1. Bed frame
The bed is the basic component of a metal lathe and also the supporting structure of the entire lathe. It is usually made of high-strength cast iron or steel, with excellent rigidity and stability, and can withstand various forces and vibrations generated during the cutting process. The bed is designed with precision guide rails, which are usually in the form of mountain shaped or flat guide rails, used to guide the precise movement of components such as the tool holder and tailstock relative to the spindle. The design and manufacturing accuracy of the bed directly affect the overall accuracy and stability of the lathe, therefore, the manufacturing process of the bed requires strict process control and quality inspection.
The bed not only carries the various components of the lathe, but also ensures accurate relative position and motion trajectory of each component during operation through its guide rail system. This precise positioning and guidance function provides a solid foundation for the lathe to achieve high-precision machining.
2. Headstock
The spindle box is one of the core components of a metal lathe, which is responsible for supporting and driving the spindle, so that the spindle can drive the workpiece to rotate and move. The spindle box is equipped with transmission mechanisms such as gears and shafts, which achieve multiple speed options for the spindle through variable speed transmission mechanisms. The spindle clamps the workpiece with chuck and other fixtures, and drives the workpiece to rotate to achieve turning processing.
The transmission mechanism of the spindle box usually adopts slip gears or clutches to adjust the speed of the spindle by changing the meshing state of the gears. This variable speed function enables the lathe to process workpieces of different materials and diameters, while ensuring the stability and efficiency of the cutting process.
The design of the spindle box also considers heat dissipation and lubrication issues to ensure that the spindle and transmission mechanism maintain good working condition during long-term operation. In addition, the spindle box also achieves multi angle machining capability for workpieces through additional devices such as indexing mechanisms.
3. Feedbox
The feed box is the variable speed mechanism of the feed transmission system of the metal lathe, which is responsible for converting the rotational motion transmitted from the spindle box into feed motion. Feed motion is an auxiliary motion in lathe machining, used to control the speed and direction of tool movement relative to the workpiece. By adjusting its variable speed mechanism, the feed box can obtain the required feed rate or pitch to meet different machining requirements.
The feed box is usually fixed on the left front side of the bed and transmits motion to the tool holder through a light bar or screw. The light bar is used to achieve dynamic feed, while the screw is specifically used for turning threads. The variable speed mechanism of the feed box usually adopts the form of sliding gears or ratchet gears, and adjusts the feed speed and direction by changing the meshing state of the gears.
The design and manufacturing accuracy of the feed box directly affect the feed accuracy and stability of the lathe. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly control the meshing clearance of gears, the accuracy of bearings, and the performance of lubrication systems during the manufacturing process.
4. Toolslide
The tool holder is one of the key components of a metal lathe, responsible for installing the cutting tool and carrying it for longitudinal, transverse, or diagonal movement. The tool holder is usually composed of a middle sliding plate, a small sliding plate, a saddle, and a tool holder body, which achieve precise movement of the tool through precise transmission and guidance mechanisms.
The movement of the tool holder is controlled by the slide box, and the motion transmitted through the light bar or screw drives the saddle, middle and small sliding plates, and tool holder to achieve longitudinal and transverse feed motion of the cutting tool. The tool holder is also equipped with some handles and buttons, which can easily operate the lathe to choose different motion modes, such as motorized, manual, threading, and fast movement.
The design and manufacturing accuracy of the tool holder directly affect the machining accuracy and surface quality of the lathe. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly control the dimensional accuracy, surface roughness, and assembly accuracy of each component during the manufacturing process. At the same time, the tool holder also needs to have good rigidity and stability to withstand various forces and vibrations generated during the cutting process.
5. Tailstock
The tailstock is one of the auxiliary components of a metal lathe, which is installed on the bed rail and moves longitudinally along this rail to adjust its working position. The main function of the tailstock is to support longer workpieces or install drilling tools such as drills and reamers for hole machining.
The tailstock is usually equipped with top or center hole fixtures and other devices to support the rear end of the workpiece and transmit cutting forces. By adjusting the position and height of the tailstock, it is possible to meet the machining requirements of workpieces of different lengths and diameters. At the same time, the tailstock can also cooperate with the spindle box to adjust the coaxiality, ensuring the machining accuracy of the workpiece.
The design and manufacturing accuracy of the tailstock are equally important, as they directly affect the machining stability of the lathe and the quality of the workpiece. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly control the dimensional accuracy, surface roughness, and assembly accuracy of the tailstock during the manufacturing process. In addition, the tailstock also needs to have good rigidity and stability to withstand various forces and vibrations generated during the cutting process.
