Machining Operations Page 1 of 4

Machining Operations
Text-based version

Machining Operations
Word Meaning Context More Information

Boring is an operation
to enlarge and finish
A work piece may be held in a 3, 4, or 6 jaw
boring holes accurately. This
chuck and collets.
may be done on a lathe
or a milling machine.
Boring is a machine operation in which
the work is in contact with a single point
tool.

Broaching is an The teeth of a broaching tool are equally spaced

operation that so that as the tool advances into the workpiece,
broaching
completes the cutting in each tooth removes a specified amount of
one stroke or cut. metal.

Broaching can be done on both internal

and external surfaces.

Drilling is an
economical way of
Used for last removal of stock on preparation for
removing large
drilling other operations like boring, reaming, or
amounts of metal to
tapping.
create semi-precision
round hole or cavity.
Drilling allows a person to make holes
through boards, metals, and other
materials.

There are three major types:

drill press - Sensitive drill (light drilling)

- Upright drill (heavy duty drilling)
- Radial arm drill press (large, heavy
workpieces)
A machine designed to Used for producing cylindrical holes, as
hold drill bits which will well as reaming, boring, counter-boring,
produce cylindrical counter-sinking, honing, lapping and
holes. tapping.

A workpiece may be held in a 3, 4, or 6 jaw

facing Facing is a lathe chuck, collets or a faceplate.
operation in which the
cutting tool removes
metal from the end of

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the workpiece or a
shoulder.

Facing is a machine operation where

the work is rotated against a single
point tool.
Gang drilling machine
gang The gang drilling machine is a series of Each head is equipped with a different tool to
performs a number of
drilling single spindle drill heads mounted on a drill the part being machined as it moves from
drilling operations in a
machine long table. one station to the next.
sequence.
Grinding is an The abrasive grains are formed into a grinding
Grinding processes remove very small wheel.
operation in which the
chips in very large numbers by cutting
grinding cutting is done by the
the action of many small individual
use of abrasive Very smooth surfaces can be accomplished by
abrasive grains.
particles. the use of the proper grinding wheel.

Various types of grinding machines:

Grinding machine
machines metal parts - Plain Surface grinders
grinding
with an abrasive wheel - Rotary Surface grinders
machine
which can grind to - Tool & Cutter grinders
close tolerances. - Universal grinders
Grinding machines can produce parts - Internal grinders
of the identical size, shape, and finish
quality.
Gun drilling machine is
Uses three types of spindles for producing deep
a machine used to
In some drilling machines, the gun drill holes:
produce long, deep
gun drilling holes. is held firm in a machine and the
machine workpiece revolves; in other cases the - way
work is stationary and the tool revolves. - quill
The operation is called
- fixed-spindle
"Gun drilling".

Honing is an internal
cutting technique that Similar to lapping where abrasive sticks are
uses abrasives on a mounted in a rotating tool.
honing rotating tool to produce
extremely accurate Capable of accuracies of less than 1/10,000th of
holes that require a one inch.
very smooth finish.

Honing operation

A horizontal milling
machine uses a
horizontal rotating tool to produce
milling flat surfaces.
machine
Used for heavy stock
removal.
The milling machine provides cutting The spindle is mounted on a horizontal position.
action with a rotating tool. Available in different size tables.

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The lathe is used for

producing cylindrical The lathe may be used for:
work. The workpiece is
lathe rotated while the cutting boring, drilling, tapping, turning, facing,
tool movement is threading, polishing, grooving, knurling,
controlled by the trepanning
machine.
The lathe is primarily used for
cylindrical work.

Non-precision grinding
non- is a cutting technique
Non-precision grinding is a free-hand operation
precision used when the grinding
done on a pedestal or bench grinder.
grinding does not need to be
accurate.

Non-precision grinding is done when

accuracy is not important.

Precision grinding is a
cutting technique used Precision grinding allows very small amounts of
precision
when close tolerances material to be removed from a workpiece. This
grinding
and very smooth is extremely useful in acquiring smooth fnishes.
finishes are required.

Precision grinding as often used as a

finish machining process.

Reaming is a sizing
operation that removes
reaming a small amount of
metal from a hole
already drilled. Machinists may use hand or machine reamers
depending on the job they are performing.
The reamer is the tool used for this
operation.

Shaper is a machine There are three types of shapers:

used for the production
shaper of flat surfaces in - Horizontal / plain or universal
vertical, horizontal, or - Vertical (slotter and key seater)
angular planes. - Special

The shaper cuts by passing a single

point tool by the workpiece.

Shaping is an operation When the cutting tool reciprocates while the

shaping used to produce flat work is fed towards the tool removing material
surfaces. on each stroke, it is called shaping.

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Shaping

Single point threading

is a lathe operation Uses a special cutting tool that reflects the
single used for creating thread form.
point internal / external
threading precision machined
threads with a single There are over 100 thread forms.
point tool.

Single point threading

- it is used for light duty work

Sensitive drill press is a - extremely precise quill and spindle

sensitive high speed machine
drill press that drills very small
holes. - capable of speeds of over 40,000rpm

- maximum drill size of 1/32 of an inch

The sensitive drill press

Tapping is the process Tapping may be done by:

of cutting a thread
inside a hole so that a
tapping cap screw or bolt can - hand
be threaded into the - lathe machine
hole. Also, it is used to - milling machine
make threads on nuts. - tapping machine
Tapping is done with a tool called a
"Tap".

Turning is a lathe
operation in which the
A workpiece may be held in a 3, 4, or 6 jaw
cutting tool removes
turning chuck, collets or may also be held between
metal from the outside
centers.
diameter of a
workpiece.

A single point tool is used for turning.

A vertical milling
machine uses a
vertical
rotating tool to produce The milling machine provides cutting
milling
flat surfaces. A very action with a rotating tool.
machine
flexible, light-duty
machine.

The spindle is mounted on a vertical position.

Available in different size tables.

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