The basic processing methods of lathes

There are four basic processing methods for lathe machining: outer diameter machining, inner diameter machining, thread cutting machining and cutting machining. The following explains each processing method.

• Outer diameter processing

Shape processing is a method of making the cutting tool come into contact with the outside of the rotating material. It is the most widely used processing method in lathe machining, used for surface finishing to beautify the surface and roughly cutting to the target shape in the initial stage of processing.

During the outer diameter processing, the chips produced may get entangled in the cutting tool. In cases where particularly high-precision finishing is required, to prevent chip entanglement and deterioration of precision, the Angle of the cutting tool needs to be adjusted.

• Inner diameter processing

In inner diameter machining, the interior of the material is cut to expand the holes opened on the material through hole-making. Used to adjust the size of the holes and beautify the inner surface.

For inner diameter processing, the cutting tool needs to be lengthened according to the depth of the hole to be processed. However, long cutting tools are prone to deviation, so it is necessary to pay attention to the decline in precision. In addition, since the chips accumulate in the holes, they need to be removed frequently.

• Thread cutting processing

Thread cutting is a processing method that generates pitch. In lathe processing, both external and internal threads can be processed using dedicated thread cutting tools. In the case of milling and machining centers, internal threads can usually only be manufactured. Therefore, the ability to manufacture external threads is a major advantage of lathe processing.

Bring the special thread cutting tool into contact with the material and move the tool at a constant speed. To ensure equal pitch, the "automatic feed function" is often adopted to maintain a constant speed.

• Hole opening processing

Hole opening processing is a method of making holes by pressing a drill bit against a rotating material. When processing the inner diameter, it is necessary to drill holes in advance to allow special tools to enter. At this time, hole opening processing is used.

The precision of hole opening processing with a drill bit is not very high, so generally, after the required size of the hole is drilled, inner diameter processing is used for fine processing.

• Cutting processing

Cutting processing is a processing method that involves pressing the cutting tool against the material to remove the unwanted parts. This is like cutting a cylinder into discs.

Tools with thin blades need to be used, and it is necessary to check the vibration and sound while working, so certain skills are required. To achieve high-precision processing, some measures need to be taken, such as using flexible blades and oil during cutting.