The European Committee for Co-operation of the Machine Tool Industries, known by the acronym CECIMO, defined machine tools for metalworking in 1958 as follows:
“Non-portable machines, which are operated by an external source of energy to form metal by stock removal, impact, pressure, electrical processes or a combination of these.
It is only with machine tools that other machines and metal components can be manufactured, but perhaps the most characteristic feature is that machine tools are used to manufacture machine tools. All machines, components and metal products on the market have been produced using machine tools.
Machine tool manufacturing is divided into two main areas:
- Machines for stock removal:
- Machining with a metal tool
- Machining by abrasion and electrical processes.
- Metal forming and cutting machines:
- Forming by pressure and impact.
- Pressure cutting.
