Do you know the different operations you can perform on a flat-bed lathe?
The lathe is one of the machines most commonly used in small engineering firms and repair shops. One of the most common or traditional types is the flat-bed lathe. It is easy to use, and today there are numerous known operations of the flat-bed lathe for different applications.
The main use of the flat-bed lathe is to turn a solid object into a part with predefined shapes and dimensions. To do this, the object is rotated around the axis of symmetry of the flat-bed lathe. Chips of the solid material are removed and the object is gradually given the required shape.
The most common flat-bed lathe operations
The flat-bed lathe is used to cut and turn metal (that is, to shape it). It is a mechanically driven tool that is essential in any machine shop, as it can perform numerous specific jobs.
Drilling on a flat-bed lathe
The drilling is one of the flat-bed lathe operations most widely used in any machine shop. Here, chips are removed with a circular cutting motion using twist drills. To do this, the lathe uses a feed motion in the direction of the axis of rotation.
Generally, drilling on a flat-bed lathe is carried out on the workpiece in combination with other turning operations. This makes it possible to drill one side of the part while it is perfectly clamped. Special care must be taken when the drill is small.
Parting off on a flat-bed lathe
The parting off on a flat-bed lathe is an operation that consists of cutting or separating part of a workpiece. This task is usually carried out when machining small parts and on machines with bar feeders.
Parting off is usually one of the last flat-bed lathe operations. That is why special care must be taken, using a tool of high precision; it is also advisable to apply coolant, either manually or automatically.
Boring on a flat-bed lathe
The boring is a machining operation carried out on holes in workpieces in order to achieve greater precision and lower surface roughness. In this case, the size of the hole must be taken into account carefully when carrying out the job. However, it can be performed on both cylindrical and tapered holes. Taper boring is best done with numerically controlled lathes, as doing it on manual lathes requires a great deal of skill.
Boring is used to enlarge or improve the quality of a hole that already exists.
Facing on a flat-bed lathe
The facing is an operation that consists of machining the end of a workpiece in the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the flat-bed lathe. The operator must position the workpiece at an angle of 120 degrees to the tool holder. The result is a flat surface, as the tool feeds across the front face of the workpiece.
Meanwhile, the workpiece rotates and is normally held in a jaw chuck. Facing can be done from the outside inwards or from the center outwards.
Threading on a flat-bed lathe
The threading on a flat-bed lathe is one of the most demanding operations. Cutting forces are higher and the cutting radius for threading is smaller. The feed rate in this machining process must match the thread pitch. That is why, to carry out this operation, the thread profile to be machined is usually prepared in advance.
When large quantities of threaded parts are needed, thread rolling is used (instead of traditional chip-removal cutting), or threading on numerically controlled lathes. The difference here is that the fibers of the material are not cut but displaced. This shortens manufacturing times and extends the life of the lathe.
Cylindrical turning
The cylindrical turning is another flat-bed lathe operation. There are two different types:
- External cylindrical turning: the cutting tool moves along the length of the workpiece, parallel to the machine axis, leaving a smaller diameter than the original
- Internal cylindrical turning: the tool moves in the same way as above, but in this case leaves a larger diameter than the original
To ensure maximum quality in this operation, the flat-bed lathe must have its alignment and concentricity properly adjusted.
Taper turning
The taper turning is a machining operation that consists of machining surfaces of revolution whose generatrices are not parallel. This task can be carried out on the flat-bed lathe using three different methods:
- Using the top slide
- With a taper turning attachment
- By offsetting the tailstock
Alongside these flat-bed lathe operations, others that can be performed include knurling, reaming or grooving.