What Is CNC Turning?
CNC turning is a manufacturing process in which bars of material are held in a chuck and rotated while a tool is fed to the piece to remove material to create the desired shape. A turret, with tooling attached, is programmed to move to the bar of raw material and remove material to create the programmed result. This is also called “subtraction machining” since it involves material removal. If the center has both tuning and milling capabilities, the rotation can be stopped to allow for milling out of other shapes.
There are many different kinds of CNC turning centers with various types of tooling options, spindle options, outer diameter limitations, as well as power and speed capabilities, all of which affect the types of parts that can be economically manufactured.
Is My Part a Good Fit For CNC Turning?
While a lot of factors go into determining if a part can be made most cost-effectively on a specific CNC turning center, some things we look at are:
- How many parts are needed short-term and long-term?
- What is the largest OD on the part?
When it comes to machining parts, there are a lot of variables. Carolina Knife can help you determine the best way to have your parts made. Contact us for help with your requirements.
Our CNC turning process produces custom prototypes and end-use production parts in as fast as a single day. We use a CNC lathe with live tooling, so features like axial and radial holes, flats, grooves, and slots can be machined.
Our CNC turning design guidelines will help you understand capabilities and limitations.
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Why Use CNC Turning For Your Projects?
Carolina Knife CNC turning service can deliver machined parts, in both plastic and metal, in less time than it takes to get a quote from other, more traditional machine shops. Upload a CAD file, choose the material and part quantity, and tell us when you need the parts. We also offer a number of CNC-specific secondary services to support your project.
How Does CNC Turning Work?
During the CNC turning process, a metal rod is rotated while a cutting tool is held against the stock to remove material and create final parts. The lathe rapidly machines your parts in a subtractive turning process with additional live tooling. Outside diameter (OD) and inside diameter (ID) threading is also available.
Turned parts can then be left as-machined, with visible tool marks, or bead blasted. When the run is complete, parts are inspected, boxed, and shipped directly shortly after.
What’s the Difference Between CNC Milling and CNC Turning?
CNC milling and CNC turning both allow users to create patterns and add detail to metals that are impossible to do by hand. CNC milling uses commands in the form of codes programmed into a specialized computer, which is then set to run. The mill drills and turns along axes to cut materials to dimensions entered into the computer. Computer programming allows machines to make precise cuts, while users can manually override the CNC machines to slow or speed up the process.
In contrast, CNC turning uses computer-controlled machines to create a different final product. The process uses a single-point cutting tool that inserts parallel to the material to cut. The material is rotated at varying speeds and the tool cutting traverses the material to create cylindrical cuts with exact measurements. This process is used to create circular or tubular shares from larger material pieces. It is an automated process and speeds can be adjusted for greater accuracy rather than turning a lathe by hand.
If you’re not sure if your part should be best produced by CNC Turning or CNC Milling, it is important to seek an expert opinion.