8 common machining processes, recommended collection

When it comes to manufacturing, the machining process is an indispensable link. Machining process is the process of transforming raw materials into the desired shape, size and surface quality, covering a variety of precision machining methods to meet the needs of different parts. Eight common machining processes are described in detail below.

1. Turning

Turning is the process of fixing the workpiece to a rotating workpiece holding device and then using a tool to gradually cut the material on the workpiece to obtain the desired shape and size. This machining method is suitable for the manufacture of cylindrical parts such as shafts and sleeves. The method of turning and tool selection affect the shape and surface roughness of the final product.

Turning can be divided into different types, including outer circle turning, inner circle turning, surface turning, thread turning, etc. Cylindrical turning is usually used to process shapes such as shafts, cylinders and cones; In internal turning, the tool enters the inner hole of the workpiece, and the diameter and surface of the inner hole are machined to the required size and accuracy; The turning plane is usually used to make a flat surface, such as the base or end face of a part; Threading is by moving the cutting edge of the tool relative to the surface of the workpiece, gradually cutting out the shape of the thread, including internal and external threads.

2. Milling

Milling machining cuts materials on the surface of the workpiece by rotating the tool, and by controlling the movement of the tool, it can make parts with complex shapes such as plane, concave and convex surface and gear. Milling includes plane milling, end milling, end milling, gear milling, profile milling and so on. Each method is suitable for different processing needs.

In surface milling, the cutting edge of the tool is cut on the surface of the workpiece to obtain a flat surface; End milling is often used to process grooves and holes along the height of the workpiece. End milling is cutting on the side of the workpiece, which is often used to process contours, grooves and edges. Gear milling usually uses a special tool with a cutting edge to cut the tooth shape of the gear; Profile milling is used to process complex curves or contour shapes, and the path of the tool is precisely controlled according to the profile.

3. Drilling

Drilling is the cutting of material on the workpiece by a rotating drill bit to form holes of the desired diameter and depth, and is widely used in manufacturing, construction and maintenance fields. Drilling is often divided into conventional drilling, center drilling, deep hole drilling, multi-axis drilling and other different types.

Conventional drilling uses a bit with a spiral cutting edge for smaller holes and general drilling needs; Center drilling is to create a small hole on the surface of the workpiece, and then use a larger drill bit to drill to ensure that the position of the large hole is accurate; Deep hole drilling is used to process deeper holes, which requires special bit and cooling technology to ensure the accuracy and quality of the processing; Multi-axis drilling uses multiple bits at different angles to drill at the same time, which is suitable for processing multiple holes at the same time.

4. Grinding

Grinding is the gradual cutting or grinding away of the material on the surface of the workpiece through the use of abrasive tools to obtain the desired shape, size and surface quality. Grinding is usually used to process parts with high precision and high surface quality requirements, such as molds, precision machinery parts, tools, etc.

Grinding is divided into plane grinding, outer grinding, inner grinding, contour grinding. Surface grinding is used to process flat workpiece surfaces to obtain flat surfaces and accurate dimensions; Cylindrical grinding is used to process the cylindrical surface of the workpiece, such as shaft, pin, etc. Internal grinding is used to process the inner surface of the hole, such as the inner hole, shaft hole, etc. Contour grinding is used to process complex contour shapes, such as the cutting edges of molds and tools.

5. Boring

Boring is generally used to process round holes inside the workpiece, and the rotating tool is used to cut in the existing holes to achieve the goal of accurate size and flatness. Unlike drilling, which creates holes by cutting material on the surface of the workpiece, boring cuts holes by inserting a tool into the inside of the workpiece.

Boring is divided into manual boring and CNC boring. Manual boring is suitable for small batch production and simple processing tasks; CNC boring is programmed to determine the cutting path, feed rate and rotation speed to achieve automatic high-precision machining.

6. Planing

Planing involves cutting material on the surface of a workpiece using a planer to obtain the desired flat surface, precise dimensions and surface quality. Planing is usually used to process flat surfaces of larger workpieces, such as bases, beds, etc. It can provide a flat surface for the workpiece, making it suitable for use with other workpieces.

Planing is usually divided into two stages: roughing and finishing. In the roughing stage, the cutting depth of the planer is larger to quickly remove the material. In the finishing stage, the cutting depth is reduced to achieve higher surface quality and dimensional accuracy. There are two types of planing: manual planing and automatic planing. Manual planing small batch production and simple processing tasks; Automatic planing uses an automated machine to control the movement of the planer for a more stable and efficient process.

7. Broaching

The cutting tool is used to gradually deepen the cutting and create the internal complex outline, which is often used to process the outline, groove, hole and other complex shapes of the workpiece. Cutting can usually obtain high machining accuracy and surface quality, and is suitable for parts that require high precision and good surface quality. Generally divided into plane cutting, contour cutting, groove cutting, hole cutting and other types.

Plane cutting is used to process the flat surface of the workpiece to obtain a flat surface and accurate size; Contour cutting is used to process complex contour shapes, such as molds, parts, etc. Groove cutting is used to process grooves and grooves, cutting edge into the workpiece and cutting along the surface of the workpiece; Hole cutting is used to process the inner outline of the hole, the cutting edge enters the hole and cuts the inner surface of the hole.

8. Electric Discharge Machining (EDM)

Edm uses arc discharge to cut and process conductive materials to obtain high-precision, complex shaped parts, such as molds and tools, which are often used in the manufacturing of molds, plastic injection molds, aircraft engine parts, medical devices and other fields. Edm is usually used to process hard, brittle or high-hardness materials that are difficult to cut with traditional machining methods, such as tool steel, cemented carbide, titanium alloy, etc.

The main features of EDM:

01 Non-contact cutting: Unlike traditional mechanical cutting, EDM is a non-contact processing method. There is no direct physical contact between the tool and the workpiece, but instead the material is stripped by an arc discharge.

02 High precision: EDM can achieve high precision machining, usually can reach submicron level of dimensional accuracy. This makes it suitable for manufacturing molds, models, and other precision parts that require high precision.

03 Complex shape: Because EDM is a non-contact processing method, it can be used to process very complex shapes, including internal contours, holes, grooves, etc.

High hardness materials: EDM is suitable for materials with high hardness, because it does not rely on the hardness of the tool in the traditional cutting method.

These are the eight common machining processes, each of which has its specific application areas and advantages. Choosing the appropriate process depends on the material, shape, size and surface requirements of the part.