Know About The Various Types Of Lathe Machines -

Lathe machines can be classified based on different parameters like construction and design, sizes, type of drive they possess and according to the height of centers. Let’s take a look at the various kinds of lathe machines based on these parameters.

According to construction and design

• Capstan and Turret lathe: It is used in production units to manufacture a large number of identical pieces within the shortest possible time or it is used widely for mass production. Since Lathe Machine is semi-automatic in nature, the operator requires no special skills. One only needs to set the tools in the turret or capstan head.
• Automatic Lathe: The action of this kind of lathe is controlled automatically and enhances both the quality and quantity of production. They are designed in such a way that all the job handing movements of the production process are done automatically. It is a kind of high speed and heavy duty lathe used in mass production.
• Bench lathe: It is built on a separately prepared workbench or worktable or a cabinet. It is used for shaping metal or wood and is very small in size. This type of Lathe Machine is used for precision work as it is very accurate. It carries all the attachments that a larger lathe carries and can perform similar functions.
• Speed lathe: This lathe has been named so because the spindle rotates at a very high speed and it generally rotates at a much faster rate than regular lathes. This type of lathe is used for centering, metal spinning, wood turning and polishing. It is either mounted on a tool post or supported on a T-shaped support. It has no gear box, lead screw, carriage and power feed unlike other lathes.
• Tool room lathe: This lathe is made to stand on a bed which is comparatively low in height. It is same as the engine lathe except that it is provided with some extra attachments like follower rest, turning attachment, chucks and collets etc. The extra attachments help to achieve more accurate angle of speeds and feeds.
• Special purpose lathe: Apart from the ones mentioned above, there are a number of lathes which are designed to do a particular job. Frontal lathe, vertical lathe, precision lathe, facing lathe, crankshaft lathe, production lathe, screw cutting lathe and duplicating lathe are special purpose lathe machines.

According to height of centers
According to height of centers it can be classified as light duty, medium duty and heavy duty with a height of center up to 150 mm, 150-300 mm and above 300 mm respectively.

According to drive
Lathes can be categorized according to drive as follows.

1. Lathes with step-cone pulley drive and back gears which provide speed that vary.
2. Lathes with step-cone pulley drive and back gears but having separate motor drives.
3. Lathes with geared-head drive and single pulley constant speed.

To sum up
Lathe machines are used for cutting, grooving, turning and sanding to shape various metals and would pieces. Getting lathe machines from the leading industrial machinery manufacturer with experience of over four decades ensures standardized quality, durability and reliability.