MACHINE TOOLS, OPERATIONS AND PRECAUTIONS

A machine tool is a machine for handling or machining metal or other rigid materials, usually by
cutting, boring, grinding, shearing or other forms of machining.

Type of Machine tools

Hundreds of varieties of metal machine tools, ranging in size from small machines mounted on
workbenches to huge production machines weighing several hundred tons, are used in modern
industry

1. Turning machines

The engine lathe, as the horizontal metal-turning machine is commonly called, is the most
important of all the machine tools. It usually considered the father of all other machine tools
because many of its fundamental mechanical elements are incorporated into the design of other
machine tools

A lathe is used primarily used for shaping metals and wood. It works by rotating the workpiece
around a stationary cutting tool. The main use is to remove unwanted parts of the material,
leaving behind a nicely shaped workpiece
Shapers and planers

Shaping and planning operations involve the machining of flat surfaces, grooves, shoulders, T-
slots and angular surfaces with single-point tools. Planing machines perform the same operations
as shapers but can machine longer workpiece. Some planers can machine parts up to 50 feet
long. The workpiece is mounted on a reciprocating table that moves the workpiece beneath a
cutting tool. This tool, which remains stationary during the cutting stroke, automatically feeds
into the workpiece after each cutting stroke

2. Drilling machine

Drilling machines also called drill presses, cut holes in metal with a twist drill. They also use a
variety of other cutting tools to perform the following basic hole machining operations: 1)
reaming 2) boring 3) countersinking 4) counter boring 5) tapping internal threads

3. Milling machines

A milling machine cuts metal as the workpiece is fed against a rotating cutting tool called a
milling cutter. Cutters of many shapes and sizes are available for a wide variety of milling
operations. Milling machines cut flat surfaces, grooves, inclined surfaces and T-slots. Various
form-tooth cutters are used for cutting concave forms and convex grooves, for rounding corners
and for cutting gear teeth

Milling machines are available in variety of designs that can be classified as the following

1. Standard knee-and-column machines, including the horizontal and the vertical types
2. Bed-type or manufacturing machines
3. Machines designed for special milling jobs

They are usually used to machine flat surfaces but can also produce irregular surfaces. They can
also be used to drill, bore, cut gears and produce slots. A milling machine removes metal by
rotating a multi-toothed cutter that is fed into the moving workpiece

4. Grinding machines

Grinding machines remove small chips from metal parts that are brought into contact with a
rotating abrasive wheel called a grinding wheel or an abrasive belt. Grinding is the most accurate
of all of the basic machining processes. The common types of grinding machines include the
following: 1) plain cylindrical 2) internal cylindrical 3) centreless 4) off-hand 5) abrasive-belt

5. Power saws

Metal-cutting power saws are of three basic types: 1) power hacksaws 2) band saws and 3)
circular disk saws. Vertical band saws are used for cutting shapes in metal plate, for internal and
external contours and for angular cuts

6. Presses

This large class of machine includes equipment used for forming metal parts by applying the
following processes: shearing, blanking, forming, drawing, bending, forging, coining,
hammering and flanging. All of these processes require presses with a movable ram that can be
pressed against an anvil or base. The movable ram may be powered by gravity, mechanical
linkages, hydraulic or pneumatic system
 7. Welding machine

An arc welding machine is a machine tool used for fusing metals. The machine emits an
electrical arc from an electrode which melts metal or supplies filler into a joint between two
pieces of metal. To produce the temperature up to 3,600 oC needed to fuse metals, arc welding
machine consumes significant quantities of energy

Machine operations and Application

Turning operations

Some turning operations include

1. Facing: the tool is fed radially inward

2. Chamfering: cutting edge cuts an angle on the corner of the cylinder forming a chamfer

3. Grooving: tool is fed radially into rotating workpiece at some location to cut off end of
part

4. Contour turning: instead of feeding the tool parallel to the axis of rotation, tool follows
a contour that is other than straight, thus creating a contoured form
 5. Threading: pointed form tool is fed linearly across surface of rotating workpart parallel
to axis of rotation at a large feed rate, thus creating threads

Drilling Operations

1. Reaming: used to slightly enlarge a hole, provide better tolerance on diameter and
improve surface finish

2. Tapping: used to provide internal screw threads on an existing hole using a tool called a
tap
 3. Counter-boring: provides a stepped hole, in which a larger diameter follows a smaller
diameter partially into the hole

Milling operations

1. Slab milling: is a basic form of milling in which the cutter width extends beyond the
workpiece on both sides

2. Slotting: width of cutter is less than workpiece width, creating a slot in the work

3. Conventional face milling: cutter overhangs work on both sides

 4. End milling: cutter diameter is less than workpiece width, so a slot is cut into part

5. Profile milling: form of end milling in which the outside surface of a flat part is cut

Applications of lathe machines

Lathes have many different applications in an industrial setting

1. Woodturning: used to make wooden objects such as table legs, baseball bats, wooden
bowl
2. Metalworking: used to create precision parts, most often associated with a multistep
process requiring different tools for each step

Application of drilling machines

The drilling machine is widely being using in a different industry, including construction,
medical equipment, transportation, and electronic equipment. Different kinds of drills are using
in particular applications that can construct holes in numerous sizes in various kinds of materials.

Furthermore, the capability of the drilling machine can also be different because of the spindle
speed, spindle nose, spindle travel and electric motor used in the machine. So, it is extremely
important to choose the right and suitable drill press that meet clients' demand to match the
industry they are working in.
Application of milling machine

Milling Machine is used for Machining flat surfaces, Slotting, Contoured surfaces. It is also
useful for making Complex and irregular areas, Revolution surface, Gear cutting, Machining
external and internal threads. Machining helical surfaces of various cross-sections and many
more

Precautions while working on machine tools

1. Never work alone

2. Never use machinery without the approval
3. Never use damaged or malfunctioning equipment
4. Never wear loose clothing
5. Never work if you are tired
6. Never bring food or drink into the shop
7. Always complete general and shop specific training before using facility
8. Always wear safety glasses