Using a robotic lathe in a machine shop means savings in time and labour, and the results are also more precise and of higher quality than those achieved with a manual lathe. A manual lathe demands more work from the operator, and production is not as fast as with a robotic lathe. But what is a robotic lathe and how does it work?
What is a robotic lathe?
Lathes in general, whether manual or robotic, are used to shape metal parts through various processes, the most common being chip-removal machining. A lathe can also drill, cut, groove, rough and straight-turn different materials. The fact that a lathe can work all kinds of materials (carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminium and so on) is a major advantage for the metalworking industry.
The automation of machine tools, including the lathe and the milling machine, began at the end of the nineteenth century. These machines were refined in the first half of the twentieth century and have existed in practically their current form since computers were invented. In fact, the first automatic milling machine (also CNC-controlled) appeared in the '50s in Massachusetts, United States. Since then, CNC technology has gradually become one of the most important and widely used in metalworking.
Unlike a manual lathe, a robotic lathe does not require much work from the operator, who can run several machines at the same time. The robotic lathe works by CNC numerical control, that is, by computer. For the robotic lathe to work, CNC conversational programming is needed, processed by computer programs.
First, the part is designed on a computer with a CAD program (usually AutoCAD); the resulting design is then passed in CNC conversational code to another program, CAM. This software reads and processes the CAD data and translates it into a series of commands that the robotic lathe applies directly to the workpiece. The operator only has to instruct the lathe to follow a series of blocks and patterns, load the part into the machine, set it up and start the lathe.
Robotic lathes can have one or several spindles. Single-spindle machines are used to machine small parts that go through several production operations until the final result is obtained. They are characterised by the spindle changing position several times and working at different speeds until the desired result is achieved on the part.
Advantages of a robotic lathe
The main function of a robotic lathe is to machine parts in different materials. It can, for example, thread, drill, straight-turn, rough, groove, cut, taper-turn, sand and polish parts in various materials, regardless of their geometry. A robotic lathe can machine various types of steel, and also plastics such as nylon.
One of the advantages of a robotic lathe is that it does not require the operator to be present much of the time. Parts are fed automatically, although the operator has to place the material within the lathe’s reach or load it and clamp it in the chuck. In fact, robotic arms that are fitted to the lathe are now common on the market; they pick up the workpieces and place them directly in the lathe. These robots can work for long periods and optimise production times and costs.
This is not the case with a manual lathe, for example. Machining times are usually much longer, and the turner must be present to carry out all the work. For the operator, a manual lathe means more physical effort and less time for other tasks. But do you need an expert to use a robotic lathe? CNC lathes require the operator to learn how to use them, but this is quite straightforward, so a turner used to manual machines can easily train to operate a numerically controlled lathe.
Another of the advantages of a robotic lathe over a manual lathe is the higher quality of the result; a robotic lathe works with greater precision, so parts are generally finished and do not need an additional polishing process, as they do with a manual lathe. A robotic lathe is also able to manage waste better than a manual lathe. In other words, a numerically controlled lathe generates less waste, which means savings in production. Finally, this type of lathe has axes that allow several metal parts to be machined simultaneously, as long as they follow the same pattern – in other words, identical parts. This is not possible with a manual lathe.