Turning tools are tools mounted on a lathe (wood/manual/CNC) that are used to produce turned parts. They move along the axis of the lathe and their path determines the final shape of the part.
There are various CNC and non-CNC lathes, with each type having unique features and designs that determine supported rotary cutting operations and actual applications. Therefore, choosing the right cutting tool requires in-depth knowledge of the tool. This article is about common lathe tools, their design, features and applications. Let's get started right away.
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Four categories: types of turning tools
Many types of cutting tools used on lathes or CNC lathes can be divided into four main categories: materials, operations, structure and feed direction. Below are the different rotary cutting tools that fall into each category.
Category 1: Turning Tools by Material
Many materials are suitable for making turning tools, each with unique properties. Therefore, every turning tool has properties based on the inherent mechanical properties of the material. Below are common turning tools listed by material used.
High Speed Steel (HSS)
High-speed steel contains elements such as tungsten, carbon, vanadium and chromium. Cutting tools made from this material are known for their extreme hardness, strength and wear/heat resistance. Furthermore, they have high speed, suitable for roughing and semi-finishing machining.
hard metal
Carbide turning tools are hard and brittle. Therefore, they are compatible with practically all materials. However, they are expensive, which limits their use in the manufacture of parts.
Diamond
Diamond turning tools have high hardness. They are therefore suitable for processing all materials. However, like carbide tools, they are expensive, which limits their industrial application.
Cubic boron nitride
Cubic boron nitride is next in line in terms of hardness. It is durable, wear-resistant and suitable for rough machining and interrupted cutting, especially cast iron parts.
Category 2: Feature-Based Turning Tools
Turning tools are also categorized by machining operation. Below are common tools used in any turning operation.
Turning Tools
Lathe tools are used to remove material along the length of a workpiece. Consequently, this leads to a reduction in the diameter of the part. There are two types:
– Rough turning tools : Rough turning tools are used to remove large amounts of material from a part in a single pass. Therefore, they are typically used to create rough shapes or prepare surfaces for subsequent finishing operations.
– Finish turning tools : Finish turning tools are used to remove small amounts of material from a workpiece to produce a smooth, finished surface.
Chamfering Tools
The cutting tools on these lathes are suitable for chamfering, i.e. creating a slanted edge. Turning chisels are also suitable for chamfering. However, they must be placed at the correct angle to the workpiece. Furthermore, they become unusable at large tilt angles.
Thread Cutting Tools
Thread cutting tools are suitable for creating spiral thread patterns on cylindrical parts. They usually have a tip angle that depends on the intended thread angle. Furthermore, the cross section of the tool influences the thread pitch.
Coping Tools
Lining tools use the side cutting edge to remove the thin layer of material and create a smooth surface.
Training tools
A molding tool combines a turning tool and a grooving tool and is suitable for making complex shapes in one go. Although the turning tool does the same job, a forming tool is ideal as it increases accuracy and reduces cycle time.
Channel Tools
These tools are suitable for creating grooves in parts with cylindrical surfaces. There are different groove shapes, which are determined by the shape of the lathe. Square and V-shaped cutting tools are common.
Drilling Tools
A boring tool is a cutting tool characterized by a boring bar with a cutting tool at the end. Therefore, it is suitable for machining and increasing the diameter of a hole.
Serrated tools
Serrated tools have two or more rotating metal wheels with raised patterns. Typically they are used to make notches in a part to improve its grip.
Category 3: Frame-Based Turning Tools
There are three main types of turning tools, which differ according to their structure. These are:
Single Body Tools
They are made from a single piece of material and have a specific shape, size and geometry. For this reason, they are the most used lathes due to their speed and resistance.
Welding Cutting and Turning Tools
These tools have a head and shaft made of different materials connected by welding. Generally, the flank is made of materials such as carbide, known for its strength and durability, while the body can be made of different metals. Due to the difference in materials, they provide less cutting power than single-body tools.
Clamping Turning Tools
These cutting tools are similar to welding tools in their material composition. However, instead of a welding tool, the clamp turning tool is formed by placing the insert (i.e., cutting tool) on a handlebar. In general, clamp turning tools are elegant and interchangeable. Therefore, its properties such as strength and durability depend on the type of tablet.
Category 4: Turning tools based on feed direction
There are three main types of turning tools based on feed direction. These are:
Right-hand turning and cutting tools
These tools remove material by moving it from right to left. They are structured similarly to the human hand. The right thumb determines the feed direction and the main cutting edge is on the left side of the tool.
Left Turning Tools
These tools remove material by moving it from left to right. According to the design of the human hand, the left thumb determines the feed direction, the main cutting edge is on the right side of the tool.
Round Head Lathe Cutting Tools
These tools can be moved from left to right or right to left as they do not have side and back angles. They are suitable for machining operations that require a smooth surface.
How to choose the right rotary cutting tool?
We all know that to do a perfect job you need the right tools. Selecting the correct turning tool is very important to obtain accurate results on a workpiece. Below is a list of ways to choose the right rotary tool:
Turning tool coating
Coatings are materials applied to the external parts of a cutting tool to improve its mechanical and aesthetic properties. They are also important because coated turning tools last longer than uncoated tools. As expected, there are several coatings including titanium nitride (TiN), titanium carbide (TiC) and aluminum oxide, each with its own inherent properties.
part material
The mechanical properties of the part play an important role in selecting the correct turning tool. The most basic selection process depends on hardness, as hard materials should only be turned with coated or uncoated tools. This prevents the tools from chipping during the machining process. For example, diamond and cubic boron nitride cutting tools are known for their strength and suitability for hard materials.
Desired turning operation types
Each turning process requires certain skills and tools. Therefore, you must choose the right tool depending on the operation. For example, turning tools are useful for removing materials along the length of a part. However, they are not suitable for molding processes. Another consideration is the direction of the cut.
Required part shape
When choosing a turning tool, also consider the tool and the shape of the part. For example, if you want to create a cube shape in a material during facing operations, you can use a rectangular facing tool.
Components of a Rotary Cutting Tool
Although lathes are designed differently depending on their function and application, they all have certain parts in common. Below are the common parts for all types of turning tools.
stem
This is the part that connects to the lathe. It is the thickest part of the tool and generally has a rectangular cross section.
Face
This is the part of the turning tool through which chips flow during turning.
Flank
This is the part that faces and interacts with the workpiece. It can be large or small and, together with the side of the cutting tool, forms the cutting edge.
Tip
This part is responsible for the cutting action of the tool. The cutting edge depends on the tool. For example, a single-edge tool has two cutting edges and can cut with both surfaces.
tool nose
This is the interface between the major and minor cutting edges. It has a curvature that increases its resistance, durability and ability to make a smoother cut.
Side tilt angle
This is formed by the surface of the tool and the line perpendicular to the body. Determines the direction of chip flow.
Side clearance angle
Viewed from the front, the clearance angle is the angle that the main clearance surface makes with the shank surface, which is perpendicular to the base of the cutting tool. Prevents the main free surface from rubbing against the workpiece.
End clearance angle
Viewed from the side, this is the angle between the front edge of the flank and the line normal to the base of the tool. Prevents the secondary clearance surface from rubbing against the workpiece.
tilt angle
It is the angle between the face and a plane parallel to the base. A high tilt angle increases sharpness but reduces strength and vice versa.
Final cutting angle
This is the angle that the cutting edge makes with a line perpendicular to the tool body and tangential to the tip. Prevents the tool from touching the machined surface of the part.
Cutting edge side angle
The angle that the side cutting edge makes with a line parallel to the tool body. Therefore, it plays an important role in cutting force and chip thickness during turning operations.
Cutting tool operations available for a lathe
A lathe can be used to perform various machine operations. Below are the most common cutting tool operations that you can perform on a workpiece.
Turning tool operations
Turning is the most common cutting tool operation in machining. This creates a cylindrical part with precise geometry, removing excess material from the workpiece. In general, in CNC turning this can be done automatically or, like other turning operations, manually.
Front operation
This cutting process involves reducing the length of the part to form the desired parts. The part is cut vertically with the cutting tool.
Touch process
This creates a beveled surface on the edge of the cylindrical part. This is applicable to reduce damage to sharp edges.
Serrated process
The knurling process uses two or more rotating metal wheels to create raised patterns on a cylindrical part. Therefore, it can help increase the adhesion of a product.
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Concluding
Rotary cutters are important tools in CNC machining. They come in different versions that determine how they work and function. Therefore, choosing the right tool is important for a successful machining process.
Common questions
What are the functions of rotary cutting tools?
Turning tools are used to cut a workpiece and give it the desired shape. The cutting of parts can be done through various operations, such as chamfering and turning.
What properties need to be considered before selecting a material for rotary cutting tools?
When choosing the material of a rotary cutting tool, you need to pay attention to hardness, toughness and heat resistance.
Which cutting material is the highest quality?
Diamond turning tools are the best because of their hardness and cutting speed. However, they are expensive, which limits their industrial use.
