The CNC Index

Every entry in the library sits in one of four categories. Pick a category, scan the records and follow the links.

Category 1: Machine types

• Vertical mill. Spindle points down. Cuts prismatic parts. Usually three linear axes: X, Y, Z.
• Horizontal mill. Spindle lies flat. Chips fall away. Often paired with pallets and a rotary table.
• Lathe / turning centre. The part spins, the tool moves. Axes named X (diameter) and Z (length).
• Router. Light, fast gantry machine for wood, plastics, foam and sheet aluminium.
• Plasma, laser, waterjet. Two-axis profile cutters for sheet and plate.
• EDM. Spark erosion. Wire EDM cuts profiles; sinker EDM burns cavities.

Category 2: Controllers

The controller interprets the program and commands the drives. Records cover industrial controls, retrofit kits, hobby boards and open-source software such as LinuxCNC and GRBL. Key fields: open or closed loop, supported code dialect, number of axes, and how offsets are stored. See what a controller does.

Category 3: Programming concepts

• G-codes set motion and modes: rapid, linear feed, arcs, units, planes.
• M-codes switch machine functions: spindle, coolant, tool change, program end.
• Coordinates: absolute versus incremental, work offsets, machine zero.
• Feeds and speeds: F for feed rate, S for spindle speed.
• Tool offsets: length and radius compensation.

Quick distinction: G-codes versus M-codes.

Category 4: Workholding

Vises, chucks, collets, soft jaws, fixture plates, vacuum and magnetic chucks. Records list what each holds well, how repeatable it is, and what it is bad at.

Reading a record

Each entry opens with a definition, then key fields, then limits, then see-also links. Code samples are illustrative. Dialects vary, so check your manual.