What can the turning process do? Is it suitable for my industry?
This article will introduce the advantages, disadvantages, types, and application scope of the turning process in lathe machine. If you want to learn how the turning manufacturing process can benefit your business, don’t miss this content!
What is Turning Process?
The turning process is a metalworking method where the work piece is fixed on a lathe machine and rotates at high speed, using the linear movement of cutting tool to precisely control the cutting depth and speed, achieving high-precision dimensions and surface quality.
This process can be performed manually or using a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) lathe to improve accuracy and enable automation. It is mainly used to machine various shapes such as outer circles, inner circles, threads, and grooves to meet different manufacturing requirements.
The basic process of turning is mounting the work piece onto the lathe machine, setting the cutting parameters (such as feed rate and cutting depth) as needed, and then starting the lathe machine for machining.
As the work piece rotates, the cutting tool will move along different axes based on the settings, precisely removing material on the work piece.
After processing, the work piece will be taken out and checked for dimensional accuracy and surface quality to ensure it meets the required standards.
The 7 Major Benefits of Turning Process!
Whether it is the flexibility in handling materials, precision requirements, or production efficiency, turning will offer exceptional performance.
This article outlines the 7 key benefits of the turning process, helping you better understand its advantages and how it can be applied in manufacturing.
Material Versatility
Although turning is primarily used for metalworking, but it can also process materials such as wood, plastic, and even certain specialized materials like ceramics and composite materials.
This makes the turning process highly adaptable and widely applicable across different industries.Whether it is machining mechanical components, household appliance parts, or plastic components, turning can fully demonstrate its capabilities.
High Precision
Turning can precisely control various sizes and shapes of the part, especially when using CNC lathes, which can achieve micron-level accuracy.
This is crucial for parts that require high tolerances (such as precision mechanical components, aerospace parts, and medical devices).
The high tolerance and excellent surface finishing achieved by turning make it the preferred machining method for industries with extremely high precision demands.
Fast Production Efficiency
The turning process also has a very high production efficiency, particularly when used in modern automated production lines, for example, CNC lathes after pre-programming, can automatically complete complex machining processes, significantly increasing production efficiency.
Since turning process operation are simple and have short cycle times, they typically does not require long preparation or adjustments, which greatly boosts overall production speed.
This not only shortens delivery time, but also enhances efficiency in mass scale production, especially for high-volume products that require quick delivery, turning is definitely the best choice.
Does not require complex operation
Compared to other high precision machining methods (such as electrical discharge machining or water jet cutting), turning process is relatively easier to operate and does not require operators to have highly advanced skills.
For CNC lathe operations, workers only need to undergo a certain level of training to proficiently operate the machine and process parts. Even for more complex parts, operators can just follow pre-programmed program to complete the process automatically.
This advantage makes turning process suitable not only for high-end manufacturing sectors but also appropriate for small and medium scale production, reducing the technical threshold for operators and promoting standardization and automation on production lines.
Able to Handle Various Shapes
In addition to the commonly processed cylindrical parts, turning can also be used to machine internal and external circles, threads, grooves, tapers, and other complex shapes, making it widely applicable in industries that require precision geometric forms.
Whether producing single parts or large scale production, the turning process can easily accommodate the task, with the ability to adjust machining methods to meet different process requirements for optimal results.
Removal Rate of Adjustable Materials
The turning process can do adjustment of cutting speed and feed rate based on the material type and final product requirements.
This means that when processing materials with different hardness and properties, operators can flexibly adjust the lathe settings to achieve the best machining outcome.
Detailed Surface Smoothness
During the turning process, the cutting tool makes contact with the work piece surface, resulting in a high level of surface finish, which can reduce the need for subsequent processes, saving both time and cost.
Are There Many Disadvantages for Turning Manufacturing Process?
Even though the turning manufacturing process offers numerous advantages in terms of precision and efficiency, it also has some specific disadvantages.
Below, we will introduce 6 main disadvantages of the turning process, along with some countermeasures and design techniques to minimize the impact of these drawbacks on production.
Long Initial Setup Time
The turning process requires a more complicated initial setup, especially when using CNC lathes. Writing programs, setting up the machine, clamping tools, and conducting tests can take a considerable amount of time.
For parts with multiple processes, the initial adjustments and testings need to be handled carefully by operators, which increases the lead time for the process.
Expensive Equipment
The turning process equipment, especially high-end CNC lathes, are more costly. It also requires various supporting accessories, tools, and fixtures to meet the processing needs of different parts, which further increasing the cost of equipment investment and maintenance.
For small businesses or low-volume production of single products, the equipment cost can become a significant burden.
Multiple Processes and Equipment
In the machining of complex parts, turning is often just one part of the overall process. Since many parts require several steps to achieve the final shape, additional processes or equipment may be needed to complete the subsequent stages of machining.
This increases the complexity of the workflow and also imposes higher demands on space, equipment maintenance, and operational skills.
Limited only for Rotatable Object
The turning process requires the work piece to continuously rotate during the machining process, making it only suitable for parts with cylindrical or rotationally symmetrical shapes.
For irregular or non-rotationally symmetric parts, turning is difficult or even impossible to apply, which limits the flexibility of turning for machining diverse shapes. For such cases, companies need to choose other processes for auxiliary machining based on product requirements.
Tools are Easily Worn
Since the cutting tool continuously makes contact with the work piece during the turning process, the repeated cutting motion gradually wears down the tool, especially when machining hard materials.
Tool wear will reduce machining precision and surface quality, and it also requires frequent tool replacements which indirectly increasing production costs and maintenance time.
Large Amount of Waste Material
Turning process is classified as a material removal process, so it will generate a large amount of metal shavings or chips. These waste materials need to be constantly cleared during machining; otherwise, they can affect production efficiency and even cause damage to the machine tool.
Due to environmental concerns and the increased costs of waste disposal, the management of these machining wastes has also become an important factor for businesses to consider.
Even though turning process has drawbacks such as high equipment costs, rapid tool wear, and a large amount of waste, but by optimizing the design, can reduce these impacts.
For example, maintaining a simple structure, ensuring uniform wall thickness, avoiding sharp internal corners, and selecting standard thread sizes can effectively improve machining efficiency and reduce costs.
What Turning Parameters Should be noted?
In the turning process, precise parameter settings directly affect the final machining quality, tool life, and efficiency.
Understanding and adjusting these parameters can help achieve optimal results. Below are 5 key parameters that needs to be paid attention to:
The depth of cut is referring to the distance of cutting tool penetrates into the work piece, which can directly affect the machining speed and surface quality.
The depth of cut should not be too shallow, as it will waste machining time; but if too deep, it could also cause excessive stress on the tool and machine, reducing their lifespan.
Cutting speed is typically measured by the distance moved per minute and can affect cutting quality, tool life, and production efficiency.
Too high of a cutting speed increases the speed of the tool wearing, while too low a speed decreases production efficiency.
The material properties of the work piece will influence various parameter settings during turning. For example, materials with higher hardness usually require a lower cutting speed to prevent excessive wear, while softer materials allow for higher feed rates to improve efficiency.
The feed rate is the distance the tool moves along the work piece for each rotation. A higher feed rate can speed up production but may negatively impact surface finishing and tool life.
The angles of the tool (such as front and rear angles) are key factors affecting cutting forces, machining accuracy, and surface finishing.
Properly designing the angle of the cutting tool will reduce cutting resistance, extends tool life, and improves surface quality.
Since different materials and machining requirements have specific needs for these parameters, working with a professional manufacturer can provide effective parameter setting support, helping to reduce trial and error costs and stabilize product quality.
What are the Types of Turning Process in Lathe Machine?
Lathe machining includes a variety of techniques, each suited to different shapes and machining requirements. Here is an introduction to 10 common turning techniques and their applications:
CNC Turning
CNC turning is lathes controlled using program to precisely manage tool movement, ideal for complex parts that require high precision.
Through pre-set programs, CNC turning can accurately process parts with complex shapes or multiple radial features, significantly enhancing production efficiency.
Straight Turning
Straight turning is used to reduce the diameter of cylindrical work pieces, keeping length consistent along the axis.
It is suitable for shaft components that require a uniform diameter and is widely used for rough and precise machining of cylindrical parts.
Taper Turning
Taper turning is a type of machining that shapes work pieces into a cone by moving the tool at an angle to the work piece axis.
This is often used for parts that need tapered ends (such as spindles and drive shafts), for easier assembly and reducing parts weight.
Groove Turning
Groove turning can accomplish function of separation or cutting off of parts, which usually used for cutting narrow grooves of outer or inner surface of work piece (such as machining oil grooves or retaining ring grooves).
Thread Turning
Thread turning cuts spiral grooves on the outer or inner surface to form threads, it is applicable for everything from standard fasteners to precision industrial thread components.
Further reading : What are the common types of plastic fasteners?
Drilling
Drilling is used to create holes along the work piece’s central axis, which often is the preliminary step for internal structures, such as threading or boring.It is ideal for producing through holes and blind holes.
Facing
The purpose of facing process is to smooth the cutting area or reduce the length of the work piece‘s end surface.
This step often serves as a foundation for subsequent machining with providing a flat and accurate end surface.
Knurling
The purpose of knurling operation is to add regular texture or roughness to the work piece‘s surface for better grip.
Patterns (such as crosshatch or straight lines) are pressed into the surface, commonly applied to handles, buttons, or other components that require slip resistance.
Boring
Boring enlarges an existing drilled hole‘s inner diameter to improve precision and surface smoothness.
It is frequently used for creating high precision internal diameters or preparing for threading process, an essential technique for shape and surface accuracy.
Parting
Parting operation separates a section of material from the work piece, an operation usually as the final machining step.
The tool creates a narrow groove at the center, ultimately detaching the required part, commonly used for the last stage in the machining process to separate finished parts.
What are the Industries that are Suitable in Using Turning Process?
From the introduction above, we can understand that turning process has broad applications in precision manufacturing.
This article has sort out 5 industries with high demand for turning processes, along with how each industry leverages turning technology to produce critical parts and equipment:
Aerospace
Aircraft and aerospace components, like engine compartment, landing gear, and rocket parts, require precision machining to withstand extreme pressure and temperature.
Turning process can enable metal or alloy parts to meet the standard of tight tolerances, ensuring the industry to meet their demands of reliability and stability.
Automotive
In manufacturing engine parts, transmission components, gearboxes, and brake systems, CNC turning‘s accuracy enables efficient and consistent production of high performance automotive parts, enhancing vehicle safety and stability.
Medical
Turning can be used to manufacture dental and orthopedic implants, surgical instruments, and other medical devices.
In addition to the precision of CNC turning, it helps achieve cutting edge sharpness and complex designs, meeting the high standards for safety and durability required for surgical tools.
Electronics
In manufacturing small connectors, precision brackets, and heat dissipation components, turning can ensure accurate dimensions and adapt to the demands of rapidly evolving electronics while maintaining processing efficiency and consistency.
Military and Defense
Turning process can produce small precision parts, from weapon components to specialized parts for military vehicles.
CNC turning‘s flexibility and high accuracy allow the national defense industry to custom design and manufacture parts to withstand harsh environments, ensuring functionality under strict conditions.
Further reading :Why do we need custom injection molding?
How to Proceed with Turning Manufacturing Process?｜FAQ
Just Contact Hsin Hung Yih Plastic for Low Waste Turning Process!
If you are searching for an efficient, with low waste turning process, consider consulting with Hung Yih Technology, or Hsin Hung Yih Plastic. Equipped with advanced CNC lathes and a commitment to precision machining processes, they ensure every part meets the highest quality standards.
Dedicated to providing efficient, low material waste solutions, Hsin Hung Yih Plastic maximizes material utilization, reduces costs, and enhances production efficiency.
Furthermore, they actively promote eco-friendly concept by minimizing carbon footprints during manufacturing, ensuring each product meets today’s strict eco-friendly standards.