Lathe Mill Combo Guide
A lathe mill combo is also a CNC turning machine. It is a machine tool based on the turning method that rotates the workpiece on a rotating axis to perform cutting, drilling, deformation, facing, and turning. These machining processes are performed by tools applied to the workpiece to create objects that are symmetrical to the axis driven by the spindle. In the past, turning was only performed on a turning machine, or say lathe, and milling was only performed on milling machines. Due to past technical issues, these two types of processing methods are rarely integrated on one machine.Power Turrets and Other Accessories
However, with the wide application of power turrets and live tools, these two functions can be integrated into one, thus making processing more convenient. For ordinary working conditions, according to the way the workpiece is clamped, turning machines can be divided into two main types, namely vertical lathe, and horizontal lathe.
Some lathe mill combo machines may also contain boring or drilling functions, integrating the versatility of a boring and milling machine. The machining process advances the rotating tool into one or more to remove material. Multiple workpieces can be processed under the control of a computer numerical control (CNC) system or manual operation. Nowadays, such machine tools are usually controlled by CNC systems, and the accuracy is controlled within a relatively small tolerance range as the standard quality.
Boring and milling methods can be done in different directions that are based on the different tracks installed on the axes. The number of axes depends on the needs of customers. There is no absolute optimal number, only the most suitable combination according to user needs.
In the vertical mill-turn centers, the workpiece is clamped vertically and the cutting tools are installed in the same direction, so the machining is performed vertically. In this way, compared with the horizontal structure, the clamping is more stable due to the gravity effect. Manufacturers of vertical turning machines usually turn their vertical turning machines into high precision processing equipment for users in various industrial fields, such as the automotive industry, aerospace sector, sports facilities manufacturing, and other fields with larger workpieces.
Clamping & Chucks
In the vertical clamping mechanism, the turning spindle is located behind the chuck. Some spindles are belt-driven, while others use other types of drive mechanisms. Like other milling machines and machining centers, lathe mill combo machines can also be equipped with power tools and tool magazines to improve their functionality and versatility and provide users with greater processing possibilities.
The power turret is a modern standard accessory for many CNC lathes and one of the most important accessories for CNC lathe users. Taiwanese suppliers aimed at this business and developed many strong power turrets and power tools to support the needs of lathe users in the global market. Most of the power turrets are driven by a single servo motor, which can ensure the best processing results and greatly save energy. At the same time, they can provide great rigidity to the workpiece to achieve ideal machining performance.
Thanks to the power turret, the integration of milling and turning are possible. In this mechanical design, the tool magazine will be equipped with an automatic tool changer to make the tool work more flexible.
In addition to power turret, tool magazines and automatic tool changers (ATC) are also the best-selling products of Taiwanese machine tool accessory manufacturers. The tool magazine and automatic tool changer produced by Taiwanese suppliers can provide the best T to T timing according to the factory owner's cycle time engineering, which can help them cope with various processing requirements by their customers.
Critical Parts and Future
In addition to the components introduced above, the machine also contains other important components. Turning spindles, fixing chucks and hydraulic cylinders are also well developed in Taiwan's machine tool accessories field. Coupled with CNC turning centers, a series of lathe products and accessories are widely used in different industrial fields around the world.
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