CNC Turning is the manufacturing process in which bars of material are held in a chuck and rotated while a tool is fed to the piece to remove material to create the desired shape. If the center has both turning and milling capabilities, the rotation can be stopped to allow for milling out of other shapes. Turning parts on CNC turning centers allows for a wide range of complexities, sizes, and material types. The starting material, though usual round, can be other shapes such as squares or hexagons. Each bar shape and size may require a specific [collet" ( a subtype of chuck-that forms a collar around the object).Depending on the bar feeder, the bar length can vary.
CNC lathes or turning centers have tooling mounted on a turret which is computer-controlled.Some CNC turning centers have one spindle, allowing work to be done all from one side, while other turning centers, have two spindles, a main and sub-spindle. A part can bPhotoGallerye partially machined on the main spindle, moved to the sub-spindle and have additional work done to the other side this configuration. There are many different kinds of CNC turning centers with various types of tooling options, spindle options, and outer diameter limitations. CNC Machining Turning is a slightly different process compared to CNC Milling. CNC turning relies upon computer-controlled machines, but creates a different end product. The process uses a single-point cutting tool that is inserted parallel to the material that will be cut. The material ( metal, plastic, etc.) is rotated at varying speeds and the cutting tool traverses the 2 axis of motion to produce cylindrical cuts with exact depths and diameters. CNC Machining Turning can be used on the outside of material to create a tubular shape, such as a decorative brass shoulder bolt or nautical drive shaft, or it can be used on the inside of material to create a tubular cavity within the chosen material. Just like CNC milling, CNC Machining Turning is now an automated process because it can complete projects faster and with greater accuracy than turning a lathe by hand. As mentioned, CNC Machining Turning is used to create objects with round or tubular shapes that are created from larger pieces of material. A drive shaft is a simple example of an object that could be created using CNC turning. Other examples include tubing and custom couplings for plumbing or other applications.
