Industrial lathes: types and operation

Industrial lathes are among the most widely used machine tools in the metalworking industry. They are used in most industrial processes in which metals or other materials are machined in order to produce an endless variety of parts or shapes.

The value of lathes lies in their multifunctionality, their ability to optimize production and the redeployment of human capital in industry. Industrial lathes are machines that stand out for their structure, their well-known versatility and their practical implementation.

Main structure of an industrial lathe

Although industrial lathes can have a horizontal or vertical axis or operate by numerical control (CNC lathes), they generally all have the same components, which vary little from model to model. Some of these essential elements are described below:

• Bed: this is the structure that serves as the support for the lathe. The other parts that make up the machine and are essential to its performance rest on it. It can dampen the vibrations produced during machining, although this task is sometimes assisted by certain accessories.
• Norton gearbox: it is made up of several parts, notably pulleys, gears and belts. Together, these elements make it possible to adjust the rotational speed using external levers that the operator moves as required. This gearbox enables the lathe's movement to be automatic.
• Headstock: this is the part of the lathe that holds the material to be machined. It is also responsible for rotating the workpiece during the machining process.
• Tailstock: the tailstock can be moved manually or automatically along the surface of the lathe bed, thanks to the guideways on which it rests and the operator's push or the action of the machine tool. It is sometimes used to fix or hold large, bulky parts. To lock the tailstock in place, it has a lever or an electronic mechanism.
• Tool carriages: as their name suggests, these are carriages that carry the different working tools used in the machining process. These carriages have greater independence in the movements they can make along the available guideways and mechanisms.

How industrial lathes work in general

The lathe is made up of several mechanisms, parts and tools. While one section of the machine rotates the object, material or workpiece, another part makes the cuts, slits or grooves. In industrial terms, this process is known as machining of geometrically shaped parts.

Traditional or more basic lathes are driven by the movement of an operator's legs and arms. In this case, human power is what drives the lathe. They can perform basic operations once the workpiece is set in motion, such as cutting, grooving or slitting, among others.

More advanced models, on the other hand, may have two or more carriages for carrying out more precise and varied tasks on the material. The carriages can be programmed according to the goal the industry or operator wants to achieve and can move in different directions.

Diversification of lathes 

Industrial lathes are among the machine tools that factories and workshops have most widely adopted for everyday activities in the secondary sector. This equipment is used mainly in the automotive, electrical, computer, dental, wood and plastics industries; as well as for making tools, instruments and other distinctive equipment for these or other areas.

Depending on the needs of each particular sector, the lathe can have different features, both in its operation and in its components, in order to produce the desired results.

Main branches of turning

Turret turning

A tough, rotating metal piece, which in turn includes several inserts, is used to make the required machined cuts.

Copy turning

It reproduces an established pattern. Basically, it 'copies' a template to recreate the parts.

Automatic turning

It uses CNC (computer numerical control) technology to produce smaller parts, classed as small or medium-sized, or to machine details that demand high precision.