NUM started shipping the Flexium platform in 2008. NUM attributes its rapid success to both performance and business factors. The 10,000th model of NUM's new-generation CNC kernel, Flexium, has been produced within three years from launch - marking a success for a mid-level CNC provider that serves mainly specialized machine tool builders.

"Machinery OEMs tend to be very conservative in introducing new technology, and we anticipated that volume sales of our new CNC kernel would not kick-in until typically years four to five of its lifespan," says Peter von Rueti, CEO of NUM. "2011 proved us wrong. We're one of the longest-established CNC companies and we have never seen such a rapid design-in. Annual sales of Flexium have even overtaken those of our previous-generation CNC kernel, Axium, which controls machine tools produced by dozens of world-leading OEMs."

For some OEMs it's the power of Flexium's soft PLC controller that attracts. For most though, it's the scalability feature of the platform, which allows it to be applied economically to small machines with up to five axes and spindles, or much larger machines with up to 200 axes. These attributes mean that machine tool OEMs are able to use the same control system across their complete range of machine designs - greatly reducing the workload on the engineering development team.

"Being able to use the same CNC to power a complete range of machines gives a large payback, and today over half of our leading customers have made that choice and use our CNC platform exclusively," adds von Rueti. "The machine tool market has an enormous middle ground of specialized OEMs who build machines in annual quantities measured in tens to hundreds. A typical engineering department at these machine builders might number just five to 10 people. For this level of company, using one universal CNC platform can easily save the cost of employing one or two additional engineers"

Software savings are becoming even more critical as the role of software in machinery design continues to expand. Twenty to thirty years ago software accounted for as little as just 5% of a machine's cost. NUM thinks the value of software deployed in the average machine tool today has risen to the 10-20% range, and the machine's electronics, engineering and software combined count for well over 50%. Being able to maintain just one PLC, and one user interface dramatically reduces the workload on busy engineering departments, and allows both faster deployment of new features to customers, and a simpler means for an OEM to create unique 'look and feel' branding.