Parts of a Vernier Caliper

A Caliper is simply a measuring device from a compass to intense instruments such as the vernier caliper acting as an advanced ruler. The vernier caliper uses vernier scale to measure more precisely. This instrument provides different methods of measuring including ways to measure external or internal dimensions as well as finding depth measurements. In fact the depth measurement method of using a movable and slidable probe is so slender that it is able to retrieve data in deep canals.

You have to be familiar with the instrument in order for your to achieve an accurate measurement. Any discrepancy from of measurement even for just a few millimeters will spell success of trouble for you. Machinist are experts on this device. But evenso, they still need to exercise caution.

The lower and upper section of this scale generally uses both inch and metric measurements. Industries use vernier calipers because of its hundredth of a millimeter precision equal to one thousandth of an inch. Below describes the vernier caliper's parts and functions.

The rail (4) allows sliding to occur on the main scale (7) moving the vernier scale (3) while the fixed jaw (11) remains in place so the precise measurement is found. Also, draw back and forth (9) the instrument's jaws (parts 1 and 10) to adjust the caliper. The indicated measurement is found at the left of the vernier scale (3 and 8) either in inches or centimeters. The sliding jaw (9) and the depth probe (5) are connected to and move along with the vernier scale. Deep measurements are taken by the use of the front end of the rail (6).

1. Inside jaws: Internal length measurements are found by using this part.
2. Retainer or locking screw: This part blocks the instrument's movable parts in order to transfer between measurement methods easily.
3. Vernier scale (inch)
4. Rail (inch)
5. Depth probe: The part used in order to find depth measurements
6. Front end of the rail
7. Main scale (mm)
8. Vernier scale (mm)
9. Sliding Jaw
10. Outside jaws: This part makes measuring external lengths possible.
11. Fixed Jaw

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The Vernier Caliper

The Caliper. The name itself is generic. But to define it, it is a device used to measure the distance between to symmetrically opposing sides. A caliper can be as simple as a compass with inward or outward-facing points. The tips of the caliper are adjusted to fit across the points to be measured, the caliper is then removed and the distance read by measuring between the tips with a measuring tool, such as a ruler.

They are used in many fields such as metalworking, mechanical engineering, gunsmithing, handloading, woodworking, woodturning and in medicine.

There are many types of Calipers but obviously in relation to this blog, we'll mention a particular type of caliper namely: The Vernier Caliper.

Vernier Calipers are usually found in machine shops or any other area which requires to measure its fabricated dimensions. Without this device, machine shops will be having a hard time for accurate measurement.

Vernier calipers can measure internal dimensions (using the uppermost jaws in the picture at right), external dimensions using the pictured lower jaws, and depending on the manufacturer, depth measurements by the use of a probe that is attached to the movable head and slides along the centre of the body. This probe is slender and can get into deep grooves that may prove difficult for other measuring tools.

The vernier scales may include both metric and inch measurements on the upper and lower part of the scale.

Vernier calipers commonly used in industry provide a precision to a hundredth of a millimetre (10 micrometres), or one thousandth of an inch.

A more precise instrument used for the same purpose is the micrometer.



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Metals Knowledge: Machining Nonferrous Metals

Abstract:
Some of the alloys of aluminum have been machined successfully without any lubricant or cutting compound, but in order to obtain the best results, some form of lubricant is desirable. Tools for aluminum and aluminum alloys should have larger relief and rake angles than tools for cutting steel.

Magnesium alloys are readily machined and with relatively low power consumption per cubic inch of metal removed. The usual practice is to employ high cutting speeds with relatively coarse feeds and deep cuts. Exceptionally fine finishes can be obtained so that grinding to improve the finish usually is unnecessary.

Machining of zinc alloy die-castings is mostly done without a lubricant. For particular work, a lubricant may be used to advantage.


Machining Aluminum

Some of the alloys of aluminum have been machined successfully without any lubricant or cutting compound, but in order to obtain the best results, some form of lubricant is desirable. For many purposes, soluble cutting oil is good.

Tools for aluminum and aluminum alloys should have larger relief and rake angles than tools for cutting steel. For high-speed steel turning tools the following angles are recommended: relief angles, 14 to 16 degrees; back rake angle, 5 to 20 degrees; side rake angle, 15 to 35 degrees. For very soft alloys even larger side rake angles are sometimes used.

High silicon aluminum alloys and some others have a very abrasive effect on the cutting tool. While these alloys can be cut successfully with high-speed steel tools, cemented carbides are recommended because of their superior abrasion resistance. The tool angles recommended for cemented carbide turning tools are: relief angles, 12 to 14 degrees; back rake angle, 0 to 15 degrees; side rake angle, 8 to 30 degrees.

Cut-off tools and necking tools for machining aluminum and its alloys should have from 12 to 20 degrees back rake angle and the end relief angle should be from 8 to 12 degrees. Excellent threads can be cut with single-point tools in even the softest aluminum.

Experience seems to vary somewhat regarding the rake angle for single-point thread cutting tools. Some prefer to use a rather large back and side rake angle although this requires a modification in the included angle of the tool to produce the correct thread contour. When both rake angles are zero, the included angle of the tool is ground equal to the included angle of the thread. Excellent threads have been cut in aluminum with zero rake angle thread-cutting tools using large relief angles, which are 16 to 18 degrees opposite the front side of the thread and 12 to 14 degree: opposite the back side of the thread. In either case, the cutting edges should be ground and honed to a keen edge. It is sometimes advisable to give the face of the tool a few strokes with a hone between cuts when chasing the thread in order to remove any built-up edge on the cutting edge.

Fine surface finishes are often difficult to obtain on aluminum and aluminum alloys, particularly the softer metals. When a fine finish is required, the cutting tool should be honed to a keen edge and the surfaces of the face and the flank will also benefit by being honed smooth. Tool wear is inevitable; however, it should not be allowed to progress too far before the tool is changed or sharpened.

A sulphurized mineral oil or heavy-duty soluble oil will sometimes be helpful in obtaining a satisfactory surface finish. For best results, however, a diamond cutting tool is recommended. Excellent surface finishes can be obtained on even the softest aluminum and aluminum alloys with these tools.

Although ordinary milling cutters can be used successfully in shops where aluminum parts are only machined occasionally, the best results are obtained with coarse tooth, large helix-angle cutters having large rake and clearance angles. Clearance angles up to 10 to 12 degrees are recommended. When slab milling and end milling a profile, using the peripheral teeth on the end mill, climb milling will generally produce a better finish on the machined surface than conventional milling. Face milling cutters should have a large axial rake angle.

Standard twist drills can be used without difficulty in drilling aluminum and aluminum alloys although high helix-angle drills are preferred. The wide flutes and high helix-angle in these drills helps to clear the chips. In some cases the use of split-point drills is preferred. Carbide tipped twist drills can be used for drilling aluminum and its alloys which may afford advantages in some production applications.

Ordinary hand and machine taps can be used to tap aluminum and its alloys although spiral-fluted thread taps give superior results.

Machining Magnesium

Magnesium alloys are readily machined and with relatively low power consumption per cubic inch of metal removed. The usual practice is to employ high cutting speeds with relatively coarse feeds and deep cuts. Exceptionally fine finishes can be obtained so that grinding to improve the finish usually is unnecessary.

The horsepower normally required in machining magnesium varies from 0.15 to 0.30 per cubic inch per minute. While this value is low, especially in comparison with power required for cast iron and steel, the total amount of power for machining magnesium usually is high because of the exceptionally rapid rate at which metal is removed.

Carbide tools are recommended for maximum efficiency, although high-speed steel frequently is employed. Tools should be designed so as to dispose of chips readily or without excessive friction, by employing polished chip-bearing surfaces, ample chip spaces, large clearances, and small contact areas.

Feeds and Speeds for Magnesium: Speeds ordinarily range up to 5000 feet per minute for rough- and finish-turning, up to 3000 feet per minute for rough-milling, and up to 9000 feet per minute for finish-milling.

Lathe Tool Angles for Magnesium: The true or actual rake angle resulting from back and side rakes usually varies from 10 to 15 degrees. Back rake varies from 10 to 20, and side rake from 0 to 10 degrees. Reduced back rake may be employed to obtain better chip breakage. The back rake may also be reduced to from 2 to 8 degrees on form tools or other broad tools to prevent chatter.

Parting Tools: For parting tools, the back rake varies from 15 to 20 degrees, the front end relief 8 to 10 degrees, the side relief measured perpendicular to the top face 8 degrees, and the side relief measured in the plane of the top face from 3 to 5 degrees.

Milling Magnesium. In general, the coarse-tooth type of cutter is recommended. The number of teeth or cutting blades may be one-third to one-half the number normally used; however, the two-blade fly-cutter has proved to be very satisfactory. As a rule, the land relief or primary peripheral clearance is 10 degrees followed by secondary clearance of 20 degrees.

Drilling Magnesium. If the depth of a hole is less than five times the drill diameter, an ordinary twist drill with highly polished flutes may be used. The drill should be kept sharp and the outer corners rounded to produce a smooth finish and prevent burr formation. For deep hole drilling, use a drill having a helix angle of 40 to 45 degrees with large polished flutes of uniform cross-section throughout the drill length to facilitate the flow of chips. Drilling speeds vary from 300 to 2000 feet per minute with feeds per revolution ranging from 0.015 to 0.050 inch.

Tapping Magnesium. Standard taps may be used unless Class 3B tolerances are required, in which case the tap should be designed for use in magnesium. A high-speed steel concentric type with a ground thread is recommended. The concentric form, which eliminates the radial thread relief, prevents jamming of chips while the tap is being backed out of the hole. The positive rake angle at the front may vary from 10 to 25 degrees and the "heel rake angle" at the back of the tooth from 3 to 5 degrees. The chamfer extends over two to three threads. For holes up to 1/4 inch in diameter, two-fluted taps are recommended; for sizes from 1/2 to 3/4 inch, three flutes; and for larger holes, four flutes. Tapping speeds ordinarily range from 75 to 200 feet per minute, and mineral oil cutting fluid should be used.

Threading Dies for Magnesium. Threading dies for use on magnesium should have about the same cutting angles as taps. Narrow lands should be used to provide ample chip space. Either solid or self-opening dies may be used. The latter type is recommended when maximum smoothness is required. Threads may be cut at speeds up to 1000 feet per minute.

Grinding Magnesium. As a general rule, magnesium is ground dry. The highly inflammable dust should be formed into sludge by means of a spray of water or low viscosity mineral oil. Accumulations of dust or sludge should be avoided. For surface grinding, when a fine finish is desirable, a low-viscosity mineral oil may be used.

Machining Zinc Alloy Die-Castings

Machining of zinc alloy die-castings is mostly done without a lubricant. For particular work, especially deep drilling and tapping, a lubricant such as lard oil and kerosene or a 50-50 mixture of kerosene and machine oil may be used to advantage. A mixture of turpentine and kerosene has been found effective on certain difficult jobs.

Reaming: In reaming, tools with six straight flutes are commonly used, although tools with eight flutes irregularly spaced have been found to yield better results by one manufacturer. Many standard reamers have a land that is too wide for best results. A land about 0.015 inch wide is recommended but this may often be ground down to around 0.007 or even 0.005 inch to obtain freer cutting, less tendency to loading, and reduced heating.

Turning: Tools of high-speed steel are commonly employed although the application of Stellite and carbide tools, even on short runs, is feasible. For steel or Stellite, a positive top rake of from 0 to 20 degrees and an end clearance of about 15 degrees is commonly recommended. For boring, facing, and other lathe operations, rake and clearance angles are about the same as for tools used in turning.

Machining Monel and Nickel Alloys

These alloys are machined with high-speed steel and with cemented carbide cutting tools. High-speed steel lathe tools usually have a back rake of 6 to 8 degrees, a side rake of 10 to 15 degrees, and relief angles of 8 to 12 degrees. Broad-nose finishing tools have a back rake of 20 to 25 degrees and an end relief angle of 12 to 15 degrees. In most instances, standard commercial cemented-carbide tool holders and tool shanks can be used which provide acceptable tool geometry. Honing the cutting edge lightly will help if chipping is encountered.

The most satisfactory tool materials for machining Monel and the softer nickel alloys, such as Nickel 200 and Nickel 230, are M2 and T5 for high-speed steel and crater resistant grades of cemented carbides. For the harder nickel alloys such as K Monel, Permanickel, Duranickel, and Nitinol alloys, the recommended tool materials are T15, M41, M42, M43, and for high-speed steel, M42. For carbides, a grade of crater resistant carbide is recommended when the hardness is less than 300 Bhn, and when the hardness is more than 300 Bhn, a grade of straight tungsten carbide will often work best, although some crater resistant grades will also work well.

A sulfurized oil or a water-soluble oil is recommended for rough and finish turning. A sulfurized oil is also recommended for milling, threading, tapping, reaming, and broaching.

Nickel alloys have a high tendency to work harden. To minimize work hardening caused by machining, the cutting tools should be provided with adequate relief angles and positive rake angles. Furthermore, the cutting edges should be kept sharp and replaced when dull to prevent burnishing of the work surface. The depth of cut and feed should be sufficiently large to ensure that the tool penetrates the work without rubbing.


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XYZ takes orders: expands services

A recent series of Open Days hosted at XYZ Machine Tools Ltd's regional showrooms resulted in orders valued at nearly £700,000, while details of expanded services were announced.

The show, held in Blackburn, Nuneaton and Waltham Abbey, saw orders for CNC/manual mills and lathes and full-CNC machine tools, and this, said managing director Nigel Atherton, provided the backdrop to what he sees as a more positive attitude to capital investment from manufacturing industry.

"There are clear signs of an improvement in business confidence," he said, "although it is still too early to be sure that this is more than a blip and that the worst of the recession is behind us. However, we had visitors representing more than 60 companies, and the interest shown, the orders placed and the enquiries in progress are very encouraging."

Price, of course, is a key factor in any capital equipment purchase but, said the managing director: "We believe it is vitally important to help our customers lower the overall cost of machine tool ownership. One way of achieving this is by providing high quality service and support, together with better and more efficient training. This is why we are expanding XYZ's training and applications team, with these latest open days coinciding with an extension of the team's customer service remit."

Customers already receive basic training free-of-charge when purchasing an XYZ machining centre, turning centre or large CNC lathe equipped with Siemens CNC, or any CNC/manual turret/bed mill or lathe equipped with the exclusive ProtoTRAK control. The Burlescombe, Devon-based company also organises refresher and advanced training days designed to help users of its machine tools to obtain the maximum benefit from their investments. Now it is extending the help available to customers buying its Siemens-equipped full-CNC machine tools with the offer of up to eight days free-of-charge applications assistance worth up to £4,800.

"This is additional to the three days' free-of-charge basic training already provided with our full-CNC range of machines," Mr Atherton underlined. "Our objective is to speed up the learning process and to help customers avoid the frustrations that can occur following installation and commissioning of a CNC machine. The first few days are when even the most experienced operator taking on a new control can produce expensive scrap, bad habits can take hold and valuable time can be wasted. However, with expert applications assistance on hand in your machine shop, this need never happen."



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Mills CNC claims big market share for big machines

Mills CNC claims over 50 per cent of the UK's large lathe market (chuck size 12" and over), 50 per cent of the large VTL (Vertical Turning Lathe) market and significant market share in the large horizontal machining centre and horizontal borer markets.

The company is the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor for Doosan machine tools, and highlights that the portfolio has recently been broadened with the launch of a new range of 5-face, double-column machining centres, DCM, within which there are eight different sized.

The new DCM machines, with up to 10, 250 by 4,200 by 700, by 1,100 mm in X, Y, Z and W, can parts up to 68,000 kg in weight.

Depending on the type of application, DCM machines can be specified with various ram spindle configurations (heavy-duty cutting through to high-speed/high-torque options); different head attachments and table types.

"The Doosan big machine tool range is impressive – and the new DCM machines are no exception," underlines Nick Frampton, Mills CNC's managing director.

"In terms of breadth, depth, technical specification, and all-round performance and price – big Doosan machines are the number one choice for precision manufacturers in the oil and gas, power generation and other sectors where the machining of large components is at a premium."



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Lathe Tools offer maximum speed of 12,000 rpm.

SMW Autoblok is pleased to introduce spindle speed increasing Live Tools for Haas lathes. These new low-profile Live Tools feature a 1:3 speed increasing ratio and a maximum speed of 12,000RPM.

Designed to increase the performance of Haas lathes with 4,000RPM driven turrets, SMW Autoblok's new spindle speed increasing Live Tools can drastically reduce cycle times and duty cycles, particularly in finishing application in mild steels, aluminum, plastics, and reinforced resins. With an ultra-low profile of 88.5mm (3.48"), these new Live Tools are no taller than a standard Live Tool, preserving Z-axis clearance for work-holding and parts. Additionally, with their minimal width of 80mm (3.15"), they do not interfere with adjacent tools in the turret.

SMW Autoblok's new spindle speed increasing Live Tools utilize patented square drive Gleason matched ground helical gears for improved torque transmission and high quality twin interlocking labyrinth seals to prevent contamination from coolant and chips. The new compact ER clamping design makes for easy tool changes, higher clamping forces, extended drill lengths, and improved rigidity.

SMW Autoblok also offers standard Live Tools for Haas lathes in straight, right angle, and offset styles equipped with either an ER Collet or Face Mill output spindle. Coolant-thru the tool up to 1,000PSI is available on most styles, and special application Live Tools are available upon request. SMW Autoblok stocks Live Tools for other popular CNC Turning Centers including Mazak, Mori Seiki, Okuma, and Doosan and more.

For more information on Live Tools or other SMW Autoblok products, please contact SMW Autoblok Corporation at 847-215-0591 or visit www.live-tooling.com.

ABOUT SMW AUTOBLOK CORPORATION - Autoblok Corporation was established in 1981 as a subsidiary of Autoblok of Italy, the largest power chuck manufacturer in Europe. Since 1942, Autoblok has been at the forefront of engineering and manufacturing state-of-the-art workholding, clamping and tooling solutions. In 1993, Autoblok acquired SMW of Germany. The combination of these two premier manufacturing entities resulted in the most extensive product line of high quality workholding devices in the world. Now available exclusively through its subsidiaries, reps and distributors, SMW AUTOBLOK customers are ensured a consistent, single source of superior product performance, support and service.



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K+K moves to expand machining business

Bletchley-based subcontractor K+K Specialised Engineering has moved to new premises to accommodate extra XYZ CNC machine tools and allow for future growth.

Prototype electronics box milled from solid aluminium block by K+K Specialised Engineering

The company currently machines precision components for the automotive development, motorsport, microwave communications and mechanical handling industries, as well as making jigs and fixtures for UK-based metrology companies.

Commenting on the move K+K director Keith Pain explains: “We would not have done this if it did not make sound economic sense. Our problem, if you can call it that, was that we had become the favoured supplier to several businesses that had also flourished by being responsive to their customers. We were regularly being asked to produce small batches of components instead of just one-offs in extremely short timescales.”

The fact that, typically, there is a very high percentage of metal removal from the raw material is key to the solution that has been adopted by K+K.

“In this situation additional machining centres are able to increase the output without any increase in the workforce,” says Keith Pain.

A significant part of K+K’s recent investment involves two new compact vertical machining centres supplied by XYZ Machine Tools Ltd. These are installed alongside an identical XYZ Mini Mill 560 that K+K has operated for several years. During urgent batch production all three are typically machining similar components, with the cycles phased so that the operator can tend each machine in turn as required. In fact, there is often spare time during which the operator can progress jobs on one of the other, slightly less automated, mills.

The choice of two more XYZ Mini Mill 560s was not only because of the good value that made the economics viable but also the experience gained with the existing machining centre. “Our machine tools have progressed according to the needs of the work and drafting technology,” says Keith Pain. “When we started nearly all drawings were manual and most jobs were one-offs, so manual machines with digital readouts were all that was really necessary, and indeed all we could afford.

"When economic CNC machining arrived we were aware of the benefits, particularly in the case of small batch work, although we investigated several options before investing in a basic XYZ ProtoTRAK-equipped CNC/manual lathe and then a ProtoTRAK CNC/manual mill."

With ever more information arriving as CAD models, and the increase in repeat components, the Mini Mill 560 was the logical next step.

Ideally suited to the type of work and batch sizes typically undertaken by K+K, the concept behind the XYZ Mini Mill 560 is a compact VMC configuration capable of machining the widest possible range of components within the smallest possible machine footprint. A 560 mm (X) by 400 mm (Y) by 500 mm (Z) working envelope is contained within a 2000 mm (width) by 2060 mm (depth) footprint.

www.xyzmachinetools.com

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Choosing a Cutting Tool

The figure above shows a typical cutting tool and the terminology used to describe it. The actual geometry varies with the type of work to be done. The standard cutting tool shapes are shown below.

• Facing tools are ground to provide clearance with a center.
• Roughing tools have a small side relief angle to leave more material to support the cutting edge during deep cuts.
• Finishing tools have a more rounded nose to provide a finer finish. Round nose tools are for lighter turning. They have no back or side rake to permit cutting in either didection.
• Left hand cutting tools are designed to cut best when traveling from left to right.
• Aluminum is cut best by specially shaped cutting tools (not shown) that are used with the cutting edge slightly above center to reduce chatter.

Standard Cutting Tools


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How to Choose a Lathe Machine

Lathe machines are machines built to serve a specific purpose and even though there's a lot of variety to choose from, you really must choose the one that suits your needs the best. The average hobbyist will likely be best off with a mini lathe, which has a limited scope of operations but can be very useful for small and personal projects. These are mainly used by beginners who are testing the waters for turning out shapes and designs.

Whilst these mini lathes are not at all suited for professional lathe projects, those who want to make a slower transition to bigger lathe machines do have options to upgrade their mini lathe machines. These upgrades add functionality like variable speeds, arms etc. This also makes sense for those who want more out of their machine without spending a lot of money for a new and bigger machine.

However, there is a limit to how much a basic lathe machine can be upgraded, so it is advisable that professionals who have discovered the power of a lathe machine upgrade to as big a lathe as they possibly can. This is meant for those craftsmen who can see a long future of them using the lathe machine. For those who are unsure of how long they will use one or those who are on a tight budget, there are mid segment lathe machines that usually have a size between 12x34 and 16x36. They cost in between $400-600 and offer enough features and sturdiness for the professional craftsman without burning a hole through his pocket.

There are a few things to consider before jumping in and buying the cheapest or the biggest machine out there for your budget. You need consider the spindle you are getting. The spindle is the core to the operations of lathe machines and they come in standard and non-standard sizes. The is usually a good idea to go for standard sizes like the 1"x8tpi spindles. The bed capacity is also important, as this will determine the size of material with which you can work. Variable speed is another aspect because most professionals prefer to work at different speeds while doing different things to the material. Like for sanding you would prefer a higher speed but for carving, you might want a medium to low speed depending on the detail you want to work in.

Be careful of cheap lathe machines because their parts are often non-standard and are hence very easy to replace. As with other power tools and hardware, buying from a reputed company is always advisable. If you are buying used machines, do not purchase without getting to check it out first. For used lathe machines, try to purchase locally from a shop you know. If you are buying over the Internet even, try to buy from somewhere nearby and pick it up yourself after checking it out properly. Again, keep in mind the purpose of your machine while making a purchase.

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Parts of the Lathe Machine

The lathe is a machine tool used in metal cutting operations called "turning." The work piece is rotated as tooling is applied to it to remove material. Lathes can be manually operated or operated by computer numerical control (CNC). In either case, the basic parts are similar.


The Bed

1. The lathe bed is a mounting and aligning surface for the other machine components. Viewed from the operating position in front of the machine, the headstock is mounted on the left end of the bed and the tailstock on the right. The bed must be bolted to a base to provide a rigid and stable platform. The bed ways are a precision surface (or surfaces) on which the carriage slides left and right during machining operations. The ways are machined straight and flat and are either bolted to the top of the bed or are an integrally machined part of the bed.

Headstock

2. The headstock holds the spindle and drive mechanism for turning the work piece. The spindle is a precision shaft and bearing arrangement rotated directly by a motor or through a motor-driven belt. Gears or sliding pulleys mounted at the rear of the headstock allow spindle speed adjustment.

A work piece is held in the spindle for turning or drilling by a jawed chuck or a spring collet system. Large, unusual shaped, or otherwise difficult to hold pieces, can be attached to the spindle with a face plate, drive dogs and special clamps.

Tailstock

3. The tailstock supports long work that would otherwise sag or flex too much to allow for accurate machining. Without a tailstock, long pieces cannot be turned straight and will invariably have a taper. Some tailstocks can be intentionally misaligned to accurately cut a taper if needed. The tailstock has a centering device pressed into a shallow, specially drilled hole in the end of the work piece. The center can be either "live" or "dead." Live centers have a bearing, allowing the center to rotate along with the work piece. Dead centers do not rotate and must be lubricated to prevent overheating due to friction with the work piece. Instead of a center, a drill chuck can be mounted in the tailstock.

Carriage

4. The carriage provides mounting and motion control components for tooling. The carriage moves left and right, either through manual operation of a hand wheel, or it can be driven by a lead screw. At the base of a carriage is a saddle that mates and aligns with the bed ways. The cross-slide, compound rest and tool holder are mounted to the top of the carriage. Some carriages are equipped with a rotating turret to allow a variety of tools to be used in succession for multi-step operations.

Cross Slide

5. The cross-slide is mounted to the top of the carriage to provide movement perpendicular to the length of the bed for facing cuts. An additional motion assembly, the compound rest, with an adjustable angle, is often added to the top of the cross slide for angular cuts. The cutting tools that do the actual metal removal during turning are mounted in an adjustable tool holder clamped to the compound rest.

Lead Screw

6. The lead screw provides automatic feed and makes thread cutting possible. It is a precision-threaded shaft, driven by gears as the headstock turns. It passes through the front of the carriage apron and is supported at the tailstock end by a bearing bracket. Controls in the apron engage a lead nut to drive the carriage as the lead screw turns.



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Different Types of Lathe Machines

Lathes literally keep the manufacturing world spinning. Almost all manufacturing companies have their own lathe machines. A lathe works by spinning a piece of material, such as wood or metal, at a high speed while a cutting tool is applied to the rotating material. The result is a symmetrical cylinder.


Below is a list of the different kinds of lathes being used today.



Wood Lathes

1. Popular with both hobbyist and professionals alike, the wood lathe makes everything from baseball bats to chair legs and bedposts. Most round wood pieces are spun on a wood lathe to achieve a smooth feel and look.


Metal Lathes

2. Found mostly on factory floors, and often hooked up to computers with robotic arms, metal lathes are used for precision operations like threading and boring.


Glass Lathes

3. Whether forming the next piece of high-end art or filling an order for a scientific lab, glass workers use a lathe to shape their medium. Glass lathes safely spin glass tubing over a flame until the material is pliable for shaping.


Pottery Wheel

4. The pottery wheel is the only lathe where the operator may safely use her hands to shape the material. Though most lathes are horizontal, the pottery wheel spins its material about a vertical axis.

Fun Fact

The pottery wheel has been around for thousands of years, dating back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.



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How to work with Lathe machines?

It may seem easy when your watching a machine operator working on his lathe machine but the moment you try it in action it's not as easy as it looks. Especially if you are a first timer, patience is a virtue. Even experienced operators must carefully performed and manuever their cutting tool for a precise measurement. Just a fraction of a millimeter would spell success or failure.

To know more on how it works, (click here).

what is a lathe machine?

you can see this when you visited or just pass by a machine shop. this equipment is very visible but most people don't know what kind of equipment is it. Even big industrial companies have this kind of machine in their engineering or machine departments. to the common man, this machine may seem nothing, but for those who knew the value it, it is almost priceless. Welcome to the world of Lathe Machines. Read More.....

Snap-On Tools

six years ago as a salesman here in cebu, I've promoted, marketed this top of the line product for the automotive, manufacturing, powerplant and construction industry. Customers all have positive praises on this product especially their top of the line product, the "Torque Wrench. Where can you find this kind of product w/c suits their needs other than SNAP-ON TOOLS.

Snap-on Incorporated is a leading global developer, manufacturer and marketer of tool and equipment solutions for professional tool users. Product lines include hand tools, power tools, automotive diagnostics and shop equipment, tool storage products, automotive diagnostics software and other solutions for the transportation service, industrial, government, education, agricultural, and other commercial applications, including construction and electrical. Products are sold through its franchise dealer van, company direct sales and distributor and Internet channels. Founded in 1920, Snap-on is a $2+ billion, S&P 500 company headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin and employs approximately 12,200 people worldwide.


Mission

Snap-on's mission is to delight our customers - professional tool and equipment users worldwide - by creating innovative, productivity-enhancing products, services and solutions.


To purchase Snap-On Tools, please go to Cebu Belmont, Inc. Mandaue Main Branch or at Cebu Belmont Depot in Cebu City.

Cebu Belmont, Inc.

General Tools & Instruments

General Tools & Instruments, began as the brainchild of Abe and Lillian Rosenberg in New York City, 1922. Originally dubbed General Hardware Manufacturing Co., the company specialized in the wholesale of “hard goods,” offering a full-range of domestic and professional items from clothesline pulleys and screen-door hardware, to specialty hand tools.

However it wasn’t long before Abe, a former WWI soldier and a vibrant, creative thinker, began to conceptualize his own product ideas. With Lillian running the store, Abe would take the Fall River Line from Greenwich Village to New England in search of machine shops to manufacture his tools. By 1930 he had outsourced a small line of specialty items, including circle cutters, metal punches and pocket screwdrivers. By 1937, Abe and Lillian were selling their own products exclusively at General Hardware.

Abe continued to develop a line of useful products for both consumer and commercial purposes. His thirst for new ideas kept General at the forefront of the industry and, accordingly, the company became one of the first to build die-cast tools. Through Lillian’s keen business management, the company was awarded contracts supplying machinist tools to the United States Military and the British Purchasing Commission during WWII. In 1946, General became a charter member of the Sears 100 Club of Craftsman tool suppliers.

Upon Abe’s death in 1977, his daughter Dorothy became Chairman of the Board. Along with her husband, Seymour Weinstein, Dorothy expanded General’s product line to include precision measuring tools and other specialty hand tools. In 1990, the company’s name was officially changed to General Tools to better reflect its product line.

Today, General Tools is run by Dorothy’s son Gerald Weinstein. Under Gerry’s leadership, General has expanded its product line to include electronic testing and measurement equipment, fueled by the much-heralded acquisition of Mannix Instruments in November of 2006. The company, now General Tools and Instruments, continues to forge a path into the digital marketplace all the while holding true to the entrepreneurial spirit upon which it began.

Comment:

A must for every machine shop

www.generaltools.com

GibbsCAM to be Demonstrated at Haas Demo Days as Machinist Tools

GibbsCAM to be Demonstrated at Haas Demo Days as Machinist Tools

  
   
MOORPARK, California, June 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cimatron Limited

(NASDAQ: CIMT), a leading provider of integrated CAD/CAM solutions for the

toolmaking and manufacturing industries, announced that GibbsCAM, its

software for programming CNC machine tools, will be demonstrated as part of

Haas Automation's upcoming annual Demo Days to be held June 17, from 10AM to

5PM, at various Haas Factory Outlets (HFO) throughout the United States and

Canada.

"Participation in the Haas Demo Days is a great opportunity to demonstrate

the extensive new features of GibbsCAM," states Bill Gibbs, Gibbs and

Associates company founder and president. "While a good percentage of our

customers use GibbsCAM to generate CNC programs to drive Haas machine tools,

Haas uses it in daily machine-tool production. Furthermore, Haas application

engineers use GibbsCAM to demonstrate the wide capabilities of their machine

tools."

The one-day Demo Days events will feature the latest affordable, super-high-

production CNC machines from Haas, with live demonstrations on every machine

in the HFO showrooms. Live demonstrations of the latest GibbsCAM, version

9.3, will show how easily it creates efficient CNC programs for Haas machine

tools. The GibbsCAM Advanced 3D High Speed Machining (HSM) and 5-Axis modules

will be featured, together with postprocessors that support every Haas

machine tool made. The other GibbsCAM modules will also be available for

demonstration, including GibbsCAM TMS (Tombstone Management System), which

was originally developed to support Haas' internal tombstone programming with

efficient layout and programming of tombstone-fixtured parts.

The Advanced 3D HSM module comprises multiple machining methods specifically

developed for multi-surface hard milling and high speed machining in

SolidSurfacer(R) to provide high quality surface finishes that reduce or

eliminate polishing. The various machining styles are useful for multiple

applications and offer smooth entries, exits and cutting motions, with steep

or shallow angle limits, rest passes, tool-holder collision checking, and

options to change cutting style. These styles are Contour, Constant Step Over

Cut, Flats Cut, Lace Cut, Intersections, Automatic Core Detection, and

Improved Pocketing.

The GibbsCAM 5-axis Module provides multi-surface 5-axis roughing and

finishing; multi-surface, 5-axis, flow-line machining; surface edge. 5-axis

swarf cutting (typically for trimming vacuum-formed parts); adaptable

interface, based upon part-type strategy, shows only what is needed; advanced

gouge checking to ensure safe cuts even in most complex operations; complete

control of entry, exit, cut-to-cut and between-cut motion; 5-axis depth cuts

machining; and integration with the GibbsCAM Machine Simulation module for

complete toolpath verification and simulation of all the machine's moving

components. Version 9.3, adds automatic tilting and various tilting options,

plus many new enhancements to provide greater flexibility and productivity

for using multi-axis machines.

For information about Haas Automation's Demo Days, visit the Haas Automation

Web site at http://www.HaasCNC.com, or call 800-331-6746, or contact your

local Haas Factory Outlet. For the cities where GibbsCAM will demonstrated,

or to find out more about GibbsCAM or Gibbs' participation at Haas

Automation's Demo Days, go to Gibbs' Web site at http://www.GibbsCAM.com.

About Gibbs and Associates and GibbsCAM

For over twenty five years, Gibbs and Associates has been a leader in

providing cutting edge CAD/CAM technology, while maintaining its signature

ease-of-use and productivity. Powerfully Simple, Simply Powerful is the

guiding philosophy at Gibbs. Gibbs believes in empowering the NC programmer,

machinist, and manufacturing engineer, not eliminating them. Gibbs' goal is

to introduce manufacturers to new technologies and new ways of working that

makes their machining easier and their businesses more profitable. To achieve

this goal, Gibbs creates tools that are naturally intuitive, graphically

interactive, extremely visual, associative, and just plain enjoyable to use.

Gibbs provides a total quality solution with the service and support

successful customers require.

The current GibbsCAM product line supports 2- through 5-axis milling,

turning, mill/turning, multi-task simultaneous machining and wire-EDM.

GibbsCAM also provides fully integrated manufacturing modeling capabilities

that include 2D, 2.5D, 3D wireframe, surface, and solid modeling. GibbsCAM is

certified for Microsoft's Windows Vista. GibbsCAM's data exchange

capabilities are able to access the broadest range of native and industry

standard CAD data formats. GibbsCAM is certified under the Autodesk Inventor

Certified Application Program, is a Solid Edge Certified Select Product, and

is a SolidWorks Certified CAM Product. GibbsCAM is either offered or endorsed

by a number of leading worldwide control and machine tool manufacturers,

including GE Fanuc, Infimatic, Siemens, Doosan Infracore, Haas, Index, MAG

Fadal, Mazak, Mitsubishi, Mori Seiki, and Tornos. Gibbs and Associates

distributes its products worldwide through a network of international

Resellers.

In January 2008, Gibbs and Associates merged with Cimatron Ltd, and is now

operating as a wholly owned subsidiary. For more information about Gibbs and

Associates and its CAM software packages, call 1-800-654-9399, or visit the

company on-line at http://www.GibbsCAM.com.

About Cimatron

With over 25 years of experience and more than 40,000 installations

worldwide, Cimatron is a leading provider of integrated, CAD/CAM solutions

for mold, tool and die makers as well as manufacturers of discrete parts.

Cimatron is committed to providing comprehensive, cost-effective solutions

that streamline manufacturing cycles, enable collaboration with outside

vendors, and ultimately shorten product delivery time.

The Cimatron product line includes the CimatronE and GibbsCAM brands with

solutions for mold design, die design, electrodes design, 2.5 to 5 axes

milling, wire EDM, turn, Mill-turn, rotary milling, multi-task machining, and

tombstone machining. Cimatron's subsidiaries and extensive distribution

network serve and support customers in the automotive, aerospace, medical,

consumer plastics, electronics, and other industries in over 40 countries

worldwide.

Cimatron is publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol CIMT. For

more information, please visit the company web site at

http://www.cimatron.com.

The Gibbs logo, GibbsCAM, GibbsCAM logo, Virtual Gibbs, Gibbs SFP,

SolidSurfacer, MTM and "Powerfully Simple. Simply Powerful." are either

trademark(s) or registered trademark(s) of Gibbs and Associates in the United

States and/or other countries. Microsoft, Windows, and the Windows logo are

trademarks, or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United

States and/or other countries. All other brand or product names are

trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release includes forward looking statements, within the meaning of

the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act Of 1995, which are subject to

risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially

from those anticipated. Such statements may relate to the company's plans,

objectives and expected financial and operating results. The words "may,"

"could," "would," "will," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect,"

"intend," "plan," and similar expressions or variations thereof are intended

to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such

forward-looking statements are not guarantees of the future performance and

involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's

ability to control. The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward

looking statements include, but are not limited to: currency fluctuations,

global economic and political conditions, marketing demand for Gibbs and

Associates or Cimatron products and services, long sales cycle, new product

development, assimilating future acquisitions, maintaining relationships with

customers and partners, and increased competition. For more details about the

risks and uncertainties of the business, refer to the Cimatron's filings with

the Securities and Exchanges Commission. The company cannot assess the impact

of or the extent to which any single factor or risk, or combination of them,

may cause. Gibbs and Associates and Cimatron undertake no obligation to

publicly update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result

of new information, future events or otherwise.
 

Comments:

   Precision Machining at it's best. gone are the old conventional ways.

welcome to the next evolution in Machining tools.


Machinist Tools