Lathe - types, classification, safety precautions

Using a lathe one of the modern models, you can perform a fairly large list of technological operations for metal processing. But mainly on such equipment perform processing of external and internal surfaces of workpieces, having a cylindrical, conical and shaped configuration.

Modern lathe

History of the emergence and development of equipment

According to historians, lathes (rather, primitive ancestors of such devices) were invented and began to be used by man in the middle of the VII century BC. Of course, such a device had the simplest design, but allowed to carry out effectively processing of products from a tree or a bone. In order to make such a treatment, in two centers, which were mounted coaxially with each other, the part was clamped. It was rotated by hand, and the cutting process was carried out using a hand cutter, manipulated by a single "operator". Thus, the product was given the desired shape and size.

The next stage of development, to which the equipment of the turning group was subjected, was to equip it with a drive, necessary to provide the details of the rotational motion. The bowstring was first used as such an occasion, which loop was sketched on the workpiece. And a little later (XIV century) a foot drive for turning equipment was invented.

Ancient lathe with foot drive

The design of such an occasion, very similar to the drive mechanism of the foot sewing machine, consisted of a fixed cantilever wooden pole, connected to the workpiece by a strong rope. When pressing his foot on the pole, the rope was stretched, which led to the rotation of the workpiece on 1-2 turnover. After, as the foot removed from the pole, the rope is released and headed up, which entailed the rotation of the workpiece in the other direction.

Despite the simple design, such lathes already allowed to carry out processing with rather high quality. Their advantage was that, that the maintenance of the devices was very simple.

Lathe A. Nartova, 1729 year

The lathe of the XVI century already had in its design lunettes and centers, made of metal, which allowed to use it for processing of preparations, differing in a difficult configuration. However, due to the low power of such a device, it was not yet possible to use it for turning metal workpieces..

The history of the lathe received a strong impetus in the 1700s, when the Russian Andrei Nartov created the device, on which a mechanical caliper was installed. It should be noted, that this innovation was a strong impetus in the development of all equipment, intended for processing of preparations from metal. French engineers made a significant contribution to the development of turning units, who by the middle of the XVIII century created the device, which is highly versatile. By the end of this century, a specialized unit began to be used in French industry, on which it was possible to perform threading on metal screws.

Maudsley lathes (press, to increase)

The year 1794 is considered to be a truly breakthrough in the development of turning equipment, when Henry Maudsley created the machine, which served as the basis for the further development of all turning units. What is remarkable, enterprise, founded by Maudsley, also engaged in the production of dies and tools, with the help of which thread cutting was performed on his equipment.

About that, to automate the lathe, began to think in the XIX century, and the palm of supremacy in this matter belongs to American engineers. This process followed the path of equipping the units with additional elements of automation, which eventually led to the creation of the first machine gun with a turret. It is on the basis of such devices in the future and began to create universal machines, the first of which (Spencer machine) was presented to the public 1973 year.

Classification of turning equipment

Classification of lathes, which was developed in Soviet times, includes such units in the first category of equipment, intended for processing of preparations from metal. According to this classification, all types of lathes belong to one of the following categories:

• automatic and semi-automatic turning units with one spindle;
• multi-spindle machines: automatic and semi-automatic;
• revolver models;
• cutting group machines;
• carousel models;
• frontal and screw-cutting equipment;
• multi-cutter and polishing units;
• specialized machines, which can be normal and automatic;
• special purpose devices.

The main types of turning

According to the degree of machining accuracy, the following types of lathes are produced:

• special accuracy;
• high accuracy - In;
• of normal accuracy - N;
• particularly high accuracy - A;
• high accuracy - P.

From that, to which category the lathe belongs, depend on its functionality, and, in accordance, scope. You can learn about the main technical capabilities of the machine by its marking, which includes the following:

• initial digit "1", testifies, that this is a lathe, and not any other;
• friend figure, indicating the type, to which the lathe belongs;
• the third digit (and in some models and the fourth) - This is the most basic parameter of the machine, which characterizes the height of its centers.

Deciphering the marking of lathes (press, to increase)

There are letters and symbols in the marking of such units, which determine its design features: the level of its automation, accuracy, modification, equipped with CNC system. Example, the marking of the lathe model 1I611P is deciphered as follows: the letter "I" says so, that it is a device of the turning and screw-cutting group; the letter "P" - a machine of high accuracy; the height of the centers in this model corresponds to the values 110 mm. Guess what, to which category you have a lathe, you can also photo the model.

Types of turning equipment

Turret lathes are designed for products, to process in which several surfaces are necessary, using different tools. In order not to perform the installation and configuration of each tool, turret heads are installed on such machines, in which two or more sockets for placement of tools can be provided. Of course, it is much more difficult to maintain such a lathe, than the usual model, but this is fully offset by the functionality of this unit. Example, popular models of such machines are 1E316P, 1G340PC, 1P371, 1A341.

Carousel machine - one of the types of lathes

Rotary lathes are designed to machine workpieces, characterized by short length, considerable mass, larger outer diameter. These include dimensional gears, flywheels, etc.. Functional capabilities of such lathes (example, models 1512, 1541, 1550, 1L532 and others) allow to carry out on them various types of turning works: turning, boring, eruption of grooves, processing of end faces, etc.. And if you add such lathes with additional devices, then they will become even more universal: with their help it will be possible to carry out some milling operations, cut the thread, to carry out grinding and to make a number of other technological actions.