workshopTechnique · 8 minCAD/CAM is at the core of the CNC technician's specialisation. The article follows the path from a 3D model through choosing machining strategies and tool paths to the post-processor that translates to the machine's own G-code and emphasizes why simulation and good documentation are essential parts of the chain.ISO tolerances and fits: why Ø30H7 mattersTechnique · 8 minNo part can be manufactured completely precisely so the drawing tells where deviation is allowed. The article explains the ISO 286 system with IT grades and tolerance classes shows how letters and numbers are read and reviews the three fit types that determine whether two parts slide fit tight or must be pressed together.Geometric tolerances: when dimensions alone are not enoughTechnique · 8 minTwo parts can meet all their targets and still not fit together if geometry is skewed. The article introduces geometric tolerances under GPS system and ISO 1101, reviews four main groups of form, orientation, location, and runout, and explains what a datum is and why it is the entire referenceMeasurement uncertainty systematic and random errorsTechnique · 7 minA subject is only as good as you can prove it. The article reviews the CNC technician's most important hand measuring tools — calliper and micrometer — their resolution and correct use, explains Abbe's principle and the reference temperature of 20 °C, and underlines why calibration and traceability are part of quality work.Surface roughness: what Ra tells you, and how to hit itTechnique · 7 minA surface can be dimensionally accurate and still too rough for its function. The article explains what the Ra value measures how surface roughness is controlled with a profilometer what Ra values are realistically achieved with turning milling and grinding and how the new ISO 21920 standard brings together the previous roughness standards.Cutting materials: carbide, HSS, coatings and ISO 513Materials · 8 minThe tool is just as important as the machine. The article covers the most important cutting materials from HSS to carbide and ceramic, explains what coatings like TiN and TiAlN do, and introduces the ISO 513 colour codes that match the cut to the workpiece material — and make tool selection systematic instead of random.Metals in the workshop: steel, stainless, cast iron and aluminiumMaterials · 8 minSame program different materials vastly different results. The article covers the four most common material groups in a CNC workshop — steel, stainless steel, cast iron and aluminium — and explains their machinability typical pitfalls and what they require in terms of cutting data cooling and chip control.Cooling lubricants: selection, use and working environmentSafety · 8 minThe cooling lubricant is both a production advantage and an occupational health risk. The article explains what cooling does to the cutting process, reviews the main types, and outlines the health risks — eczema, respiratory problems — which the Danish Working Environment Authority's guidance D.2.17 addresses, as well as the substitution principle and good daily hygiene around the substance.Machine safety at CNC: emergency stop guards and the rules behindSafety · 8 minA CNC machine is strong, fast and indifferent. The article reviews the most important safety measures — guarding, emergency stop and safe chip removal — describes the Labour Authority's requirements and the transition from the machinery directive to the new EU machinery regulation 2023/1230, and brings together daily practices that prevent the classic accidents.Clamping and zero point: the foundation under a good workpieceTechnique · 7 minA perfect programme cannot save poor clamping. The article explains how the item is held fast and referenced correctly why rigid and repeatable clamping is crucial for both quality and safety and how the zero point is set and checked so the programme hits where it should.Thread cutting: metric thread and the correct core holeTechnique · 7 minA thread that cuts unevenly or breaks the tap off in the hole costs time and material. The article explains the metric ISO thread, how you find the correct bore size based on the pitch and covers the methods — tapping, thread cutting, thread turning and thread milling — as well as the classic pitfalls.Chip control: the little curl with big consequencesTechnique · 7 minThe chip is not waste – it is the clearest sign of how your machining is going. The article explains what chip form reveals about cutting data, why long band chips are dangerous and expensive, and how chip breaker geometry, cutting depth, and clamping together provide the short, manageable chip you are after.Turning technique: longitudinal and facing turning and cutter geometryTechnique · 8 minTurning is one half of the journeyman examination and one of the oldest disciplines in the trade. The article covers the basic turning operations, explains how the cutter's nose radius and setting angle affect the result, and introduces ISO designation on inserts so you can read a cutter and choose the right one.Milling technique: with-the-grain, against-the-grain and plane millingTechnique · 8 minMilling is the journeyman examination's second manufacturing task and the trade's most versatile discipline. The article explains the difference between with-the-grain and against-the-grain milling, covers plane and profile milling, and shows how feed per tooth and engagement angle control the result — so you mill with, not against, the machine.Quality assurance: proving the workpiece holdsCareer · 7 minMaking a good item is only half — you must also be able to document that it is good. The article covers the building blocks of quality assurance: first-piece approval, dimensional report, ongoing process control and traceability, and explains why documentation is a core competence, not a burden, in modern CNC production.Career paths as CNC technician: from journeyman exam to specialistCareer · 7 minCNC technician training opens a wide range of jobs in an industry lacking skilled workers. The article describes the structure of the journeyman exam at level 2, the difference between CNC assistant and CNC technician, typical job functions and the further and continuing education paths that lead forward toward specialist or engineering careers.