These files are also created by CAD/CAM programs. The old traditional routers are usually supervised by humans while CNC routers are totally automated. CNC Mills These are the CNC machines that are used to shape metals and other types of materials. They could be vertical or horizontal types. (This simply applies to the direction in which the cutting tool is oriented. Accuracy and precision What is great with CNC machines is that they are able to repeat accurate results even though they have to reproduce a lot of work pieces. CNC machines have an accuracy rate of 2-4 thousandths of an inch, nowadays. This means that it is easy for these machines to replicate or reproduce 10,000 work pieces. CNC Machining It is the general term used on work processes that use machines to perform tasks that require high accuracy, precision, efficiency and are mostly repetitive in nature. CNC machining is mostly required in industries that need milling, woodworking, drilling, polishing, anodizing, grinding and including high powered cutting that features such devices as plasma, water-jet, or oxy-fuel propellants and lasers. ) Some pieces can be done by a manual lathe, but a CNC lathe can follow cylindrical dimensions which are very hard and near-impossible to do manually. These complicated moves are programmed into the machine and are carried out with zero error. Advantages and benefits Because programming does not put in margins of error, CNC lathes produce uniform products looking exactly like the original. Several CNC features would include having separate heads. CNC machines that have multiple heads mean that there can be two programs running but it is controlled with one user interface. Another feature would be the dust collection, where the wood chips are sucked up and collected. There are different CNC machines and not all of these machines are used in woodworking alone. Before buying anything, make sure to do all research possible. The internet is a great way to check and compare prices, brand performance and customer feedbacks. You could check company sites and other businesses if they are selling their older models. Some would sell because they are upgrading their production, closing down or relocating.