John Parsons

John was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church from ___ to 2007.

In 1947 John Parsons and Frank Stulen changed the control of manufacturing machines from an imprecise craft to an exact science. They developed "numerical control," a way to program machine tools so they produce precise 3D shapes.

The two found a way to make exact contoured templates for checking helicopter blades. They calculated successive machine positions on an accounting machine (the computer of the day), then manually set the positions on the machine that milled the blade. Once they could define a numerical pattern, Parsons had the idea to link the computer to

the milling machine—their data directed the machine to make blades with exact specifications. Their technique has been
essential for producing commercial airliners and has led to the growth of robotics, computer-aided design, and automated manufacturing.

In 1985 Parsons, John T., was honored as a National Millennium Time Capsule, National Medal of Technology winner for the development of numerical control. For additional information, click here.

"President Reagan honored him for his coneption of Numerical Control, along with Frank Stulen for his help in the development of my concept. The Society of Manufacturing Engineers awarded me with a citation that is perhaps easily understood. It reads, ‘...Numerical Control marked the beginning of the second industrial revolution and the advent of an age in which the control of machines and industrial processes would pass from imprecise draft to exact science.’

"The impact of this invention is little understood, yet its applications range from computer chips to jet aircraft to machine tools, even to the production of clothing."  To see pictures of John Parsons receiving the medal, click here.

To see another page of comments about John T. Parsons, click here.

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