A turning lathe is a tool of the utmost importance when it comes to the manufacturing and engineering of specialist parts. Over the years there have been some significant developments with this tool and there is now the CNC turning lathe, which benefits from the use of computer control.
However, this has not resulted in the redundancy of the manual turning lathe and there are still several uses for it. It is important to realise when each type of turning lathe should be used and why.
Manual turning
Manual turning lathes are great for producing one off unique parts. A skilled machinist will be able to operate it as they see necessary to produce anything asked of them. In this instance, the time is takes to perform the setup is outweighed by the low volume required. While the manual turning process takes more man hours, there are many instances when you could not go without using it.
CNC turning
CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control. This form of turning involves the use of software and is perfect for producing a large quantity of identical parts. The increased productivity from using a CNC turning lathe is highly appreciated during busy periods and can be left overnight to produce parts without any human assistance.
Both manual and CNC turning lathes have their own benefits, and it is important that an engineering company has sufficient access to both types of machine to carry out turning projects. Furthermore, in certain cases each machine may be required to finish off parts which had been produced on the other lathe.
Here at ANR Manufacturing LTD with our range of turning lathe equipment we can produce anything from prototypes to bar-fed medium to high volume work. We are able to use manual and CNC turning centres to meet any project demands. If you want to talk through your requirements, please
contact us now.