Best of 2017: CNC’s changing role in aerospace factory automation

In automated aerospace assembly, computer numerical controls (CNCs) are better able to address complex interpolated motion than programmable logic controllers (PLCs). CNC technologies are finding increased application in complex airframe alignment tooling, robot control, additive machining, fiber placement and tape laying, and 5-axis machining.

As CNC use grows, manufacturers must integrate them into product lifecycle management (PLM), manufacturing execution systems (MES), and manufacturing operations management (MOM) environments. To optimize production processes, MOM software focuses on efficiency, flexibility, and time-to-market…

Find out the ways system-wide software is enabling complex manufacturing processes.