Many types of cutting tools used on a lathe or CNC lathe are groupable into four main categories: materials, operations, structure, and feed direction. Below are the different lathe cutting tools that fall under each category.
Many materials are suitable for making tools used on a lathe, each with unique characteristics. As a result, each lathe cutting tool has properties based on the material’s inherent mechanical properties. Below are the common lathe cutting tools based on the material used.
High-speed steel contains elements like tungsten, carbon, vanadium, and chromium. Cutting tools made using this material are known for their extreme hardness, strength, and wear/heat resistance. Furthermore, they have high speed suitable for rough and semi-finish machining.
Carbide lathe cutting tools are hard and brittle. Therefore, they are compatible with virtually all materials. However, they are expensive, making their use limited in part manufacturing.
Lathe cutting tools made from diamonds are very hard. As a result, they are suitable for working with all materials. Nevertheless, like carbide tools, they are costly, which limits their industrial application.
Cubic Boron Nitride is the next in line in terms of hardness. They are durable, abrasion resistant, and suitable for rough machining and intermittent cutting, especially workpiece cast iron.
Lathe cutting tools are also categorized based on the machining operation. Below are the common tools used in each lathing operation.
Turning tools are applicable in removing materials along the length of a workpiece. Consequently, it leads to a reduction in the diameter of the workpiece. There are two types:
–Rough turning tools: Rough turning tools are those that are used to remove large amounts of material from a workpiece in a single pass. Therefore, they are typically used to create rough shapes or to prepare surfaces for subsequent finishing operations.
–Finish turning tools: Finish turning tools are used to remove small amounts of material from a workpiece in order to create a smooth, finished surface.
These lathes’ cutting tools are suitable for chamfering, i.e., producing a slanting edge. Turning tools are also suitable for chamfering. However, they must be set at the right angle to the workpiece. Moreover, they become obsolete when the inclination angle is high.
Thread cutting tools are suitable for making spiral thread patterns on cylindrical parts. Generally, they have a nose angle that depends on the intending thread angle. Furthermore, the tool’s cross-section will affect the thread’s pitch.
Facing tools utilizes the side cutting edge to remove the thin layer of materials and produce a smooth surface.
A forming tool combines a turning and grooving tool applicable in making complex shapes at a go. While the turning tool will do the same job, a forming tool is ideal as it increases accuracy and reduces cycle time.
These tools are applicable in making grooves on a workpiece with cylindrical surfaces. There are several shapes of grooves determined by the lathes machine tool shape. Common ones are V-shaped and square cutting tools.
A boring tool is a cutting tool characterized by a boring bar with a cutting tool at its end. So, it is applicable in working and increasing the diameter of a hole.
Knurling tools have two or more metal rolling wheels with embossed patterns. Usually, they are applicable in making indents on a workpiece to increase its grips.
There are three major types of lathe cutting tools based on their structure. They are:
They come from a single piece of material and are designed to have a specific shape, size, and geometry. As a result, they are the most common lathe machine tools for their speed and strength.
These tools have a head and rod made from different materials joined via welding. Generally, the flank comes from materials such as carbide, known for its strength and durability, while the body can come from different metals. Due to the material difference, they deliver less cutting force than single-body tools.
These cutting tools are similar in material composition to welding tools. However, instead of a welding tool, the clamp lathe tool is formed by placing the insert (i.e., the cutting tool) on a handlebar. Generally, clamp lathe cutting tools are dexterous and replaceable. Therefore, their properties, such as strength and durability, depending on the type of inserts.
There are three major types of lathe cutting tools based on feed direction. They are:
These tools remove materials when transporting them from right to left. They have a design similar to the human hand. This is because the right thumb indicates the direction of the feed, and the main cutting edge is on the left side of the tool.
These tools remove materials when transporting them from left to right. According to the human hand design, the left thumb denotes the feed direction, and the main cutting edge is on the right side of the tool.
These tools can move from left to right or right to left as they have no side rake and back rake angles. They are suitable for machining operations that require a smooth surface.
Please Note: There are other lathe cutting tools with different applications. You should ensure you talk to a professional CNC machinist or contact WayKen on the perfect one.
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