CNC MACHINES

Worked out Problems:

1. To illustrate the operation of an NC positioning system, let us suppose that the shaft of
a stepping motor is connected directly to the X-axis leadscrew of the machine table. The
pitch of the leadscrew is 3.0mm. The number of step angles on the stepping motor is
200.a) Determine how closely the position of the table can be controlled, assuming that
there are no mechanical errors in the positioning system. b) What is the required
frequency of the pulse train and the corresponding rotational speed of the stepping motor
in order to drive the table at a travel rate of 100 mm/min?

2. A two-axis NC control system used as an x-y positioning table has a bit storage
capacity of 12 bits for each axis. Both x and y axes have a range of 15 in. The mechanical
accuracy of the machine table can be characterized by a normal distribution with standard
deviation=0.0003in. for both axes. Determine a) the control resolution b) the accuracy
and c) the repeatability of the NC system.

3. The cutting condition for a turning operation performed on an NC machine tool is:
cutting speed= 400sfpm, feed= .010 in/rev, and depth=.100 in. The work piece diameter=
3.0 in. and its length=10.0 in. Determine the rotational speed, the feed rate, metal removal
rate, and the time travel from one end of the work piece to other.

4. The work table of a positioning system is driven by a leadscrew whose pitch=6.0mm.

The leadscrew is connected to the output shaft of a stepping motor through a gearbox
whose ratio is 5:1(5 turns of the motor to one turn of the leadscrew).The stepping motor
has 48 step angles. The table must move a distance of 250mm from its present position at
a linear velocity =500mm/min. Determine a) how many pulses are required to move the
table the specified distance and b) the required motor speed and pulse rate to achieve the
desired table velocity.

5. An NC worktable operates by closed-loop positioning. The system consists of a

servomotor, leadscrew, and optical encoder. The leadscrew has a pitch = 6.0mm and is
coupled to the motor shaft with a gear ratio of 5:1 (5 turns of the drive motor for each
turn of the leadscrew). The optical encoder generates 48 pulses/rev of its output shaft.
The encoder output shaft is coupled to the leadscrew with a 4:1 reduction ( 4 turns of the
encoder shaft for each turn of the leadscrew). The table has been programmed to move a
distance of 250mm at a feed rate= 500mm/min. Determine a) how many pulses should be
received by the control system to verify that the table has moved exactly 250mm. b) the
pulse rate of the encoder and c) the drive motor speed that correspond to the specified
feed rate.
6. The mechanical in accuracies in the open-loop positioning system of a normal
distribution with standard deviation =0.005mm. The range of the worktable axis is
1000mm, and there are 16 bits in the binary register used by the digital controller to store
the programmed position. Other relevant parameters are pitch p=6.0mm, gear ratio
between motor shaft and leadscrew re=5 and number of step angles in the stepping motor
ns=48.Determine a) control resolution b) the accuracy c) the repeatability for the
positioning system.
7. A motor shaft rotating at 200 rpm is connected to a leadscrew having pitch of 2mm
through a gear box. If the BLU of the system is 0.001 find the gear ratio.
8. A 200 steps motor is connected to a leadscrew having a pitch of 5mm through a gear
ratio of 1:5. If the motor is excited with a pulse frequency of 100Hz, calculate the
velocity of the nut mounted on the leadscrew.
9. One axis of an NC positioning system is driven by a stepping motor. The motor is
connected to a leadscrew whose pitch is 4mm, and leadscrew drives the table. Control
resolution for the table is specified as 0.015mm. Determine a) the number of step angles
required to achieve the specified control resolution, b) the size of each step angle in the
motor, and c) the linear travel rate of the motor at a pulse frequency of 200 pulses per
second.
10. In problem, the axis corresponding to the feed rate uses dc servomotor as the drive
unit and an optical encoder as the feedback sensing device. The motor is geared to the
leadscrew with a 10:1 reduction (10 turns of the motor for each turn of the leadscrew). If
the leadscrew pitch=5mm, and the optical encoder emits 400 pulses per revolution,
determine the rotational speed of the motor and the pulse rate of the encoder to achieve
the feed rate indicated.
Suggested Brief Answers:

Ans 1
a) The motor position can be controlled to 200 increments corresponding to the number
of step angles. One revolution of the motor provides a table movement of 3.0mm, which
corresponds to the pitch of the leadscrew. Therefore, the table position can be controlled
in the increments of

= 0.015mm
b) To drive the table at 100 mm/min, there must be 100/3.0=33.333 rotations of the
leadscrew per minute. The pulse rate must therefore be
fp= (200 pulses/rev)(33.333 rotations/min)/(60s/min)
= 111.11 pulses/s
Ans 2 Solution:
a) The control resolution is determined by

CR = = =0.00366in.
b) The accuracy is defined as
Accuracy = 0.00366/2+3(0.0003) = 0.00273 in.

c) Repeatability = 6(0.0003) = 0.0018 in.

Ans3
The rotational speed is given by
S= 12(400)/(3.142)(3.0) = 509.3 rev/min
The feed rate is given by
Fr = 509.3(0.010) = 5.093 in./min
Metal removal rate
MRR= 12(400)(0.010)(0.100) = 4.80 in.3/min
Time to travel is
Tm= 10/5.093 = 1.96 min.
Ans 4 Given
Distance x=250mm
Gear ratio = 5:1
Pitch p=6mm
Number of step angles ns=48
Linear velocity v = 500mm/min
a) Leadscrew rotation angle A= 360x/p = 360(250)/6 = 15,0000
Step angle = 360/ ns = 360/48= 7.50
Number of pulses to move the table 250mm is
np= 360x(gear ratio)/p =A(gear ratio)/p = 15000(5)/7.5 = 10,000 puls
b) Rotational speed of the leadscrew N = v/p = 500/6 = 83.333 rev/min
c) Rotational speed of the motor Nm= N (gear ratio) = 5 (83.333) = 416.667 rev/min
Pulse rate to achieve the desired table velocity
fp = v ns(gear ratio)/60p = 500(48)(5)/60(6)=333.333Hz.

Ans 5 G iven
Pitch p=6mm
Gear ratio r = 5:1
Gear ratio between encoder shaft and leadscrew re=4:1
 Number of the slots in the disk ns=48 pulses/rev
Distance x =250mm
Feed rate f= 500mm/min
a) Pulse rate emitted by the encoder np= xnsre/p = 250(48) (4)/6= 8000 pulses
b) Pulse corresponding to 500 mm/min
fp= f nsre/60p= 500(48)(4)/60(6)=266.667Hz
c) Motor speed Nm = rf/p=5(500)/6= 416.667 rev/min.

The above mentioned problems are referred from the below text books. I am thankful for
the authors.
References
1. Automation, Production Systems, and Computer Integrated Manufacturing by Mikell P.Groover.
2. CAD/CAM by C.S.P Rao
3. Systems approach to Computer Design and Integrated Manufacturing by Nauna Singh.
4. Computer Control of Manufacturing Systems by Yoram Koren.
5. Boucher,T.O- Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Champan & Hall,London
6. Groover ,M.P -Automation ,Handbook of Design, Manufacturing and Automation.
7. Seames, W - Computer Numerical Control, Concepts and Programming.
8. Koren.Y and J.Beh-Uri- Numerical Control of Machine Tools.
9. Childs.J.J- Principles of Numerical Control.