04CNC turningØ ±0.01 mm
CNC turning services in Hamilton
Shafts, pins, bushings, spacers, fittings and flanges turned on CNC lathes with live tooling, a Y axis, a bar feeder and a Swiss-type lathe for small parts. Flats, cross holes and keyways are cut in the same chucking, so they line up with the diameters.
- Largest swing
- Ø 350 mm (13.8 in)
- Turning length
- 550 mm (21.7 in)
- Bar capacity
- Ø 65 mm (2.56 in)
- Diameter tolerance
- ±0.01 mm (±0.0004 in)
Sample figures for this demo website.
4.1Typical partsØ 3–350
What comes off our lathes
Anything round, or mostly round. A turned part is usually cheaper than the same part milled from a block, and diameters held between centres or in one chucking run true to each other. If your part has a flange with a bolt pattern, a hex, or a slot across the end, live tooling cuts those features before the part leaves the spindle.
For larger quantities, the bar feeder keeps a lathe running through lunch and after the shift, which brings the unit price down on pins, bushings and fittings.
- Drive shafts, axles and spindles with keyways
- Bushings, sleeves, spacers and wear rings
- Hydraulic fittings, plugs and adapters
- Flanges and hubs with drilled bolt circles
- Pins, dowels, studs and threaded rods
- Rollers, idlers and pulleys
4.2Lathes3 machines
Three lathes for three kinds of work
We choose the machine by part size and quantity. You get the price of the machine that suits your part, not the one that happens to be free.
LTH-01Ø 350
Live tooling and Y axis
Larger diameters, flanges and shafts with milled features. Flats, hex forms, cross holes and off-centre holes are machined without a second set-up.
LTH-02Bar fed
Production turning
Bar stock up to 42 mm (1.65 in) is fed automatically. Suits repeat runs of pins, bushings and fittings in hundreds or thousands.
SWS-01Ø 20
Swiss-type
The guide bushing supports the bar right at the cut, so long, thin parts stay straight and tight diameters hold along the whole length.
4.3Design for turningNotes
Drawing notes for turned parts
Small changes to a turned part's drawing can save a set-up or a special tool. These are the ones we suggest most often.
Start from a standard bar
If the largest diameter is just under a stock bar size, such as 25 mm or 1 in, we skip a roughing pass and save material.
Add a thread relief
An undercut at the end of a thread lets the thread run out cleanly and lets the mating nut seat against the shoulder.
Name your datum
Tell us which diameters must run true to each other. We then finish them in the same chucking and check runout against that datum.
Leave a corner radius
A small radius at a shoulder, such as R0.4 mm (0.016 in), matches the tool nose and makes the shaft stronger at the step.
Specify knurls by pitch
A straight or diamond knurl with a pitch, for example 1.0 mm, is clear. “Knurl” alone leaves us guessing.
Keep length to diameter sensible
Parts longer than about four times their diameter need a tailstock or the Swiss-type lathe. Tell us if the length is flexible.
4.4MaterialsBar stock
Good materials for turning
Free-machining grades such as 12L14 steel, 303 stainless and C360 brass make the cheapest turned parts, because they cut fast and break chips cleanly. When a part has to be welded or face corrosion, we use 1018, 316 or another grade and price the slower cutting into the quote.
Compare steelsRelated
Parts that are mostly flat with a few bores belong on a machining centre: see CNC milling. The full machine list shows every lathe's swing, length and bar capacity.
Lead times match milled parts: about 5–10 working days for prototypes and 10–20 for production runs after first article approval. Sample figures.
Send us a shaft, even a broken one
No drawing? Bring the worn part. We measure it, draw it for your approval and make the new one.