- Joined
- Apr 6, 2011
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- 2,082
Unfortunately, these days I think both are machinists. By that I am saying that guys limited to manual equipment are certainly machinists. But really, when you accurately analyze it if a guy can take a chunk of material and turn it into a product using nothing more than a CNC machine does that really make him any less a machinist? Both guys are limited to either manual or CNC machines but in the end they both have the ability to create a part or something of value from what was originally a solid mass of material if you will. I have no dog in this fight but to me in the end if the guy can produce a part or something of value then they just took different paths to reach the same goal so yes, to me they are both machinists. With that said, I would never have any interest in CNC stuff, that too me would be real bloody boring. Gotta have my hands on the wheels myself.
I'm not sure if I can sign on to that definition but you do make a good point. Where I see things going in the future I believe it will become a moot point. What I mean by that is I see a day coming when CNC machines will require NO programming. The sophistication of the internal software will be such that it will only require a designer to create a 3-D model in something like Autocad, Designcad, etc. and then send the "design" to the machine. The machine will then "decide" how to make the cuts, what tools to use, etc.
"Machinists", "operators", and "programmers" will be gone and we'll be left with "designers".
JMHO (with 35+ years programming experience)
-Ron