What Are Machining Tools?
Machining Tools refers to equipment that processes materials using cutting tools. etc. In this article, machining is defined as the act of cutting, polishing, etc., of a material, and the term machining tool refers to the equipment used to perform the machining process.
There are various types of machining tools, depending on differences in processing methods and cutting tools. Familiar examples include electric drills for drilling holes in wood and steel plates, and electric screwdrivers for tightening and loosening screws at high speed. Large-scale machine tools include drilling machines, which are larger versions of electric drills used in the manufacturing industry; machining centers, which are used for drilling and plane grinding; and grinders, which polish the surface of materials.
Types of Processing Methods
Machining methods can be broadly divided into two types: cutting and grinding.
1. Cutting
Cutting is a processing method in which a cutting tool is used to shave a material. There are two types of grinding methods: one is to rotate the cutting tool side and the other is to rotate the material side. The method that rotates the cutting tool side is often used for grinding flat surfaces or making holes, while the method that rotates the material is suitable for making cylindrical objects.
2. Grinding
Grinding refers to a processing method in which a grinding wheel is used to shave or polish the surface of a material. It is used to remove corners and make surfaces smooth and shiny.
Types of Machine Tools
The following are typical types of machine tools. In this article, the table on which the material is fixed is referred to as a table.
1. Drilling Machine
A drilling machine is a machine tool that combines an electric drill and a table. A material is fixed to the table and the drill is rotated and applied to the material for the purpose of making holes. A tool called a tapper can also be used to cut screws.
2. Milling Machine
Milling machines are used to cut materials by fixing materials to a table and rotating cutting tools such as drills, end mills, and milling cutters. By changing the cutting tools, a wide range of machining is possible.
3. Machining Center
A machining center is a machine tool that is equipped with an automatic tool changer (ATC device) on a milling machine, which enables automatic operation by moving the tool and table under program control.
4. Lathe
A lathe is a machine tool that rotates a table on which a material is fixed and applies a fixed cutting tool called a bite to cut the material. It is suitable for making cylindrical objects.
5. NC Lathe
An NC Lathe is a machine tool that is equipped with an ATC device on the lathe, and the cutting tools are moved by a program to enable automatic operation.
6. Grinder
A grinder can shave the surface of materials by rotating a grinding wheel. Grinders are used to remove corners and thin the thickness of materials. There are two types of grinders: a small type that is hand-held and applies the grinding wheel to the material, and a type that applies the material to the grinding wheel installed on the machine.
7. Grinding
Grinding machines are used to sharpen or polish a material by fixing the material on a table and repeatedly moving a rotating grinding wheel back and forth over the material. It has high accuracy and is mainly used for surface finishing.