A Periodic Table of Elements for CNC Machining

Infographic covers materials, finishes, machine types, manufacturers, design considerations and more.

(Image courtesy of Fictiv.)

(Image courtesy of Fictiv.)

Do you remember being introduced to the periodic table of elements?

I can recall sitting in my ninth-grade science class, feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information and thinking: “We have to memorize how many elements by Monday?”

Of course, as is generally the case with high school education, the memorization component was largely superfluous. Most science and engineering students have a copy of the periodic table close at hand most of the time.

This has prompted the creation of many other “periodic tables,” such as The Periodic Table of Alcohol, The Periodic Table of the Internet and The Periodic Table of Swearing. (I’m not linking to that one; you’ll have to Google it for yourself.) These tend to be good for a chuckle, but few of them are actually useful.

Fictiv’s CNC Periodic Table of Elements is an exception. In addition to being an impressive representation of the “elements” of CNC machining, it’s a handy guide for machinists and engineers alike. Here’s a look at a few of the sections that make up the table:

(Image courtesy of Fictiv.)

(Image courtesy of Fictiv.)
(Image courtesy of Fictiv.)

(Image courtesy of Fictiv.)
(Image courtesy of Fictiv.)

(Image courtesy of Fictiv.)
(Image courtesy of Fictiv.)

(Image courtesy of Fictiv.)
(Image courtesy of Fictiv.)

(Image courtesy of Fictiv.)

Fictiv has been running contests giving away 24 in x 36 in posters of the table. Although the latest contest is now over, stay tuned for your next chance to win.

Written by

Ian Wright

Ian is a senior editor at engineering.com, covering additive manufacturing and 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing. Ian holds bachelors and masters degrees in philosophy from McMaster University and spent six years pursuing a doctoral degree at York University before withdrawing in good standing.