Metal Cutting

Turning Machines

OVERVIEW: “Turning” defines the work that is traditionally done on a lathe. As lathes have grown in sophistication, some of these machines have been given different names. “Turning centers” is a term sometimes applied to machines with particularly sophisticated capabilities related to secondary spindles and/or rotating tools for milling and drilling. Another term, “turn/mill machines,” describes machines that can be thought of as being just as capable at milling and drilling parts as they are at turning. In turning, unlike in milling or drilling, the workpiece spins while the cutting tool does not. The cutting tool feeds along the length or diameter of the rotating part. The workpiece in turning can be held in a chuck or collet, to name two of the more common workholding methods. The turning machine may also include spindles for the cutting tools to accomplish non-turning operations such as milling and drilling. If this is the case, the machine stops the workpiece from spinning in order to perform these operations within the same machining cycle as the turning work. In fact, for some parts, the milling and drilling capabilities may be used so extensively that a non-turned, non-round part might also be produced on this type of machine. Lathes, turning centers and turn-mill machines can have horizontal or vertical spindles. Horizontal spindles are more common. If the machine has a vertical spindle, then the spindle may locate below or above the machine. If the workpiece rests on a table driven by the spindle, then this machine is generally called a vertical turret lathe, or VTL. If the workpiece is held from above by the vertical spindle, then this type of turning machine is generally called an inverted vertical lathe.

Manufacturing Videos

The Buzz about the B Axis

Video: In-Process Scanning of a Turned Profile—via Robot

Featured Zone Content

February 2011

Incremental Automation

By:
This machine tool supplier sees shops searching for just a little bit of unattended capacity. Many shops are closer to obtaining this extra capacity than they realize....MORE

April 2011

An Innovative Way to Use a Steady Rest

By: Modern Machine Shop
This shop found a way to modify one of its two-turret CNC lathes so that a tricky aerospace component could be properly supported for critical operations....MORE

November 2009

The Responsiveness Robot

By: Modern Machine Shop
For this lean shop dedicated to low-inventory kanban relationships with customers, the most critical measure of efficiency revealed the value of robotic loading....MORE

RELATED ZONES

Click to View More Related Zones

Techspex

Click to Find More Suppliers

January 2012

Increasing Business with Hard Turning

By: Chris Felix
By gaining experience in hard turning, a shop adds to its arsenal a cost-effective alternative to grinding, opening doors to new opportunities. ...MORE

December 2011

A Look at High Precision

By: Chris Felix
Here's an overview of the new features available on a series of multi-process machining centers designed for both bar-fed work and blanks. ...MORE

December 2011

Turn-Mill Center Aids Shop through Recession

By: Lori Beckman
Bryan Cardon chose multitasking as the solution to improve his shop’s workflow. He reduced cycle times and leadtimes for his customers in his Ogden, Utah, machine shop after implementing the Ganesh 32CS seven-axis, twin spindle, turn-mill center. The company also gained new customers and jobs because of this new machine and its capabilities. ...MORE

December 2011

Inverted Vertical Turning

By: Production Machining
The traditional vertical turning lathe design remained unchanged for a century, with the main spindle base and the tool carrier mounted in a two-axis slide unit above the spindle. ...MORE

November 2011

More Effective Camshaft Machining

By: Derek Korn
A leading manufacturer of high-performance valve train components installed a twin spindle/twin-turret lathe to bring camshaft machining work in-house. Here, the company explains how it has become more effective using its multifunction lathe to produce small batches of custom racing camshafts. ...MORE

FUJI machines are built for automation from the ground up.

Search for machine tools by specs. Over 7500 models.

techspex machine tool selector

MMS ONLINE
Channel Partners