High-precision machines must not be moved without the permission of the manufacturer.

CNC milling machine Mori NV5000A



At the Practical Machinist forum, an enchanting discussion unfolded on how to unlock the CNC router, which refuses to function after moving to a new location.



The manufacturer equips the machine with a GPS sensor and / or a gyroscope. In the case of moving the machine is automatically locked until the unlock code is received.



The Practical Machinist topic starter explains that their company bought eight Mori / Ellison NV5000A CNC milling machines, and soon transported them to another factory. After that, the equipment failed. The manufacturer explained that this is the new requirement of US law and all future high-end CNC milling machine models will be blocked when moving to a new location.

')

The user expresses indignation of such a “zalochkoy” of machines on specific coordinates. He believes that after buying a machine he can do anything with it.



Other colleagues at the forum confirmed that a similar function with GPS-blocking is also present on other top-class CNC milling machines of Japanese production, including Citizen milling machines. It is said that changes in legislation were accepted after one of the Japanese manufacturers was convicted of illegally exporting high-precision equipment to Iran and North Korea, violating the embargo. Some even recalled the scandal with the delivery of Toshiba machine tools to the USSR in the mid-80s, which made it possible to manufacture high-quality submarine screws, drastically improving their acoustic profiles.







One way or another, the milling cutter story is a very curious example of how DRM-like schemes penetrate the real world.