Practice
Will a Machine Shop Test My G-Code Knowledge?
Many shops do test your code knowledge when hiring, through a short quiz, a program to read, or questions at the machine. Here is what to expect and how to be ready.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Practice
WorldSkills CNC Turning: How to Practice Like the Contest
WorldSkills CNC turning is elite, time-pressured, and precision-driven. Here is how to practice in that style, even without official past papers to copy.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Guides
The Z-Axis Plunge Crash: The G-Code Mistake Behind It
A Z-axis plunge crash usually comes from a rapid into the part, a wrong tool length offset, or a missing retract. Here are the code mistakes behind it, for learners.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Practice
Beginner CNC Code Practice: How to Actually Memorize G-Code
A practice-first plan for memorizing the G-code and M-code a CNC beginner needs, built around short daily recall instead of long manuals.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Code reference
G00 vs G01: Rapid vs Linear Feed, Explained for Beginners
G00 is a rapid positioning move and G01 is a controlled linear feed move. Here is the difference, why beginners mix them up, and how to keep them straight.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Code reference
G02 vs G03: Clockwise vs Counterclockwise Arcs Explained
G02 cuts a clockwise arc and G03 cuts a counterclockwise arc. Here is how to tell them apart, which way to look, and why beginners reverse them.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Code reference
Common G-Codes Every CNC Beginner Should Know
A short reference list of the G-codes that show up in almost every CNC program, with a one-line meaning for each, built for beginners.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Code reference
M03 vs M04 vs M05: Spindle Codes Made Simple
M03 starts the spindle clockwise, M04 starts it counterclockwise, and M05 stops it. Here is what each does and how to remember the set.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Code reference
Common M-Codes Every CNC Beginner Should Know
A short reference of the M-codes you will meet first: spindle, coolant, tool change, and program control, each with a plain-language meaning.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Practice
How to Memorize G-Code Faster: A Practice-First Method
Five techniques that make CNC G-code stick: retrieval practice, two-way recall, spacing, drilling mix-ups, and reviewing only your weak codes.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Code reference
Modal vs Non-Modal G-Codes: What Beginners Get Wrong
Modal G-codes stay active until you change them; non-modal codes act only on their own line. Here is why that distinction trips up beginners.
Lawrence Arya··5 min