Micro lathe
Encyclopedia
A micro lathe is a machine tool
used for the complex shaping of metal
and other solid
materials. Micro lathes are related to (full-sized) lathes
but are distinguished by their small size and differing capabilities, application, use, and locations. Sometimes referred to as desktop lathes or table-top lathes, micro lathes can be comfortably used in areas where a full-sized lathe would be impractical.
Micro lathes are well suited for use in restricted spaces where heavy machining or high accuracy are not requirements. Micro lathes find a place in homes, basements, and garages. As they are a popular tool for hobbyists, they are commonly sold through hobby catalogs and hobby websites. Micro lathes are preferred over larger lathes by some professionals, commonly locksmiths, jewelers, designers, and engineers for prototyping or fabrication
work.
Despite a more available price point and lower rigidity than their larger counterparts, micro lathes still operate within the required tolerances of many tasks. This makes them particularly useful in applications where small precision pieces are needed for projects like miniature engines that require fine detail and mechanical accuracy.
Small ultra-precision and diamond turning lathes exist, but have little in common with a desktop-style micro lathe other than form factor. The smallest CNC micro lathe was made by researchers at the Mechanical Engineering
Laboratory of Japan
’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Olympus Optical Co.
It is 32 mm long, 25 mm wide, and 30.5 mm high, the lathe weighs just 100 grams. In test runs, the tiny lathe produced a brass needle 0.05 mm wide and 0.6 mm long and screws that are 0.05 mm thick.
. Though accessories for woodcutting are available, a reduced work envelope limits the machine to small projects and increases difficulty. A majority of micro lathes utilize a variable speed electric motor
and are usually employed to turn metals such as iron
, aluminum, copper
, and titanium
. Delrin and other free-machining plastics can be effectively cut, but others (such as Acetate
and PVC
) require experience and specialized knowledge of machining, and are commonly found to be difficult to machine by micro lathe users who are not professional machinists.
Machine tool
A machine tool is a machine, typically powered other than by human muscle , used to make manufactured parts in various ways that include cutting or certain other kinds of deformation...
used for the complex shaping of metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
and other solid
Solid
Solid is one of the three classical states of matter . It is characterized by structural rigidity and resistance to changes of shape or volume. Unlike a liquid, a solid object does not flow to take on the shape of its container, nor does it expand to fill the entire volume available to it like a...
materials. Micro lathes are related to (full-sized) lathes
Lathe (metal)
A metal lathe or metalworking lathe is a large class of lathes designed for precisely machining relatively hard materials. They were originally designed to machine metals; however, with the advent of plastics and other materials, and with their inherent versatility, they are used in a wide range of...
but are distinguished by their small size and differing capabilities, application, use, and locations. Sometimes referred to as desktop lathes or table-top lathes, micro lathes can be comfortably used in areas where a full-sized lathe would be impractical.
Micro lathes are well suited for use in restricted spaces where heavy machining or high accuracy are not requirements. Micro lathes find a place in homes, basements, and garages. As they are a popular tool for hobbyists, they are commonly sold through hobby catalogs and hobby websites. Micro lathes are preferred over larger lathes by some professionals, commonly locksmiths, jewelers, designers, and engineers for prototyping or fabrication
Fabrication (metal)
Fabrication as an industrial term refers to building metal structures by cutting, bending, and assembling. The cutting part of fabrication is via sawing, shearing, or chiseling ; torching with handheld torches ; and via CNC cutters...
work.
Despite a more available price point and lower rigidity than their larger counterparts, micro lathes still operate within the required tolerances of many tasks. This makes them particularly useful in applications where small precision pieces are needed for projects like miniature engines that require fine detail and mechanical accuracy.
Small ultra-precision and diamond turning lathes exist, but have little in common with a desktop-style micro lathe other than form factor. The smallest CNC micro lathe was made by researchers at the Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
Laboratory of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Olympus Optical Co.
Olympus Corporation
is a Japan-based manufacturer of optics and reprography products. Olympus was established on 12 October 1919, initially specializing in microscope and thermometer businesses. Its global headquarters are in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, while its USA operations are based in Center Valley, Pennsylvania,...
It is 32 mm long, 25 mm wide, and 30.5 mm high, the lathe weighs just 100 grams. In test runs, the tiny lathe produced a brass needle 0.05 mm wide and 0.6 mm long and screws that are 0.05 mm thick.
Materials
Micro lathes are not commonly used to cut woodWood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
. Though accessories for woodcutting are available, a reduced work envelope limits the machine to small projects and increases difficulty. A majority of micro lathes utilize a variable speed electric motor
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
and are usually employed to turn metals such as iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
, aluminum, copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
, and titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
. Delrin and other free-machining plastics can be effectively cut, but others (such as Acetate
Acetate
An acetate is a derivative of acetic acid. This term includes salts and esters, as well as the anion found in solution. Most of the approximately 5 billion kilograms of acetic acid produced annually in industry are used in the production of acetates, which usually take the form of polymers. In...
and PVC
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride is a plastic.PVC may also refer to:*Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor*Peripheral venous catheter, a small, flexible tube placed into a peripheral vein in order to administer medication or fluids...
) require experience and specialized knowledge of machining, and are commonly found to be difficult to machine by micro lathe users who are not professional machinists.