Introduction to Machine Tools

Machine Tools: Machining equipment that cuts, shears, punches, presses, drills, grinds.

Machine tools are generally the power-driven metal cutting or metal farming machines used to
alter/change the workpiece to the required shape and size by:

1. Cutting away the unwanted sections

2. Pressing, drawing, punching or shearing
3. Controlled electrical machinery process

Machine Tool: Machine tool is a non-portable power operated device in which the energy is
utilized to produce jobs of desired shape and size and surface finish by removing excess
material from the formed blanks in the form of chips with the help of cutting tools moved part
the work surface.

Machine tools are machines that give special forms to the materials in desired shapes and
tolerances. These can be metal forming, machining, welding, casting machines or plastic
processing machines, non-traditional manufacturing machines.

It is machining equipment that cuts, shears, punches, presses, drills, rolls, grinds, sands, or
forms metal, plastic, or wood stock. It may be automatic or semi-automatic. Machine tools are
generally power- driven metal cutting or forming machines used to shape metals by—

• The removal of chips

• Pressing drawing or shearing
• Controlled electrical machining process
• Any machine tool has generally has capability of
• Holding and supporting the work piece
• Holding and supporting a cutting tool
• Imparting a suitable movement (rotating or reciprocating) to the cutting tool or the
work
• Feeding the cutting tool so that the desired cutting action and accuracy will be
achieved
• The performance of any machine tool is generally stated in terms of its metal
removal rate, accuracy and repeatability.
Generation of Machine Tools

1. Machine tools are operated manually or with automatic control. The earlier machines used
flywheels to stabilize their motion and had complex system of gears and levers to control the
machine and the piece being worked on.

2. Machines continued to be improved and soon after World War II, the numerical controlled
(NC) machine was developed. The NC machines used a series of numbers punched on paper
tape or punch cards to control their motion.

3. Lately computers have been added and the Computerized Numerical Control (CNC)
machines have allowed industry to produce parts quickly and accurately. The same part can be
reproduced to the exact accuracy, any number of times if the part programme has been properly
prepared. The operating commands that control the machine tool are executed with amazing
speed, accuracy, efficiency and reliability.

For becoming the finished product, various operations such as turning, drilling, milling,
threading, reaming, grinding etc., have to be performed. A variety of machine tools to perform
these operations and the choice of a particular machine essentially depends on:

1. Material of the workpiece

2. Nature of metal cutting operations
3. Number of parts to be machined
4. Degree of accuracy desired

Any machine tool chosen will have the capability to:

1. Hold and support the workpiece and cutting tool

2. Impart suitable reciprocating or rotary movement to the cutting tool or workpiece
3. Regulate the cutting speed and feeding movement between the tool and workpiece so that
the desired cutting actions, accuracy and repeatability can be achieved.

Basic machine tools are the machines that are used for general purpose metal cutting
operations within their range and these include engine lathe machine, drilling lathe machine,
shapers lathe machine, milling machines, grinder lathe machine and power hacksaws lathe
machine, Planer lathe machine, Sloter lathe machine etc.

Machining: Machining is a material removal process that typically involves the cutting of metals
using different types of cutting tools in which a tool removes material from the surface of a less
resistant body through relative movement of the tool and application of force and is
particularly useful due to its high dimensional accuracy, flexibility of process, and cost-
effectiveness in producing limited quantities of parts. Due to removal of material in the form of
chips, new surfaces are cleaved from the workpiece accompanied by a large consumption of
mechanical energy which in turn transformed into heat, leading to conditions of high pressure,
high temperature and severe thermal conditions at the tool-chip interface. The greater the energy
consumption, the greater are the temperature and frictional forces at the tool–chip interface and
consequently the higher is the tool wear. So machining is not only for shaping materials but
also it is for to obtain a finished product of the desired dimensions and surface quality.
Classification of Machining Process (General):

1- Machine tools for machining (lathes, milling machines, drilling etc.)

2- Metal forming machines (press, rolling, extrusion machines)

3- Thermoplastic machines (injection molding, blow molding machines)

4- Chemical and physical non-traditional machining machines (EDM)

History of machine tools in machining/Background Study

• The development of metal cutting machines (once briefly called machine tools) started
from the invention of the cylinder, which was changed to a roller guided by a journal
bearing. The ancient Egyptians used these rollers for transporting the required stones
from a quarry to the building site.
• The first deep hole drilling machine was built by Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519).
• In 1840, the first engine lathe was introduced. Maudslay (1771–1831) added the lead
screw, back gears, and the tool post to the previous design
• Further developments for these conventional machines came via the introduction of
copying techniques, cams, attachments, and automatic mechanisms that reduced
manual labor and consequently raised product accuracy.
• Machine tool dynamometers are used with machine tools to measure, monitor, and
control forces generated during machining operations. Such forces determine the
method of holding the tool or WP and are closely related to product accuracy and surface
integrity.
• In 1953, the introduction of numerical control (NC) technology opened doors to computer
numerical control (CNC) and direct numerical control (DNC) machining centers that
enhanced product accuracy and uniformity.
• Metal cutting machines (machine tools) are characterized by higher production accuracy
compared with metal forming machines. They are used for the production of relatively
smaller number of pieces; conversely, metal forming machines are economical for
producing larger lots.
• Machine tools constitute about 70% of the total operating manufacturing machines in
industry
General Aspects of Machining Technology

Machining technology covers a wide range of aspects that should be understood for proper
understanding and selection of a given machining technology. Tooling, accessories, and the
machine tool itself determine the nature of machining operation used for a particular material.

The main objective of the technology adopted is to utilize the selected machining resources to
produce the component economically and at high rates of production. Parts should be machined
at levels of accuracy, surface texture, and surface integrity that satisfy the product designer and
avoid the need for post machining treatment, which, in turn, maintains acceptable machining
costs.
Machine Tool Design Requirements

Machine tools are designed to achieve the maximum possible productivity and to maintain the
prescribed accuracy and the degree of surface finish over their entire service life. The
successful design of machine tool requires the following fundamental knowledge

1. Mechanics of the machining processes to evaluate the magnitude and direction and to
control the cutting forces
2. The machinability of the different materials to be processed
3. The properties of the materials used to manufacture the different parts of the machine
tool
4. The manufacturing techniques that are used to produce each machine tool part
economically
5. The durability and capability of the different tool materials
6. The principles of engineering economy

Productivity Enhancement Techniques

The productivity of a machine tool is measured either by the number of parts produced in a unit
of time, by the volumetric removal rate, or by the specific removal rate per unit of power
consumed.

Productivity levels can be enhanced using the following methods-

1. Increasing the machine speeds and feed rates

2. Increasing the machine tool available power
3. Using several tools or several WPs machined simultaneously
4. Increasing the traverse speed of the operative units during the non machining parts of the
production time
5. Increasing the level of automation for the machine tool operative units and their switching
elements
6. Adopting modern control techniques such as NC and CNC
7. Selecting the machining processes properly based on the machined part material, shape
complexity, accuracy, and surface integrity
8. Introducing jigs (for WP) and fixtures (for tool) that locate and clamp the work parts in the
minimum possible time

Machine Tools Requirements (General)

Therefore, the machine tools must also provide the following general requirements-

1. High static stiffness of the different machine tool elements such as structure, joints, and
spindles
2. Avoidance of unacceptable natural frequencies that cause resonance of the machine tool
3. Acceptable level of vibration
4. Adequate damping capacity
5. High speeds and feeds
6. Low rates of wear in the sliding parts
7. Low thermal distortion of the different machine tool elements
8. Low design, development, maintenance, repair, and manufacturing cost

EFFECTIVE FACTORS IN SELECTION OF THE MACHINE TOOLS

➢ The machine tools should be selected that can reduce labor cost and other general
charges to minimum.
➢ Constructively, one motor should be present to drive the workpiece and the machine tool
itself. (A secondary motor can be also for coolant or some other necessities).
➢ The slides should be machined precisely. They must have high wear resistance and be
hardened.
➢ Revolutions should be arranged by a command. Some auxiliary equipments shoul be
present for minimising the manufacturing time in bulk productions.
➢ The elements of the machine tool, e.g., gears must be made from high quality materials.
➢ Big and heavy workpieces should be machined in one fixturing.
➢ Small workpieces shoul be machined in small machine tools. If they are machined on
bigger machine tools, this will increase cost. On the contrary, if the big workpieces are
macihned on small machine tools then, vibrations may occur and this will shorthen the
life of the machine tool.
➢ The usage of commands, switches and buttons should be easy. Some symbols or signs
can be uses on machines.
➢ Safety precautions must be considered and the design of the machine tool is important
for the easy working of the employee.

Sections of the Machine Tools

1. A structure that is composed of bed, column, or frame
2. Slides and tool attachments
3. Spindles and spindle bearings
4. A drive system (power unit)
5. Work holding and tool holding elements
6. Control systems
7. A transmission linkage
Structure of the Machine Tools
The machine tool structure includes a body, which carries and accommodates all other machine
parts.
The main functions of the machine structure include the following:
1. Ability of the structure or the bed to resist distortion caused by static and dynamic loads
2. Stability and accuracy of the moving parts
3. Wear resistance of the guideway
4. Freedom from residual stresses
5. Damping of vibration

Stresses on Machine Tools

Stresses produced during machining, which tend to deform the machine tool or a WP, are
usually caused by one of the following factors:

1. Static loads that include the weight of the machine and its various parts
2. Dynamic loads that are induced by the rotating or reciprocating parts
3. Cutting forces generated by the material removal process

CLASSIFICATION OF MACHINE TOOLS IN MACHINING

A- According to the geometrical shapes of the workpieces.
B- B-According to the number of the workpieces.
C- C-According to the functions of the machines

A-According to the geometrical shapes of the workpieces.

1- Machine tools for machining flat surfaces (shapers, planers )
2- Machine tools for machining cylindrical surfaces (lathes )
3- Machine tools for making holes (drilling machines )
4- Machine tools for machining profiles (milling, hobbing machine tools )

B-According to the number of the workpieces.

1. Simple Machine Tools
2. Universal Machine Tools (general purpose)
3. Production Machine Tools (special purpose)
4. Special Machine Tools (limited purpose)
5. Transfer Machine Tools
6. Numerical Controlled Machine Tools

C-According to the functions of the machines

Turning Machines
Drilling Machines
Milling Machines
Shaping Machines
Grinding Machines
Sawing Machines
Broaching Machines
Gear Cutter Machines
Super Finish Machines