CNC Lathe Turning

For cylindrical parts such as pins, shafts and washers, or parts with general rotational symmetry, “turning” them on a lathe is often the simplest and most cost-effective option. In contrast to milling machines, lathes operate by securing a cylindrical blank, called a rod, into rotating chuck jaws on the machine. When this chuck rotates at high RPM, the blank also rotates, and a fixed-direction tool then translates along and through the blank to cut part features.

A CNC lathe equipped with live tooling has all the capabilities of a standard lathe, but rather than relying entirely on fixed tools, it can be equipped with rotating tools such as drills or end mills, allowing for greater machining freedom and the ability to introduce asymmetrical features into a part without the need for additional fixture setups.