Metal Cutting

Turn/Mill & Multitasking Machines

Turn/Mill Machines are machines that are capable of both rotating-workpiece operations (turning) and rotating-tool operations (namely milling and drilling). Generally these machines are based on lathes. The machine is typically recognizable as a horizontal or vertical lathe, with spindles for milling and drilling simply available at some or all of the tool positions. With a machine such as this, a part requiring a variety of operations can be machined in one setup, particularly if a subspindle allows the part to be passed from one spindle to another during machining. More recently introduced turn/mill machines depart from the lathe design into something much more like a hybrid machine—combining a lathe’s chucks and spindles with the travels and milling power of a machining center. One of the most significant issues with these types of machines in general is figuring out just which parts to run on them. Many shops have discovered that, even though these machines developed from lathes, they are not necessarily limited to round parts. Various non-round parts can be machined on the same platform as efficiently, if not more efficiently, than on a machining center.


Featured Zone Content

May 2011

Multitasking is Multiple Choice


Different levels of multitasking machine tools address different types of parts.

June 2009
Parts

A One Stop Shop


 Combining flexible manufacturing with volume production capability helps this shop cover all the bases.



May 2012

Machines that Make Machines

By: Chris Felix
Because variations in cutting range, tool capacity, tolerance capabilities, and so on have a direct effect on a shop’s day-to-day operations and the ability to deliver on the demands of customers, shop personnel make it a point to be familiar with their own machines as well as additional equipment that they may purchase down the road.

April 2012

Turning to an Alternative for Small, Complex Work

By: Matt Danford
The QuickTech TT-42 from Absolute Machine Tools provides many of the same advantages as a Swiss-type lathe for small, complex parts that don’t justify the use of a guide bushing.

March 2012

Keeping Watch on Small Parts

By: Scott Rathburn
From watch parts to exotic medical applications, this shop takes on the world of micromachining.

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.

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.

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