CNC Machine Daily Pre-Op Inspection

This template covers the daily checks an operator or lead should complete before running a CNC machine: guards and emergency stops, coolant and way oil, tooling and offsets, workholding, and basic machine readiness. It is designed to confirm the machine is safe to start and the setup matches the current work order. It also includes operator notes for documenting anything unusual before the first part is run.

In most shops, the operator who is about to run the machine completes the inspection, with a supervisor or setup person reviewing exceptions when needed. If the machine is shared across shifts, the incoming operator should verify the condition left by the previous shift before starting production. For higher-risk setups, a qualified setup technician or competent person should confirm tooling, offsets, and workholding before release.

Use it at the start of each shift or before the first part run on that machine, and again after any major setup change, tool crash, alarm event, or maintenance intervention. If the machine sits idle for a long period, a fresh pre-op check is still useful before restarting production. The goal is to verify readiness at the moment the machine is put into service, not just once per day on paper.

Yes, it supports common machine-safety expectations under OSHA general industry requirements and broader workplace safety programs by prompting checks on guarding, emergency stops, housekeeping, and safe operation. It also fits well with ANSI/ASSP machine-safety practices and internal quality systems that require controlled setup verification. If your shop uses additional local, insurer, or OEM requirements, you can add those checks without changing the basic structure.

Common findings include missing or damaged chuck guards, blocked emergency stops, low or contaminated coolant, low way oil, loose tooling, and offsets that do not match the setup sheet. It also catches workholding that was not fully tightened, the wrong program or revision loaded, and chips or tools left in the operator’s path. These are the issues that often lead to scrap, alarms, or preventable incidents if they are not caught before cycle start.

Yes, and you should. Add machine-specific items such as spindle warm-up requirements, bar feeder checks, probe calibration, chip conveyor status, hydraulic pressure, or door interlocks if those are relevant to your equipment. You can also tailor the wording for mills, lathes, mill-turn centers, or multi-axis machines so the checklist matches the actual setup process.

An ad hoc check depends on memory and usually misses the same few items when production is busy. A template creates a repeatable sequence, makes deficiencies visible, and gives you a record of what was checked before the machine ran. That consistency is especially useful for shift handoffs, audits, and troubleshooting recurring setup issues.

Yes. Findings can be routed to maintenance when the issue is mechanical or safety-related, and to quality when the issue affects setup, offsets, or part revision control. Many teams also link the inspection to work orders, digital sign-off, photo evidence, and corrective actions so the pre-op check becomes part of the production record. That makes it easier to track repeat defects and verify closure before the next run.