Digital Information Processing for Machine-Tool Control

Flexibility, accuracy, elimination of manual skill, and greater work potential result from the addition of digital data processing to machine-tool control. Several special-purpose digital computers for machine-tool control have now been developed. These perform only simple computational tasks. The more sophisticated tasks require the addition of general-purpose large-scale computers. This combination, while only partially explored, appears very promising. It should lead not only to improvements in translating a part design into the finished piece, but should ultimately assist in the design procedure.