Machine Centres and Turning Centres

A machining centre is a highly automated machine tool capable

of performing multiple machining operations under computer
numerical control in one setup with minimal human attention

Features of MC
Multiple operations in one setup.

Automatic tool changing

tool storage carousals, 16-80tools

Pallet Shuttles

Automatic workpart positioning.

Machining from sides is possible
Broaching
 Broaching is performed using a multiple-teeth cutting tool by moving the tool
linearly relative to the work in the direction of the tool axis

 The basic function of a broaching machine is to provide a precise linear motion of the tool
past a stationary work position.
 It is a highly productive method of machining.
 A good surface finish,
 Close tolerances
 A variety of work shapes.
 However, the complicated shaped geometry of the broach, makes the tooling expensive.
Broaching
 External Broaching
 Internal Broaching
Sawing
 Sawing is a process in which a narrow slit is cut into the work by a tool consisting of
a series of narrowly spaced teeth.

 Cutoff Operations
Piece Making or Cuttoff
 Types of Sawing
(a) hacksawing, (b) bandsawing, and (c) circular sawing.
Sawing
Sawing
 hacksawing
Cutting in the forward direction---Efficiency
Power Hacksaws available
 bandsawing
Endless round cutting wheel-teeth on one side
Contouring(Profiling) and Slotting(v type cut)
 circular sawing
uses a rotating saw blade to provide a continuous
motion of the tool past the work

abrasive cutoff and friction sawing or similar to Circular sawing

Shaping and Planing
 Shaping and planing are similar operations, both involving the use of a single-point cutting tool moved linearly relative
to the workpart.

 Shaping and Planing creates a straight and plan surface

 In shaping, the speed motion is accomplished by moving the cutting tool; while in planing, the speed motion is
accomplished by moving the workpart.

 Interrupted cutting impact loading

Shaping
 Shaper
 Ram movement
 Drive mechanism
Mechanical(cheap and fast)
Hydraulic(Controlled motion)
Combined---Possible?????????

 Feed movement
Planing
 Planer

Cutting speed is achieved by a reciprocating worktable that moves the part past the single-point cutting tool.
 much larger parts to be machined than on a shaper

 single-column planer (Fig)

 A double-column planer
Two columns, one on either side of the
base and work table.
More tools can work, support is rugged
Size of workpart gets limited.
Planing & Shaping
 cutting of grooves, slots, gear teeth, and other shapes
Thread Making

Special geometries
 Threads

 Gears
Screw Threads
 External threads
 Internal threads

 Metallic threaded components can be made by

casting, especially investment casting and die casting
and plastic parts with threads can be injection
molded.
Thread Rolling
 Used to form threads on cylindrical parts by rolling
them between two dies. It is the most important
commercial process for mass producing external
threaded components (e.g., bolts and screws).
External Threads
 The simplest and most versatile method of cutting an
external thread on a cylindrical workpart is single-
point threading.
 Single-point cutting tool on a lathe
External Threads
 More than one turning pass (on lathe) is usually
required
 The first pass takes a light cut; the tool is then
retracted and rapidly traversed back to the starting
point.
 Each pass traces the same spiral using greater depths
of cut until the desired form of the thread groove.
 Single-point threading is suitable for low or even
medium production quantities.
 Due to repetitions, its time consuming
External Threads
 To cut an external thread, a threading die is rotated
around the starting cylindrical stock of the proper
diameter, beginning at one end and proceeding to the
other end.
 Threading dies cut

the threads in a single pass

rather than multiple passes
as in single-point threading.
Thread Making
 Self-opening threading dies(Thread chasing) are used
to reduce cycle times of threading dies equipped with
four sets of cutting teeth.
 They are designed with an automatic device that
opens the cutting teeth at the end of each cut.
 More suitable for production
 Less time consuming
Thread Milling
Two additional thread making operations
 Thread Milling

Uses a milling cutter to shape the threads of a screw.

A form-milling cutter, whose profile is that of the
thread groove, is oriented at an angle equal to the
helix angle of the thread and fed longitudinally as the
workpiece is slowly rotated.

 Moreover, a multiple-form cutter with multiple screw

threads can cut simultaneously to increase production
rates.
Thread Milling
Thread Grinding
 Similar to thread milling except the cutter is a grinding wheel with the
shape of the thread groove, and the rotational speed of the grinding
wheel is much greater than in milling.
 Thread grinding is especially applicable for threads that have been
hardened by heat treatment.
Internal Threads
 Tapping, in which a cylindrical tool (with cutting
teeth arranged in a spiral) is simultaneously rotated
and fed into a pre-existing hole.
 At the end of the operation, the spindle rotation is
reversed so the tap can be unscrewed from
the hole.
 The pitch of teeth of tool is equal to the
screw threads
 The initial hole size is equal to the minor
diameter of the screw thread.
Internal Threads
 A tapping operation can be performed on a drill press or lathe.
 Collapsible taps are also available with cutting teeth that automatically
retract into the tool when the thread has been cut. This allows for a quick
removal from the tapped hole without reversing spindle direction.
 Thus, shorter cycle times are possible.
Gears Making
Gear Making: Types
 Spur gear has teeth that are parallel to the axis of the
gear rotation.
 A gear with teeth that form an angle relative to the
axis of rotation is called a helical gear. Its tooth
design allows more than one tooth to be in contact
for smoother operation.
 Spur and helical gears provide rotation between
shafts whose axes are parallel.
 Bevel gears, provide motion between shafts that are
at an angle with each other, usually 90°
Gear Types
Gear Making
 The basic shape processing operation such as casting
or forging is used to produce a starting metal blank,
and these parts are then machined to form the gear
teeth.
 Finishing operations are often required to achieve the
specified accuracies of the teeth dimensions.
Principal Gear
Machining

Form Gear Gear Gear

Milling Hobbing Shaping Broaching
Form Milling
 The teeth on a gear blank are machined individually
by a form-milling cutter whose cutting edges have
the shape of the spaces between the teeth on the gear.
 Production rates are slow

 Each tooth space is created

one at a time
 The gear blank must be

indexed between each pass

to establish the correct size of
the gear tooth
Form Milling
 The milling cutter is less expensive compared to hobbing.
 The slow production rates and relatively low cost tooling make form
milling appropriate for low-production quantities.
Gear Hobbing
 A type of milling operation, but the cutter, called a
hob, is much more complex and therefore much more
expensive than a form milling cutter.
 The hob has a slight helix

and its rotation must be

coordinated with the much
slower rotation of the gear
blank.
Gear Hobbing
 Several teeth are cut simultaneously in hobbing
 A higher production rates than form milling
 Widely used gear making process for medium and
high production quantities.
Gear Shaping
 A reciprocating cutting tool motion is used rather
than a rotational motion as in form milling and gear
hobbing.
 A single point tool takes multiple passes to gradually
shape each tooth profile using computerized controls
or a template.
 The gear blank is slowly rotated or indexed, with the
same profile being imparted to each tooth.
 The procedure is slow and applied only in the
fabrication of very large gears.
Gear Shaping

 In second type, the cutter has the general shape of a gear, with cutting
teeth on one side. The axes of the cutter and the gear blank are parallel.
Gear Shaping
 At the beginning, the cutter is fed into the blank after
each stroke until the required depth has been reached.
 After each successive pass of the tool, both the cutter
and the blank are rotated a small amount (indexed) so
as to maintain the same tooth spacing on each.
Gear Broaching
 For short production cycle times and high tooling
cost.
 Economical only for high volumes.

 Good dimensional accuracy and fine surface finish

 The process can be applied for

both external gears and internal

gears
Gear Broaching
Finishing Operations
 The heat treatment often results in warpage of the
workpiece, and the proper gear-tooth shape must be
restored.
 Finishing operation generally required to improve
dimensional accuracy and surface finish of the gear
after machining
 Finishing processes applied to gears that have not
been heat treated include shaving and burnishing
 Finishing processes applied to hardened gears
include grinding, lapping, and honing
Finishing Operations
 Gear Shaving uses a gear-shaped cutter that is meshed and rotated with
the gear.
 Each tooth of the gear-shaped cutter has multiple cutting edges along its
width,
 Often applied to a gear prior to heat treatment,
Finishing Operations
 Gear Burnishing is a plastic deformation process in
which one or more hardened gear-shaped dies are
rolled in contact with the gear
 The teeth are strengthened through strain hardening,
 The surface finish is also improved.
Gear Grinding, Honing
 Gear Grinding uses a grinding wheel with the exact shape of the tooth
spacing and a grinding pass or series of passes are made to finish form
each tooth in the gear.
 Gear Honing and lapping uses very fine abrasives.
 The tools in both processes usually possess the geometry of a gear that
meshes with the gear to be processed.
 Gear honing uses a tool that is made of either plastic impregnated with
abrasives or steel coated with carbide.
 Gear lapping uses a cast iron tool
Honning
Lapping
High Speed Machining
 Faster Production rates
 Shorter lead times
 Reduced costs
 Improved part quality
Requirements for high-speed machining include the
following
 High-speed spindles using special bearings designed
for high RPM operation
 High feed rate capability, typically around 50 m/min
(2000 in/min)
High Speed Machining
 high-speed machining (HSM)means using cutting speeds that are
significantly higher than those used in conventional machining
operations.
 High Speed Machining
 One popular HSM definition is the DN ratio: the bearing bore diameter (mm) multiplied by the maximum
spindle speed (rev/min). For high-speed machining, the typical DN ratio is between 500,000 and 1,000,000.

 Another HSM definition is based on the ratio of horsepower to maximum spindle speed, or hp/rpm
ratio.
 Other definitions emphasize higher production rates and shorter lead times

(1) high-speed spindles using special bearings designed for high rpm operation;
(2) high feed rate capability, typically around 50 m/min (2000 in/min);
(3) CNC motion controls with ‘‘look-ahead’’.
HSM
 (4) balanced cutting tools, toolholders, and spindles to minimize vibration effects;
 (5) coolant delivery systems that provide pressures an order of magnitude greater than in
conventional machining; and
 (6) chip control and removal systems to cope with the much larger metal
removal rates in HSM.

Categories of HSM
a) Aircraft Industry(high material removal is needed).
b) Automotive and computer industry( many operations involved).
c) Die and mold industry.