| A lathe is a machine for shaping wood, metal, or | | | | step-by-step procedure. |
| other material by means of a rotating drive that | | | | When a customer wants to modify the specifications |
| turns the piece being worked on against changeable | | | | of a product, the programmer will input a new |
| cutting tools. A CNC lathe, which means Computed | | | | program to produce the desired effect. Everything is |
| Numerically Controlled lathe, is operated electronically - | | | | made much easier, compared to decades ago when |
| in what is a major departure from the | | | | tools were still operated by hand. The best-known |
| manually-operated machine of the olden days. | | | | example of this kind of lathe was the potter's wheel. |
| How does electronic operation compare versus | | | | Each piece was different, if only slightly, from |
| manual operation of the lathe? For one thing, it | | | | another. Now the computer takes care of everything. |
| reduces error in the movements made by the | | | | Additionally, there are some lathes that have the |
| machine. Because all the movements are electronically | | | | option of reverting to manual operation temporarily, |
| controlled, there is little room for error in computation. | | | | in case the programmer isn't there to write the new |
| To produce a certain object, such as a baseball bat | | | | code. |
| or a candlestick holder, the computer simply follows a | | | | |