CNC Control Software is what any CNC machine uses to create the operations within the machine. Generally it is considered to be the “intelligence” that governs the type of operation performance or the overall capacities of the machine.  The software will be how the machine designs, cuts and operates the work that the operator programs into the computer such as when using the CNC Router, CNC Lathe or CNC Mini Mill.

CNC Software also uses electronic memory modules where information is automatically stored inside the CNC machine. In some case this information cannot be changed and in others, through the use of temporary memory, it can be changed.

Generally speaking the computer is very important to the process of the CNC software because the computer numerical controls are usually outside the machine on a small or large keyboard. The computer is offline when it is performing the programming of parts and the computer controls the other parts that are necessary to create the product, depending on the type of CNC in use.

There are four basic software types that CNC uses:

Manual G Code Programming
Many of the larger commercial machines use and it is used for simple machine processes. The drawbacks of this type is that it takes a long time for someone to learn how to program G Codes and if you want to use more complicated machines, it is time consuming to learn how to use it. Because if these issues, many operators would rather not learn how to do this and

Offline CAM Programming
This type of programming can be done using a local PC and generally is available for larger machines as well as some of the smaller desktop CNC machines. This software can’t be used without a PC at the front end aspects of the machine. One thing about this software is that it is difficult to learn and will take a lot longer time for some people to understand.

Conversational Programming
This type of programming is a better type of software program for the use of CNC because it is intuitive, which means it is simple to learn by the average computer person and it is similar to the programming in regular PCs. The reason this type was developed was so that it could do both simple and complex parts without having to take so long to learn.

Windows Based Programming
Many CNC Software programs are now Windows based which means it works through Windows XP or Windows VISTA. The operator can import CAM and CAD programs and it can import other types of software like dxf files depending on the type of machine being used.

There are a variety of different ways that a CNC Software can work with your CNC System so its nice to figure out which one will work with you and your preferences for CNC Software.

Also the purpose of each software program is to make life easier for the operator and make the machine do what is required. The easier the software is for the operator to program, the more the machine will be used. The particular software has also been used with CAD and CAM systems which makes this easier for many operators.

A mini CNC lathe is generally converted from a regular lathe when a hobbyist wants to experience a machine that can do twice the work they can do manually. Usually these are small machines that have a lot of power but that can sit on a desktop or workbench in the home.

There are certain people where starting with a CNC Mini Lathe is the perfect way to experiment with what these machines will do. The CNC mini lathes are good for metalworking in general and for making small parts that need to be made with precision. Generally speaking the individual starts with a CNC Mini Lathe that they buy and then convert it to do CNC.

Most mini-lathes are a smaller version of those used in commercial shops but they can be a different design than those that are made strictly for working with wood. The mini-lathe is able to shape plastics, woods and other materials. A nice feature of these is that manufacturers are continuously developing new features so it has become easier to convert them to CNC over the years.

Mini lathes usually come in three sizes: 7×10, 7×12 and 7×14. Each one is measured by the length that length of the swing as it goes over the bed of the lathe. Today you can also find 9x models. The conversion of a general mini-lathe to include CNC has many benefits.

Many plans that you can find on the Internet will allow both manual and CNC abilities in the conversion because there are times when an individual is working with the machine that they may elect to do some processes by hand. At other times they may want to use CNC capabilities to produce repetitive pieces or ones that require a lot of time manually.

Converting to CNC also allows you to be able to produce both 2D and 3D contours which are unavailable when you are only working a CNC Mini Lathe by hand. All you have to do is program the computer to create the part you need. You can use wood plastic or metal to make a mold and using the CNC portion you can produce a mold that you can use as many times as you want because it creates a perfect mold. You can do multiple holes drilling by creating the diameter of the whole and then programming it into the computer; from that point the CNC lathe does the work.

When converting to CNC Mini Machine it will generally take one or two weekends to finish the conversion; however plans will vary depending on what you want your CNC mini-lathe to do. Sometimes you can find some picutres with perfect step by step directions that are usually under one-hundred dollars.

To convert to CNC you will need to understand either CAD or CAM software because currently these are the types of software that is used in the CNC mini-lathe machines. Usually you can control the lathe right from your PC because the software is created to run in that way. Generally it seems that you can make this conversion for under $2000.