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Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2024-08-01 Origin: Site
MAXNOVO MACHINE Tips : Lathe machines are the pioneer of manufacturing. The widely operations for turning, drilling, facing, cutting, boring, knurling and etc are done to shape various work-pieces. There are many kinds of turning lathes, such as Conventional Lathes (like Metal Lathe, Engine Lathe, Universal Lathe, Heavy-Duty lathe, Horizontal Lathe, Vertical Lathe), and CNC Lathes (like CNC Flat-bed Lathe, CNC Slant-Bed Lathe).
In this article, our MAXNOVO MACHINE professional engineers are willing to talk about CNC lathe machines, as well as the main differences with Conventional Lathe Machines.
The conventional lathe, it is a machine that allows machining geometric parts such as cylinders, cones or propellers. The part to be machined rotates while one or more cutting tools are pushed in a forward motion against the surface of the part.
Normally, Conventional Lathe is a 2-axis machine, while CNC lathe can be 2-axis to 4-axis machines. A conventional or manual lathe is just that controlled by your selection of RPM, feed gears, in feed of the compound, cross slide, or carriage is all controlled by levers that engage the feed screw or lead screw. All tools are loaded and changed by hand. Via a regular tool post or a quick change device.
A Conventional lathe or metal lathe needs a trained operator to position the work-pieces and select the cutting tools. Usually, these tools use high-speed steel (HSS) that contains chromium, tungsten, vanadium, and carbon.
Some metal lathes come with a very accurate Digital Read out or use of dial indicators to measure absolute movement of an axis must be used. These turning lathes are best for symmetrical parts that can easily get clamped in the spindle.
The CNC (Computer Numerical Control) lathe is one of the most versatile machines used in the metalworking industry. With a CNC lathe, the tools operate according to a program written and loaded into the machine, allowing for highly accurate production and mass production.
Operated with computer numerical control (CNC) systems and provided with precise design instructions, CNC lathes are machine tools where the material or workpiece is clamped and rotated by the main spindle, while the cutting tool working on the material is mounted and moves inward.
The CNC lathe machine produces components with brilliant dimensional accuracy. It can work with different materials, including metal, wood, and glass. These CNC Lathe Machines use Computer Numerical Control. G-Code (Geometric code) and M-Code (miscellaneous) programs control the motion and function of a CNC machine, directing the feed rate, spindle speed, etc.
CNC lathe machine is controlled by a computer numerical control, each axis has a ball screw with a servo-motor and encoder to position the machine to within 0.0001 mm accuracy or better. It is controlled by G-codes and M-codes and Cartesian coordinates, the geometry of the part is programmed in as well as the start diameter of the material and the location of the rough stock sticking out of the chuck in relation to the machine tool vertical and horizontal axis respectively. Each tool in the automatic tool changer must be taught (programmed) in relation to each other tool, the chuck or work-piece origin. CNC lathes may also have milling tool options thus increasing it's axis count.
Compared to Conventional Manual Lathe, CNC Lathe offers tight tolerances, complex and custom shapes. For repetitive jobs and exact shapes, the CNC automate process is best. But the CNC Lathe is more expensive than Manual Lathe so for small scale it may not suitable. CNC Lathe Machines' process can handle all types of jobs from smallest to large machined parts with superior finish. CNC Lathe machining can be performed for all types of steel and non-ferrous material including nickel alloys and titanium.
Understanding the distinction between CNC Lathes and Conventional Lathes is crucial in choosing the right machines for your machining needs. The main technological differences include:
Control System : CNC Lathe Machines are controlled by computer, whereas Conventional Lathe Machines are manually operated.
Skill Requirements : Operating a CNC lathe requires knowledge of programming and software, but Conventional manual lathes require traditional machining skills.
Precision and Accuracy : CNC lathe offers significantly higher precision and consistency compared to Conventional Metal lathes.
Production Speed and Efficiency : CNC turning lathes generally work faster and are more efficient, particularly for high-volume production.
Complexity of Operations : CNC lathes can perform complex operations and intricate designs, which are challenging to achieve with universal Conventional lathes.
In summary, CNC Lathe offers greater versatility and the ability to perform a wider range of machining operations, while Conventional Lathe is mainly specialized for manual turning operations and the creation of rotationally symmetrical parts.
