Mercator projection and CNC machine: what they have in common

1. Step 1. Mercator projection — uses — Gutenberg printing press. Maps were printed in large numbers.
2. Step 2. Gutenberg printing press — works like — Jacquard loom. An analogy, not proven influence: both set type and a chain of punched cards are a replaceable pattern that a machine reproduces over and over.
3. Step 3. Jacquard loom — uses — Program control of a machine. The chain of cards is the program of the pattern.
4. Step 4. Program control of a machine — is used in — CNC machine. The tool’s movement is set by a program — at first on punched tape.

Open Evothings