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Lathe and milling machines are two of the most important machine tools used in the manufacturing industry. These two machines follow the same machining principle known as ‘subtractive machining’, where you begin with a block of material and then shape it into the desired specifications. They both remove material from a workpiece, yet, they never overlap because they have their own functions and purposes.
There are parts that both lathe and milling machines have such as the saddle and spindle. The saddle for the lathe machine is for supporting cross slide movements which is located at the top portion of the carriage, while the saddle is present on the knee and supports the table for the milling machine. The spindle in the lathe machine is used to hold cylindrical work piece within it, while for the milling machine it is the shaft that is used to hold and drive the cutting tools.
Parts of a Lathe Machine
Parts of a Milling Machine
In terms of the cutting tool, a lathe machine uses a single blade known as an insert cutter. It has a tip that can be removed and is helpful for cutting and shaping a workpiece. A milling machine, on the other hand, uses multiple blades that can be operated at a different speed.
The technique of the lathe and milling machine is the biggest difference between them. For the lathe machine, a workpiece has to be mounted on top of the lathe in which the chuck on the headstock holds the workpiece. Then, the lathe spins the workpiece against a single-bladed cutting tool that stays stationary while removing the unwanted material. This process is referred to as ‘turning’, and is very effective for creating cylindrical parts. However, the shape of the material you can work with lathe machine is limited, because it has to start with a cylindrical material which you can then shape with the lathe.
For the milling machine, the workpiece is held in the table of the machine which remains in a stationary position while being fed against a rotating multi-bladed or multi-pointed cutting tool. It uses rotary cutters that are placed on a spindle or arbor to shape the workpiece with each rapid pass. Because of its multiple blades or points, milling machines can grind away material from the workpiece. It is taller than a lathe machine but with shorter length so it can fit in small places. It is also more versatile with the shape or the choice of material it can work on than the lathe machine because the cutting tool can approach the workpiece in many different orientations that more intricate and complex parts demand. When drilling holes, you can make off-center holes with a milling machine while you can only drill at the center of the object with the lathe.
These two machines can be used for cutting, boring, drilling, and cutting but as mentioned earlier, they have different techniques and they also have other uses unique to each machine.
Lathe machines are used for turning, taper turning, eccentric turning, facing, boring, counter boring, drilling, reaming, cutting, undercutting, sanding, forming, deforming, knurling, chamfering, parting off, grooving, and threading. Many products can be done by a lathe machine, and some of these are: bowls, vases, baseball bats, pool cues, woodwind instrument, camshafts, gun barrels, bolt threads, patterned metal surfaces, pottery, and blown glass. Lathes can either be woodworking or metalworking. They both rely on the rotational power of the mounted workpiece against a single-bladed cutting tool to remove material but generally, woodworking lathes are smaller in size and have fewer parts than metalworking lathes.
Milling machines are used for: face milling; side milling; plain milling; straddle milling; angular milling; gang milling; form milling; profile milling; end milling; saw milling; milling keyways, grooves, and slots; gear milling; helical milling; cam milling; and thread milling. Some of the products a milling machine can make are: metal engravings and sculptures, trophies, car parts, building fixtures, and gears.
When trying to make a choice between lathe and milling machine, it is very important not only to study the differences between the two but also to ask for assistance from reliable machinists, operators, or engineers that can help you purchase a machine according to your needs. S&M Machinery is the leading independent machinery dealer of late-model surplus used CNC industrial machine tools in the United States. If you’re interested in buying a used CNC Mill or a CNC Lathe, make sure to look through our used inventory of CNC Mills and used CNC Lathes. Contact us today and we’ll help you find the right machine that’s perfect for your application.
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