Reasons for the popularity of Computed Numerically Controlled (CNC) lathes
Are you engaged with the metalworking industry? Well, if your answer is in the affirmative, then you must have definitely come across fixed and sliding head lathes. A lathe is essentially a machine that is used in factories to shape metals, wood and several other types of materials. The lathe shapes the materials with the help of a rotating drive which turns the piece of the material being worked on against the changeable cutting devices. Though there are many different kinds of lathes that are used by different industries, the most popular kind of lathe is the CNC (Computed Numerically Controlled) lathe. The CNC lathes are completely controlled by the computer and this is a major departure from the manually operated lathes which were used earlier.
So, how is a lathe that is completely controlled by computer better than a lathe that is operated manually? Well, one of the biggest advantages of a CNC lathe over a manually operated lathe is the number of errors in the movement of the machine is reduced significantly. Since in case of CNC lathes, all the movements are controlled by the computer, there is almost no room for error when it comes to computation. So, when a CNC lathe is used to manufacture something like candlestick holders or baseball bats, the computer just follows the step by step directions entailing the entire manufacturing procedure; it is as simple as that!
In case, the specifications of a product that is being manufactured has to be changed or modified, a new program will have to be input by the programmer in order to get the desired output. Therefore, with the CNC lathes everything involved in the procedure of manufacturing a product in the factory has become much simpler than it was when manually operated lathe machines were used. A very good example of a lathe machine that is operated manually is the potter’s wheel that had many different parts; though the difference in each of the parts was minimal. However, gone are the days that everything had to be done physically; nowadays the computer takes care of everything. Also, most of the CNC lathes have the option of temporarily running manually if no one is available to modify or change the input in the computer when needed.
The CNC lathes are being used extensively to produce several items for a wide array of applications. Most common products that are manufactured using the CNC lathes are watches, bowls, table legs, chess pieces, glasswork, vases and also musical instruments like flutes. If you are looking for a lathe for your own business you can take a look at the lathes offered by Star Micronics. The CNC lathes offered by Star Micronics are of superior quality and are known for their excellent performance.