In the case of CNC lathes equipped with live-tool capability, the situation became even more complicated to understand. On the lathe, operations that had previously been completed exclusively by the milling department were now being completed by the other departments. Determining which machine is most appropriate for producing a particular part has become far more difficult as a result of this development.

Candidates for the Lathe Operator position

Turning some parts on a lathe is a no-brainer in some circumstances. As an example, consider a spool valve piston or a hydraulic hose fitting and how they differ from one another. They are required to be permanent fixtures in the turning department due to the cylindrical symmetry of these components, as well as their complex external geometry and difficult internal features.

However, because of the large milled surfaces, detailed pockets, and intersecting bores on the rectangular valve body that interfaces with the turned parts, it will never be spun on a lathe, regardless of how capable that machine is with live tools.

The following are some of the reasons why our CNC drilling parts has shifted its emphasis away from milling and toward turning parts. Incorporating live-tool (end mill) equipped CNC turning centers into our already extensive three-axis milling service allows us to provide customers with a better surface finish on cylindrical features while also providing them with a lower overall cost of production on the whole. The use of the lathe in the production of parts that are on the verge of becoming too large for our milling capabilities is also more efficient. Additionally, if the goal is to eventually produce in small quantities, turned parts are excellent candidates for this type of production.

Do you have a suggestion for the next best camera lens housing that you'd like to share with the rest of the world? For example, how about a ground-breaking drive shaft for a lawnmower, complete with milled flats and cross-holes that can be threaded into the shaft itself? It's likely that we'll be able to provide a turned prototype for that particular geometry.

In this situation, turning parts has a number of advantages over milling in terms of cost and time savings. According to previous information, long length to diameter ratios on pistons and shafts can cause upset stomachs in mill operators, which can lead to them ceasing work. Turning a set of candlestick holders for your Aunt Martha's 60th birthday party, on the other hand, is a piece of cake when done on a lathe.

Illustrations from Everyday Life

If you're still unsure about which parts are appropriate for lathe use, consider a few common household items that can be used as models. With the smooth, regular shape of the pint glass in question, as well as its length that is several times greater than its outside diameter, turning a pint glass on a lathe is a straightforward exercise. This is not the case, however, when using a machining center. On the other hand, turning a coffee cup with one hand is nearly impossible because of the protruding handle and finger-ready hole.

Those three-pound dumbbells that have been collecting dust in the back of the closet for a long time could be turned with the help of a lathe. Because of the amount of force required to turn it, the wide, relatively deep recessed area where your hand grips the bar can be rotated with a simple grooving routine, a feature that would be impossible to cut on a milling machine due to the amount of force required to turn it.

In either direction, a small teacup saucer could be used as a guide. This can be accomplished by milling or turning concentric ridges and curved surfaces; all that is required is a precise G-code and an appropriate cutter to complete the task. Even so, turning the saucer would almost certainly be both faster and more efficient in terms of material consumption than the alternative method of turning the saucer.

It would also be nice to have a hose barb for the sprinkler. When using a machining center, the v-shaped grooves would require the use of a special cutter, but on a lathe, the grooves can be cut with a standard turning tool without any modifications. The same holds true in the case of a replacement wheel for a barbecue grill, though milling those small mag wheel-like cutouts on the face would be difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish on most turning machines.

Soup cans and salt shakers, water bottles and flower pots are just a few of the shapes that lathes are capable of producing, according to the manufacturer. What's the difference between milk cartons and picture frames, you might wonder. This isn't the case at all. The materials available for junying to work with include aluminum and brass, as well as low carbon and stainless steels, as well as steel alloys and titanium, amongst other things.