Frank L. Stulen
Encyclopedia
Frank L. Stulen invented numerical control
of machine tools, together with his employer John T. Parsons
, in the 1940s. Parsons received most of the credit, since he came up with most of the original ideas; However, Stulen was the one who turned these ideas into working machines.
In 1985, Stulen and Parsons received the National Medal of Technology
.
Numerical control
Numerical control refers to the automation of machine tools that are operated by abstractly programmed commands encoded on a storage medium, as opposed to controlled manually via handwheels or levers, or mechanically automated via cams alone...
of machine tools, together with his employer John T. Parsons
John T. Parsons
John T. Parsons pioneered numerical control for machine tools in the 1940s.These developments were done in collaboration with his employee Frank L. Stulen, who Parsons hired when he was head of the Rotary Wing Branch of the Propeller Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, in April 1946...
, in the 1940s. Parsons received most of the credit, since he came up with most of the original ideas; However, Stulen was the one who turned these ideas into working machines.
In 1985, Stulen and Parsons received the National Medal of Technology
National Medal of Technology
The National Medal of Technology and Innovation is an honor granted by the President of the United States to American inventors and innovators who have made significant contributions to the development of new and important technology...
.