If there is one machine that changed the way we produce parts and goods forever, that is the Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) lathes. These advanced pieces of machinery break free from the milling limitations of the traditional lathes that only offered axial cutting, and manage to mill, drill or cut from various angles and process on six axis. The cutting head movement and chock speed are automatically given by a controlling computer that manages the metal processing and the tool changes based on the given design.
A CNC lathe can be programmed through the inputting of a series of commands that correspond to specific positioning and processing activities. Alternatively, a CAD file can be imported to the CNC software and a processing procedure will be generated automatically. The benefits of this automation for the workshops that utilize CNCs are multiple with the most important being the freeing of human resources and the improved production rates.
Because of the wide range of available CNC lathes in the market, buyers may have a difficult time choosing the right one for their needs. The following types are the most commonly used lathe categories that can serve different purposes:
Flat Bed Turning Centers
Flat bed lathes are the most commonly used type of CNC lathes. Their working bed is positioned perpendicular to the ground plane, enhancing the stability of the working piece that is pushed downwards due to the cutting forces. This stability has beneficial effects to the life cycle of the equipment as it works almost free of any vibrations. The only element that makes flat bed lathes problematic under certain conditions is their high spacial requirements.
Slant Bed
To address this problem when dealing with confined space in workshops, you could go for the slant bed choice. This is basically a lathe with an inclination on the X axis and from this difference derive great benefits and also some disadvantages. The benefits include less chip accumulation on the bed and much less floor area occupied. The drawbacks concern vibrations and greater wear and tear rates.
Vertical Turning Centers
Another choice could be the vertical turning lathes (VTL). This approach puts the cutting head on a perpendicular position to the workpiece that is placed on a rotating bed. Cutting vertically enhances the rigidness and allows for great milling precision. VTLs can cut at high rates (cut deep) and require the least floor area from all the described types.
Multitasking Turning Centers
Why go for a milling head when you can two or three of them working together though? Apart from the raised cost of purchase, multitasking CNC lathes are the best available solution for high manufacturing rates. Boasting the ability to auto-change tools and perform multiple machining tasks at once makes this type of CNCs the most efficient automated machine in a workshop. All that they require is some monitoring and validation work from the operator.
CNC Swiss Lathes
Swiss type lathes are high-precision tools that can produce workpieces of unprecedented dimensional accuracy, in the rate of tenths of thousandths of an inch. This is achieved through the combination of multiple holding points and guides that make the workpiece rotate at zero deviation from the set center point. If swiss type lathes are combined with "live tools," manufacturing rates of small products can reach very high levels.
Find top of the line lathes and other CNC machine tools at Absolute Machine Tools, Inc. Contact us today for a free quote.
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