Lathes have been used in one form or another for thousands of years to make tools, furniture, parts, and more. Of course, the CNC lathes used in machine shops today are far more sophisticated than their ancient predecessors.
How Do CNC Lathes Work?
Machine shops have all kinds of equipment, but CNC lathes can create unique shapes that cannot be easily produced by other machining methods. Unique to lathes and turning centers, CNC turning can create cylinders, cones, disks, and other objects with axisymmetric shapes.
The most basic components of a lathe usually include:
- Headstock, main spindle and chuck,
- Tailstock,
- Tool turret or holder,
- Machine bed.
While most modern CNC lathes include various additional features, these 4 components are essential to even the simplest of lathes. The headstock, spindle and chuck are used to hold the workpiece and provide turning power. To provide support and stability, the tailstock supports the other end of the workpiece, which is most important for longer parts.
A CNC lathe can support a variety of specialized tools for turning that can be independently attached to a tool holder between cutting operations or controlled by a turret. Depending on the number of lathe machining axes, its tool can slide left, right, up, down, forward or backward along the length of the machine bed to perform the cutting operation.
What are CNC Lathes Used For?
Lathes were used to make wooden handles for tools, legs for furniture and armrests, bowls and plates, construction posts, and more. As lathes become more advanced and start using electricity, they can more quickly and efficiently produce parts using a wider range of materials, including metals. They can also do this with more precision than ever before.
Today, the use of computer numerical control (CNC) on lathes makes turning operations faster and more precise than ever before. CNC lathes are ideal for custom, one-of-a-kind projects and mass production operations.
Applications for CNC lathes include:
- Fasteners such as bolts and screws
- Household items such as furniture legs, decorative fixtures and cooking utensils
- Automotive parts such as bearings, wheels and crankshafts
- Medical devices, such as surgical tools or prosthetics made from advanced materials
- Aerospace components, such as engine parts or landing gear parts
In conclusion, CNC lathes are used to precisely and efficiently produce a wide variety of high-end industrial and consumer products.
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