High quality swiss type automatic lathe machine provider: The manufacturing industry relies on CNC lathes to cut metals, plastics, and other materials into precise components. But not all CNC lathes are created equal. The most commonly used lathes are the Swiss CNC lathe (also known as the Swiss-type lathe) and the traditional CNC lathe. At first glance, they may seem to be similar, but the way they cut and treat the material is very different. These differences affect accuracy, speed, cost, and the type of components that each machine can produce. In this article, we are going to talk about some major differences between the traditional and Swiss type lathes, what makes a Swiss CNC lathe special, and which of the two would be best suited to your requirements. What is a Swiss CNC lathe? A Swiss CNC lathe is a special type of machine used to cut and shape small, detailed parts. Unlike normal lathes, it holds the material (the workpiece) very close to the cutting tool. This decreases shaking and helps the machine to cut well.
Key components of the Swiss lathe machine – A Swiss lathe machine has several important parts that work together to produce precise results. Each part has a clear role in the cutting process: Guide bushing – This is a small support that holds the material in place while it moves. By holding it firmly, it reduces vibration and allows very accurate cuts, even on long or thin parts. Main spindle – The main spindle works like an engine; it rotates the material. This rotation enables the cutting tools to shape the part in the required manner. Sub-spindle – The sub-spindle operates on the other end of the material. It allows doing the work on both sides of the part without taking it out of the machine, which is time-saving and enhances accuracy. Tool holders – These are spots where different cutting tools are placed. The tools can shape, drill, or mill the material depending on what is needed.
The programs produce a computer file that is interpreted to extract the commands needed to operate a particular machine via a post processor, and then loaded into the CNC machines for production. Since any particular component might require the use of a number of different tools – drills, saws, etc., modern machines often combine multiple tools into a single “cell”. In other installations, a number of different machines are used with an external controller and human or robotic operators that move the component from machine to machine. In either case, the series of steps needed to produce any part is highly automated and produces a part that closely matches the original CAD design. Read even more details on swiss lathe machine.
Another important feature of a swiss turning machine is its ability to perform multiple operations at once due to having several axes working together. Typically, up to ten different tools may be introduced into contact with the workpiece at any given time. In addition to producing high-precision components such as screws and pins for watches, medical devices, aerospace industry applications etc., these machines are often used in mass production because they can produce identical parts quickly and efficiently without sacrificing quality or precision.
Additionally, as many Swiss lathes incorporate a secondary spindle, or ‘sub-spindle’, they also incorporate ‘live tooling’. Live tools are rotary cutting tools that are powered by a small motor independently of the spindle motor(s). Live tools increase the intricacy of components that can be manufactured by the Swiss lathe. For instance, automatically producing a part with a hole drilled perpendicular to the main axis (the axis of rotation of the spindles) is very economical with live tooling, and similarly uneconomical if done as a secondary operation after machining by the Swiss lathe is complete. A ‘secondary operation’ is a machining operation requiring a partially completed part to be secured in a second machine to complete the manufacturing process. Generally, advanced CAD/CAM software uses live tools in addition to the main spindles so that most parts that can be drawn by a CAD system can actually be manufactured by the machines that the CAD/CAM software support.
The vertical machining center is one type of CNC machining center which is developed from the CNC milling machine. CNC vertical machining center is also called CNC VMC. The biggest difference from the CNC milling machine is that the machining center has the ability to automatically exchange machining tools. By installing tools for different purposes on the tool magazine, the machining tools on the spindle can be changed by the automatic tool changer in one clamping to realize multiple machining. CNC machining centre is a highly automatic multifunctional system tool, which may be divided into horizontal machining centre and vertical machining centre. Today we mainly discuss the vertical machining center.
