This concept covers the classification, construction, kinematic systems, and process planning of semi-automatic and automatic lathes within manufacturing engineering. The degree of automation of a machine tool is defined by the extent to which auxiliary (handling) operations — as distinct from processing (machining) operations — are performed automatically versus manually, distinguishing non-automatic, semi-automatic, and automatic machine tools, with automation itself further classified as fixed (hard) versus flexible automation. The discipline also formalizes process planning and tool layout as a systematic procedure — job analysis, machine and blank selection, identification and combination of elementary machining operations, and sequencing on a turret — for configuring a machine tool to mass-produce a given part.
This concept covers the classification, construction, kinematic systems, and process planning of semi-automatic and automatic lathes within manufacturing engineering. The degree of automation of a ma…