Automatic Mass Production Lathes

Dr. Pradeep K Soni

Mech. Engg. , MANIT
 Purposes of automation
High production rate: This huge amount or volume of production has to be produced not in only large
volume but also very rapidly with consistent quality of the product . While manufacturing the quality
of the product has to be maintained and that has to be maintained through out the volume of
production consistently. then mechanisation for minimising human intervention is required.
Types of automation: Two types of automation (A) Fixed or hard automation which is conventional
and most widely ongoing where change of the product cannot be accumulated that easily. Whenever
the job changes, lot of change has to be incorporated. (B) Now the modern system is flexible
automation these are basically CNC based Computer Numerical Control based like CNC milling
machine, CNC drilling machine etc.
Now the degree of automation : UNDERSTAND FIRSTLY THE TYPE OF OPERATIONS
A> Handling operations or auxiliary operations: which are not directly connected with the chip
formation
B> The processing operations or machining operations: which are directly connected with chip
formation machining operations like turning, drilling, boring, facing, centering and so on
Non-automatic machine tools mean where irrespective of the processing operations, the auxiliary
operations are done manually. In automatic machine tools not only the processing operations but
almost all the handling operations or auxiliary operations will be done automatically.
 Classification
According to degree of automation machine tools are classified as,
Non automatic where most of the handling operations irrespective of processing
operations, are done manually, like centre lathes etc.
Semiautomatic : The characteristic features of such lathes are ;
• some major auxiliary motions and handling operations like bar feeding, speed change,
tool change etc. are done quickly and consistently with lesser human involvement
• the operators need lesser skill and putting lesser effort and attention
• suitable for batch or small lot production
• costlier than centre lathes of same capacity.
Examples: capstan lathe (ram type turret lathe), turret lathe, multiple spindle turret lathe ,
copying (hydraulic) lathe
Automatic where all the handling or auxiliary operations as well as the processing
operations are carried out automatically.
Examples: Automatic cutting off lathe, Single spindle automatic lathe , Swiss type
automatic lathe , multiple spindle automatic lathes

The other categories of semiautomatic and automatic lathes are :

ο Vertical turret lathe , ο Special purpose lathes, ο Non conventional type, i.e., flexibly
automatic CNC lathes, turning centre etc.
According to direction of major axis :
o horizontal center lathe, horizontal boring machine etc.
o vertical – vertical lathe, vertical axis milling machine etc.
o inclined – special ( e.g. for transfer machines).

According to size :
o heavy duty – e.g., heavy duty lathes (e.g. ≥ 55 kW), boring mills, planning machine, horizontal
boring machine etc.
o medium duty – e.g., lathes – 3.7 ~ 11 kW, column drilling machines, milling machines etc.
o small duty – e.g., table top lathes, drilling machines, milling machines.
o micro duty – e.g., micro-drilling machine etc.
According to number of spindles :
o single spindle – centre lathes, capstan lathes, milling machines etc.
o multi-spindle – multi spindle (2 to 8) lathes, gang drilling machines etc.

According to type of automation :

o fixed automation – e.g., single spindle and multi spindle lathes
o flexible automation – e.g., CNC milling machine
Principal types of automated lathes

Automatic bar machine. These are

used for machining WPs from bar or
pipe stock.

Magazine loaded machine. These are

used to machine WPs in the form of
blanks,
which have been properly machined
to appropriate dimensions, prior to
feeding them into the machine.
Multiple-tool machining of a stepped shaft on Multiple-tool semiautomatic
lathe

1. The operator only sets up the work, starts the lathe, and removes the finished work.

2. Several tools mounted on the main and cross slides (cross and longitudinal feeds are
designated by arrows
3. These machines have found extensive applications in large-lot and mass production.
Essential components and operating principles of single-spindle
automatic screw machine

All axial operations are performed by tools mounted in the turret, with only one turret station being in operation
at once.
Tools mounted on the cross slides can perform consecutively or simultaneously to perform operations such as
turning, forming, grooving, recessing, cutting off, and knurling.

The work is supplied as bar or tube stock, held firmly in the spindle by a collet chuck.
After each piece has been completed, the bar is positioned for machining the next piece by being automatically
moved forward and butted against a swing or turret stop.
Provision is made to support bars extending out from the rear of the headstock to minimize whipping action,
which causes excessive machine vibration.
Why semiautomatic lathes than centre lathe?
View of a turret or saddle-type lathe.

Turret lathe
Capstan or ram-type lathe

Intermediate slide arrangement in capstan

lathe
 Bar feeding operations

Turret Indexing sequences

Radial feed of slides in Swiss-type automatics:
(a) rocker arm and (b) overhead tool slides.
Special Features of Multispindle Automatics
Multispindle automatics have the following distinctive features:
They may be of parallel or progressive action.
Simultaneous cutting by a number of tools.

Multispindle bar automatics: (a) parallel-action and

(b) progressive-action
Cross slides of a progressive-action
multispindle automatic
A parallel action multispindle automatic is Progressive-action multispindle automatic is
characterized by the following: characterized by the following:
1. Its spindles are arranged vertically and is 1. The arrangement of spindles is radial about
usually a four-spindle machine. the axis of the spindle drum.
2. The same operation is performed 2. Four, five, six, or eight spindles are mounted
simultaneously in all spindles. in the spindle drum, which indexes
3. During one operating cycle, as many WPs periodically through an angle equal to the
are completed as the number of spindles. central angle between two adjacent spindles.
4. Each spindle has usually two cross slides. 3. Only one machining stage is performed at
The first is used for forming or chamfering each spindle position, and each WP passes
and consecutively through all positions according
the other used for cutting off the stock. to the sequence of operations established in
5. The machine can be equipped with the set up.
multiple-tool spindles for drilling, boring, or 4. The setup is designed so that the WP is
threading completely machined in one full revolution of
operations. the spindle drum, one part being completed
6. Such machine produces comparatively at each indexing.
short parts of simple shape from bar stock. 5. One of the positions is the loading or
This feeding position. In the bar-type automatic,
type is also known as a straight four-spindle the finished WP is cut off in this position, the
bar automatic. bar is fed out to the stop and then clamped by
the collet chuck
Process Planning And Tool Layout For Machining A Product In Semi-Automatic And
Automatic Lathes
 Turret Knee Tool Holder - A knee tool holder is used for combined turning and boring or combined turning and
drilling operations. Fig. shows an adjustable knee tool for turning and drilling short lengths at the same time.

Combined cuts can be made i.e., tools on the cross slide can be used at the same time that tools on
the turret are cutting.
Turret Tools - On a turret, the workpieces are machined, (i) either from the bar stock, or in the form of
separate castings or forgings held in jaw chucks or on face plates. Typical tools for bar work include
(i) Box tools, and (ii) Hollow mills (for reducing the diameter of the bars of stock to the required size).
(iii) Special designs of turning tools or turners are used extensively on flat turret lathes,
(iv)Forming tools are used when there is an irregular surface to be machined,
(v) Drills and reamers, (vi) Dies, when the part must be threaded, (vii) Cutting off tools for severing
finished parts, and (viii) Many tools of special design.

Box-tools are held in the turret and they have back-

rests opposite the turning tools, for supporting the
part being turned.
 (a) Straight chasers for cutting threads on a lathe. (b)
Circular chasers. (c) A solid threading die.

(a) and (b) Schematic illustrations of a draw-in type collet.

(b) The workpiece is placed in the collet hole, and the conical surfaces of the
collet are forced inwards by pulling it with a draw bar into the sleeve.
(c) A push-out type collet.
(d) Workholding of a workpiece on a face plate
 Plan view, Fig. 2

The position of the hub is reversed and it is

Tool no. 1 on the cross-slide is equipped with two cutters and rough faces held in a spring or collet type of chuck as
the flange and end shown by the plan view Fig. 3
Inner and outer surfaces of the cylindrical part are rough bored
and turned by combination boring and turning tool no. 2
Tool no. 3 finishing the surfaces roughed out by tool no. 2,
and tool no.4 finish-facing the flange and end of the hub
Tool no. 5 which is a stepped reamer that machines the bore
and counter bore to the required size within very close limits
 CNC Turret Lathe

Spindle Speed

Tool Turret
+ X-axis
Ways

+ Z-axis

Cross Slide
Spindle