NC Turning Centers I Safety, Set-ups, Accessories and Tool Geometry

Cartesian Coordinate System

The Right-Hand Rule can help to remember the positive directions of each axis when at least 2 are already known.
X+ is always the thumb Y+ is always the index finger Z+ is always the middle finger

NC Turning Centers I Safety, Set-ups, Accessories and Tool Geometry

The Right-Hand Rule is also used to remember the conventional relationship between the positive directions of linear axes and rotational axes.

2 Axis Horizontal Lathe

Horizontal refers to spindles axis orientation Lathe refers to machining with a revolving workpiece

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NC Turning Centers I Safety, Set-ups, Accessories and Tool Geometry

Note:
o o All machines: Z axis is always the spindle All lathes: Z axis is always positive away from the spindle X axis is always positive from Z centerline tool turret

2 Axis Vertical Lathe

NC Turning Centers I Safety, Set-ups, Accessories and Tool Geometry

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Note:
o All lathes: Z axis is always positive away from the spindle X axis is always positive from Z centerline tool turret

NC Turning Centers I Safety, Set-ups, Accessories and Tool Geometry

3 Axis Horizontal Lathe (Live Tooling)

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Rotating cutting tools can be oriented either along Z axis (as shown) or along X axis Main spindle can index and lock at programmed positions (degrees) and will usually remain stationary during cutting As the Main spindle indexes what 3rd axis is this considered?

NC Turning Centers I Safety, Set-ups, Accessories and Tool Geometry

4 Axis Horizontal Lathe (2 turrets, 2 spindles)

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For turret tools behind the spindle centerline, X axis points positive away from the operator. For turret tools in front of the spindle centerline, X axis points positive toward the operator. Each spindle has a Z axis that points positive away from the spindle. Each turret is treated as having separate, independent X and Z axes.

NC Turning Centers I Safety, Set-ups, Accessories and Tool Geometry

How many axes are on this Mill Turn (Multi-tasking Machine)?

NC Turning Centers I Safety, Set-ups, Accessories and Tool Geometry

How many axes are on this Mill Turn (Multi-tasking Machine)?

1. X1: Upper Turret (behind the spindle centerline) 2. Y: Upper Turret perpendicular to X1 and positive with R.H. rule 3. Z1: Upper Turrets Z Axis (referenced positive from Main spindle) 4. B: Upper Turrets B axis tool positioning 5. C1: Main spindles rotational angular positioning 6. X2: Lower Turret (in front of the spindle centerline) 7. Z2: Lower Turrets Z Axis (referenced positive from Sub spindle) 8. C2: Sub spindles rotational angular positioning 9. ZS: Sub spindles slide movement for bar pulling/part transfer

NC Turning Centers I Safety, Set-ups, Accessories and Tool Geometry

Terminology:
Lathe signifies a revolving workpiece Mill signifies a revolving cutting tool CNC Lathe and CNC Mill signify lathes or mills with computer-controlled axes Turning Center or Machining Center signifies a CNC Lathe or CNC Mill with an automatic tool changer and an enclosure for flood coolant

Key points to remember:

All machines: Z axis is always the spindle For lathes: Z axis is always positive away from the spindle and X is always positive away from Z centerline -- toward the tool turret, all other axes follow Cartesian system