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What Is Lathe?
A lathe is a machine tool which rotates the workpiece on its axis to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, or deformation with tools that are applied to the workpiece to create an object which has symmetry about an axis of rotation.
Development of Lathes:
Turret and capstan lathes are the natural development of the engine lathe, where the tailstock is replaced by an indexable multistation tool head, called the capstan or the turret. This head carries a selection of standard tool holders and special attachments. A square turret is mounted on the cross slide in place of the usual compound rest in engine lathe. Sometimes a fixed tool holder is also mounted on the back end of the cross slide. Dimensional control is affected by means of longitudinal (for lengths) and traversal (for diameters) adjustable stops. Therefore, capstan and turret lathes bridge the gap between manual engine lathes and automated lathes and are most practical for batch and short-run production. In comparison with manual lathes, the chief distinguishing feature of capstan and turret lathes is the multiple tool holders that enable the setting up of all the tools
necessary to produce a certain job. Except for sharpening, the tools need no further handling. Considerable skill is required to set and adjust the tools on such machines properly. But once the machines are set, they can be operated by semiskilled operators. Eliminating the setup time between operations reduces the production time considerably. The development of this group of lathes has been enhanced to provide the level of accuracy required for interchangeable production. A capstan lathe or a turret lathe is a production lathe used to manufacture any number of identical pieces in the minimum time. These lathes are development of engine lathes. The capstan lathe was first developed in the United States of America by Pratt and Whitney sometimes in 1860. Special characteristics of a capstan or turret lathe enable it to perform a series of operations such as drilling, turning, boring, thread cutting, reaming, chamfering, cutting- off and many other operations in a regular sequence to produce a large number of identical pieces in a minimum time.
Turret Lathe A Headstock B Spindle C - Pilot Bar D - Tool post E - Rear Tool post F - Cross slide G -Intermediate saddle H - Turret I - Turret Clamp Lever J - Saddle Looking Lever K - Star Handle for Turret Operation L - Turret Apron M - Turret saddle N - Intermediate saddle Apron O - Feed Gearbox
Scope of Work:
The main purpose of these types of lathes is to eliminate the setup time between operations which reduces the production time considerably. As mentioned before, Turret and Capstan Lathes are mainly used in Mass/Batch Production to produce products such as:
Collets. Collets sleeves. Drill collets. Drill collets holder.
Turret Lathe:
The first picture shows a Capstan lathe turret, and this description is the cause of the confusion. The turret is the toolholding and rotating part which is carried on a fixed but movable saddle. The turret itself moves on the saddle.
The second picture shows a turret off a Turret lathe, and the turret itself moves with the saddle at all times. This moving saddle on the turret lathe is what makes it different in operation from the Capstan machine. The headstock of a turret lathe is similar to that of an engine lathe in construction but possesses wider range of speeds, and is of heavier in construction. Similar sizes of capstan and turret lathe and engine lathe, when an engine lathe will require a motor of 3h.p. to drive its spindle and other parts, a capstan and turret lathe will demand power as high as 15h.p. for high rate of production. In a turret lathe, the tailstock of an engine lathe is replaced by a turret. This is a six sided block (or more), each of which may carry one or more tools. These tools
may be indexed one after the other to perform different operations in a regular order. This is a decisive advantage in mass production. In a turret lathe, combination of cuts can be taken. Two or more tools may be mounted on the same face of the turret, making it possible to machine more than one surface at a time. This feature reduces total operational time. A semiskilled operator can operate a capstan or turret lathe after the machine has been set up by a skilled machinist. A skilled machinist may be requisitioned for setting up only for a large number of machines, where as actual production may be given by a semiskilled operator. Capstan and turret lathe is fundamentally a production machine, capable of producing large number of identical pieces in a minimum time. The centre lathe is suitable for odd jobs having different shapes and sizes. The essential components and operating principles of capstan and turret lathes are illustrated schematically In the shown figure. Capstan lathes are mainly used for bar work, whereas turret lathes are applicable for large work in the form of castings and forgings. In a capstan or ram-type lathe, the hexagon turret is mounted on a slide that moves longitudinally in a stationary saddle (Shown Figure a). During setup of the machine, the saddle is positioned along the bed to give the shortest possible stroke for the job. The advantage of the capstan lathe is that the operator has less mass to move, resulting in easier and faster handling. The disadvantage is that the hexagonal turret slide is fed forward such that the overhang is increased, resulting in the deflection of the ram slide, especially at the extreme of its position, which produces taper and reduces accuracy. In the turret- or saddle-type lathe, the turret is mounted directly upon a movable saddle, furnished with both hand and power longitudinal feed (Shown Figure b). This machine is designed for machining chuck work, in addition to bar work. Owing to the volume of the swarf produced, the guide ways of the machine bed are flame-hardened and provided with covers that protect the sliding surfaces. The bed must be designed to allow free and rapid escape of swarf and coolant.
FIGURE 6.1 Essential components and operating principles of capstan and turret lathes.
Differences
between
(Capstan
Lathe
and
Capstan/Turret Lathe
Front and rear tool posts are available. Tool changing time is less It has turret head instead of tail stock Six different tools can be fitted in the turret head Number of speeds is more Tool changing time is less Tool can be changed without stopping the machine
Only one tool can be fitted in the tail stock Number of speeds is less Tool changing time is more The machine should be stopped for changing tool
6 7
It is not suitable for mass production The tool is centered manually after changing the tool Only one operation is done at a time
The tools are controlled by feed stops The tool is centered automatically
10
Tools:
Tools of capstan lathe machine:
Tool Geometry: For cutting tools, geometry depends mainly on the properties of the tool material and the work material. The standard terminology is shown in the following figure. For single point tools, the most important angles are the rake angles and the end and side relief angles.
The back rake angle affects the ability of the tool to shear the work material and form the chip. It can be positive or negative. Positive rake angles reduce the cutting forces resulting in smaller deflections of the work piece, tool holder, and machine. If the back rake angle is too large, the strength of the tool is reduced as well as its capacity to conduct heat. In machining hard work materials, the back rake angle must be small, even negative for carbide and diamond tools. The higher the hardness, the smaller the back rake angle. For high-speed steels, back rake angle is normally chosen in the positive range. Most lathe operations are done with relatively simple, single-point cutting tools. On righthand and left-hand turning and facing tools, the cutting takes place on the side of the tool; therefore the side rake angle is of primary importance and deep cuts can be made. On the round-nose turning tools, cutoff tools, finishing tools, and some threading tools, cutting takes place on or near the end of the tool, and the back rake is therefore of importance. Such tools are used with relatively light depths of cut. Because tool materials are expensive, it is desirable to use as little as possible. It is essential, at the same, that the cutting tool be supported in a strong, rigid manner to minimize deflection and possible vibration. Consequently, lathe tools are supported in various types of heavy, forged steel tool holders, as shown in the figure.
The tool bit should be clamped in the tool holder with minimum overhang. Otherwise, tool chatter and a poor surface finish may result. In the use of carbide, ceramic, or coated carbides for mass production work, throwaway inserts are used; these can be purchased in great variety of shapes, geometrics (nose radius, tool angle, and groove geometry), and sizes.
Face Tool:
Tapping Tools:
Operations:
1. Form tools:
For the machining of complex shapes, it is common to use form tools. This contrasts with the cutting that is performed on an engine lathe where the cutting tool is usually a singlepoint tool. A form tool has the form or contour of the final part but in reverse, so it cuts the material leaving the desired component shape. This contrasts to a single-point tool, which cuts on one point at a time and the shape of the component is dictated by the motion of the tool rather than its shape.
2. Rotary broaching:
Rotary broaching is another common operation. The broach holder is mounted stationary while its internal live spindle and end cutting broach tool are driven by the workpiece. As the broach is fed into or around the workpiece, the broach's contact points are constantly changing, easily creating the desired form. The most common form made this way is a hexagonal socket in the end of a cap screw.
3. Boring:
The process of using a single-point tool to enlarge a preexisting hole.
4. Center drilling:
A process in which a rigid drill precisely locates a hole in the center of a work piece. The purpose of center drilling is to establish a true centerline diameter.
5. Drilling:
A process in which the work piece is held stationary, while a rotating cutter (the drill) makes a round hole into the work piece to a certain depth.
6. Facing:
An operation performed on a lathe that feeds a single-point tool into the end of a cylindrical work piece to create a flat surface.
7. Parting:
Also called cutoff, a shearing operation that separates a finished part from bar stock.
8. Reaming:
The process of using a cutting tool with straight cutting edges to enlarge or smooth holes that have been previously drilled.
9. Tapping:
The process of cutting internal threads in a work piece with a multi-point tool.
10. Threading:
The process used to machine a long, spiraling ridge down the outer or inner surface of a work piece.
11. Turning:
An operation performed on a lathe that feeds a cutting tool along the length of a cylindrical part to reduce its diameter.
Features:
(b) top (inner) view Fig.4.7.10 Turret indexing in capstan and turret lathe.
2. Collet chucks:
Push out type. Draw in type. Dead length type.
The collet chucks: The collet chucks are used for gripping bars introduced through the head stick spindle of a capstan or turret lathe and is one of the most common method of holding work. Different sizes of spring collets having square, hexagonal, round or any other shaped bore are fitted in the chuck body for holding different sizes of bar having different sections. PUSH OUT TYPE: To grip the work, the tapped portion of the spring collet is pushed in to the mating taper of the chuck. There is a tendency of the bar to be pushed slightly outward when the collet is pushed in to the chuck body for gripping. If the bar is fed against a stop bar fitted on the turret head, this slight outward movement of the bar ensures accurate setting of the length for machining. DRAW IN TYPE: To grip the work, the tapered portion of the spring collet is pulled back in to the mating taper of the chuck which causes the split end of the collet to close in and grip the bar. The machining length of the bar in this type of chuck cannot be accurately set as the collet while closing will draw the bar slightly outward towards the spindle. DEAD LENGTH TYPE: For accurate positioning of the bar, both the push out and draw in type collet present some error due to the movement of the bar along with the collet while gripping. This difficulty is removed by using a stationary collet on the bar. A sliding sleeve closes up on the tapered collet which is prevented from any end movement by the shoulder stop.
Fixtures:
A fixture may be described as a special chuck built for the purpose of holding, locating and machining a large number of identical pieces which cannot be easily held by conventional gripping devices. Fixtures also serve the purpose of accurately locating the machining surface. The main functions of a fixture are as follows: 1. They accurately locate the work. 2. They grip the work properly, preventing it from bending or slipping during machining operations. 3. They permit rapid loading and unloading of work pieces. Holding Workpiece in a Lathe: