Today we answer the question what is a metal lathe?
So, if you are considering purchasing a lathe and want to know a little more about this popular machine tool, this post is of your interest. Here are some basics about the lathe to help you understand what it is, how it works and why it might be useful in your next project.
Discover what is a metal lathe
The main use of lathes is to remove unwanted parts of the material, leaving behind a nicely shaped workpiece. And how it works? By rotating the workpiece around a stationary cutting tool.
Well, a metal lathe is a type of lathe that has been specifically designed to work with metal parts. In fact, they support a wide range of metals, as well as alloys, some of which include steel, aluminum, copper and iron. Like other lathes, they are used to perform a number of machining processes, such as cutting, grinding, drilling and turning. Also, there are several types of metalworking lathes, each of which uses a different method of operation.
Now that we know how the lathe works, how should I use it correctly? Here are some tips on how to use metal lathe correctly:
- It’s very important that you make sure that the machine is completely turned off and that it cannot be switched on automatically.
- Load the workpiece securely.
- Load the selected tools. CNC lathes can handle a wide variety of tools and machining technique. Then, you must calibrate the tools correctly.
- Now you only have to insert and run the CNC program.
Overview of Metalworking Lathes
The lathe machine is the most widely used type of machine tool in mechanical manufacturing.
Today’s turning machines are created to be more efficient and have better functionality in use. However, the quality of these machines has not been overlooked, in fact, the quality has been improved. Modern turning machines are made with a modular design that allows users to adapt the machine to their needs.
In the end, this machine tool only brings advantages for machine shops. The work is done with much greater precision and at high speed, which allows mass production.
Types of Metal Lathes
Whether you run a factory, machine shop or metalworking shop, it is essential that you invest in the right machines if you want to succeed in the metalworking industry. The choice of one lathe or another will depend on the number of parts to be machined per series, the complexity of the parts and the size of the parts.
Within the metalworking industry, the CNC lathe is the most widely used lathe because of its high efficiency, precision and because processes can be automated. This type of lathe is especially useful for mass production and large production runs. These work by Computerized Numerical Control, a system with which the positioning of the cutting tools can be directed by means of fully automated commands, which means a reduction in the processing time of the parts.
In metalworking industry, the CNC lathe is used to give metals a specific shape; then the parts will be sent to different industries in turn, such as automotive, manufacturing, medical, energy, and so on.
There are different types of CNC lathes, such as vertical CNC lathes. These are designed to work with large volume tools.
In 3Axis Group GmbH we advise and help you with the choice of the lathe that best suits your company. In our Marketplace you can discover a wide variety of CNC lathes ideal for working metal parts.
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