In the field of automated machining in modern industry, turning and milling are two classic and crucial machining processes. They are like the cornerstones of industrial manufacturing and lay the foundation for the birth of many products.

Turning is a machining process performed on a lathe. As the main equipment for turning, the lathe has a complete structural system. It is mainly composed of key components such as the bed, spindle box, feed box, tool holder and tailstock. The bed is the basic support part of the entire lathe, ensuring stability during the machining process. The spindle box is equipped with a spindle and a speed change mechanism, which is responsible for driving the workpiece to rotate. The adjustability of its speed provides flexible options for machining workpieces of different materials and sizes. The feed box controls the feed movement of the tool and accurately determines the relative movement speed and distance between the tool and the workpiece. The tool holder is used to install the tool, and can easily adjust the position and angle of the tool to meet different machining requirements. The tailstock usually plays an auxiliary support role when machining long-axis workpieces to improve the machining accuracy of the workpiece.

During the turning process, the workpiece is clamped on the spindle and rotates at high speed, while the tool cuts along the axial or radial direction of the workpiece. This processing method can accurately process a variety of rotating body surfaces. For example, the processing of cylindrical surfaces is one of the common applications of turning. By adjusting the position and feed rate of the tool, the diameter accuracy and surface finish of the cylindrical surface can be ensured. The turning of the conical surface requires the reasonable setting of the tool's motion trajectory according to the angle and length of the cone. The turning of the threaded surface is relatively complicated, and it is necessary to accurately control the motion relationship between the spindle and the tool to form an accurate pitch and tooth shape.

Turning technology plays an important role in the automotive field. In the processing of automobile chassis, there are many key parts that require turning technology to ensure their quality. For example, the transmission shaft of a car is a typical example. The transmission shaft plays a key role in the power transmission system of the car, and it requires high dimensional accuracy and good surface quality. The turning process can accurately process the cylindrical part of the transmission shaft to the specified size to ensure its matching accuracy with other transmission parts. At the same time, the smooth surface after turning can reduce the friction and vibration of the transmission shaft during high-speed rotation, improve the efficiency and stability of power transmission, and thus ensure the reliable performance of the automobile chassis.

Milling process

Milling is a processing process performed on a milling machine. There are many types of milling machines, including horizontal milling machines, vertical milling machines, etc. With the development of automation technology, CNC milling machines have become the main force of modern milling processing.

During milling, the milling cutter rotates at high speed, and the workpiece is fed in different directions as needed. The milling cutter is the core tool of the milling process. It usually has multiple blades, which allows milling to perform multiple cuts during one rotation, thereby improving processing efficiency. Different types of milling cutters can achieve processing of different shapes. For example, face milling cutters are mainly used for processing planes. By moving the milling cutter on the surface of the workpiece, the surface of the blank can be quickly processed and smoothed. End milling cutters are more suitable for processing shapes such as grooves and contours. It can accurately remove excess material along the set path. The ball-end milling cutter has a unique advantage in processing curved surfaces. By controlling the movement of the ball-end milling cutter through CNC programming, complex three-dimensional curved surfaces can be processed on the workpiece.

Milling technology is widely used in the food industry. Taking the stirring paddle of a food mixer as an example, the shape of the stirring paddle has a vital influence on the effect of food mixing. Its complex curved surfaces and specific contours need to be realized through milling. Milling can ensure the surface quality and shape accuracy of the stirring paddle, so that the stirring paddle can push the food materials according to the design requirements during the rotation process, and achieve efficient and uniform stirring. This precise processing is of great significance to ensure the quality and taste of food.

In the field of stage lighting, milling technology also plays a unique role. The shell and some supporting structures of stage lighting equipment often need to have exquisite appearance and precise dimensions. Through the milling process, various decorative patterns and precise mounting holes can be processed on these parts. For example, the heat dissipation holes and decorative patterns on the shell of the lighting equipment can be realized through milling. These milled parts not only meet the heat dissipation and installation requirements of stage lighting equipment in terms of function, but also enhance the appearance of the entire stage lighting system, so that it can be better integrated into the stage art environment.

Although both turning and milling processes are to achieve the molding of parts by removing materials, they have their own characteristics. Turning mainly focuses on machining rotating parts, and has a good machining effect on shaft and disc parts with high precision requirements; milling performs well in machining parts with complex shapes, planes and grooves. In the actual automated machining process, they often cooperate with each other to complete the manufacture of complex parts, providing high-quality mechanical parts for many industries such as the automotive field, food industry, stage lighting, etc., promoting the development and innovation of these industries, and becoming an indispensable processing technology for modern industry.