BAe Factory at Hamble Goes D.N.C.

UNTIL mid 1990, Aerostructures Hamble Ltd (AHL) produced on average one mile of punched tape per week to feed programs into its 36 computer numerically controlled (CNC) metal‐cutting machine tools. Now the company has eliminated the need for tape by connecting the machines to the factory's computer network using the integral direct numerical control (DNC) facilities of the CIMITAR ‘Workshop Manager’ installation supplied by BAeCAM, Preston. The result is a saving of around £100,000 per year, plus increased efficiency.