A CNC (Computer Numerical Control) router is a machine designed to carve complex shapes out of soft materials such as wood, plastic, foam, screened metal, and some steels. CNC machines utilize a set of computer-generated instructions, called G-codes, to automatically move a high-speed rotating cutting tool to different coordinate positions to engrave a design. In this article, we'll discuss the definition of a CNC engraving machine, how it works, the materials it can cut, and describe some common industrial applications that utilize this technology.