|
|
Article: 7 The Numerical Control era.(Beretta U.S.A. Corp.)
- Article from:
- Foundations and Trends in Technology, Information and Operations Management
- Article date:
- May 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Now Publishers, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Beretta acquired its first numerically controlled (NC) machines in 1976. These machines functioned automatically, performing operations and changing tools according to numerically coded instructions. Although this technology had begun to spread through Italy at the beginning of the decade, its presence was isolated. Its primary users were companies that manufactured small quantities of products of high value. With the introduction of microprocessors, controllers went down in cost and up in reliability, making NC technology viable for large scale use. Beretta introduced these systems into the high volume production (200 to 400 pieces per day) of small- to medium-size ...