Zone: Turning Tools

Form Tools On CNC Lathes

VIDEO. Even on a programmable machine, the ability to machine a complex profile with a single plunge can offer a variety of benefits, including both accuracy and speed.

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Consider a Systems Approach to Tooling
8/24/2010 Production Machining: How parts are processed is the key to reducing cycle times, especially when using Swiss-type and turn-mill machines.
Wipe Away Rough Surfaces
8/19/2009 Production Machining: Not only do wiper inserts accomplish smooth surfaces—and if the material allows, they will eliminate a grinding operation—but these additional radii are also designed to double the feed rates of roughing and semi-finishing operations while achieving the specified surface finishes.
Form Tools On CNC Lathes
7/10/2009 Modern Machine Shop: VIDEO. Even on a programmable machine, the ability to machine a complex profile with a single plunge can offer a variety of benefits, including both accuracy and speed.
Video Profile: Lean Machining at Vanamatic
6/24/2009 Modern Machine Shop: See how this Delphos, Ohio, screw machine shop has saved considerable time by making its process on the shop floor more lean.
See The Tool's Value Instead Of Its Cost
6/2/2009 Modern Machine Shop: This company is embracing high-performance tooling on its turning centers. The "sticker shock" is no reason not to do this. In one case, though, the shop found a way to limit the cost of the tool and increase productivity at the same time.

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Overview Of:
Turning Tools

Turning involves a fixed and non-rotating cutter, because in turning, the workpiece spins instead of the tool. Turning tools typically consist of a replaceable insert in a turning tool body. The insert can be distinctive in a number of ways, including shape, material, coating and geometry. The shape can be round to maximize edge strength, diamond-shaped to allow a sharp point to cut fine features, square, or even octagonal to increase the number of separate edges that can be applied as one edge after another wears out. The material is typically carbide, though ceramic, cermet or diamond inserts can be applied to more demanding applications. A variety of protective coatings also help these insert materials cut faster and last longer. The geometry of the insert generally relates to its cutting angles, though the tool may also include a complex chipbreaker pattern that prevents long unbroken chips from becoming entangled in the cut. The turning tool body generally does not feature quite so much engineering, but even here there are a range of choices for fine-tuning the process. Quick-change tools involve modular bodies that allow replacement tool bodies to be swapped in and out and locked in place quickly to minimize setup time. The turning tool body can also channel high-pressure coolant more effectively to the cutting edge of the tool.