The History of the CNC Machine

The History of the CNC Machine Milling machines have been around since the early 19th century. Driven by the need to manufacture large numbers of muskets for a young America’s military, the government funded entrepreneurs, including Eli Whitney – inventor... More

The History of the CNC Machine Milling machines have been around since the early 19th century. Driven by the need to manufacture large numbers of muskets for a young America’s military, the government funded entrepreneurs, including Eli Whitney – inventor of the cotton gin, to help. In an iterative manner, these manufacturers developed new technologies to create similar metal parts for the guns, thus giving birth to the milling machine. These early machines were used to “rough out” parts, requiring additional hours to smooth out the edges. Though relatively primitive, these milling machines gave birth to an industry that supports the American economy. Early milling machines could only move in two dimensions, which limited their utility. In 1861, just in time for the Civil War, Joseph Brown of Brown & Sharpe invented a universal milling machine that added a third dimension to the milling process. This machine was very successful, enabling Brown & Sharpe to build a dominant position in t Less