What Are The 3 Types of Lathe

MAXNOVO MACHINE Tips : Lathes are versatile machines that are capable of performing precise machining. Different types of lathe machines will have different machining purposes. 

Categorization of Lathes

General Speaking, these Conventional Lathe Machines can be divided three main categories: Engine Lathes, Turret Lathes and Special Lathes.  

Engine Lathes, they are also known as the metal lathe, is the most common type of conventional horizontal turning lathe machines which found in workshops, industry schools and manufacturing factories. This lathe is designed to handle a wide range of turning operations and is suitable for both small-scale and large-scale production. Their wide product ranges include the small size of Mini Lathe, the middle size of gap bed lathe, and the big size of heavy duty lathe. Engine lathes are highly versatile and can be used for tasks such as facing, turning, drilling, threading and complete lathe processing tasks.

Turret Lathes are specialized machines designed for high-volume production of identical parts. These lathes feature a turret, which holds multiple cutting tools that can be quickly indexed into position. This eliminates the need for manual tool changes, resulting in significant time savings and increased productivity. Turret lathes are widely used in industries such as automotive, firearms, and electronics, where large quantities of identical parts need to be produced. The ability to perform multiple operations without manual intervention makes turret lathes are highly efficient and cost-effective.

On the other hand, Special Lathe is a specific type of lathe machine, they are designed for specialized operations that normal lathes can't do machining. These machines are customized to handle unique or complex tasks, often tailored to specific machining requirements. Their customization and specialized features make them very important for certain special manufacturing processes.  

How to divide the size of the engine lathe

The size of an engine lathe is determined by the largest work-piece length that can be machined. This size also takes into account the diameter of the work-piece during rotation and the distance from the centers.

The compact Bench Lathe, has a small range of Swing Diameter and is capable of performing most machining tasks. However, its ability to process materials is limited by the size of the work-piece.

The high precision engine lathe machines that excellent in various types of machining, including turning, boring, drilling, reaming, thread screw production, taper turning, knurling, and even special cutting operations. These high precision lathes can handle work-pieces with swing diameter up to 2000 mm and machining length up to 18000 mm.

Lathes play an important part in various industries. By understanding the different kinds of conventional lathes such as Engine Lathes, Turret lathes and Special Lathes, our customers can choose the most suitable lathe machines for their manufacturing requirements.  

Welcome you to contact our professional machinery experts at any time.   

High Precision Lathe for Demanding User ( www.maxnovocnc.com )