Repairing Your Own Machine Components

Many industrial concerns have workshops of their own.Cutting Tools
For therepair of worn shafts, the lathe machine isMetal-cutting tools are classified as single point or
excellent. Keywayslots can be machined by using amultiplepoint. The lathe and shaping machine use single
milling machine, while ashaping machine can dopoint cutting toolwhile the milling and drilling machines
machining of large flat areas. Adrilling machine doesuse multiple-point-cuttingtools.
drilling of holes.Metal is cut either by moving the work piece like in the
A skilled Maintenance Engineer should know how tolathe orby moving the tool like in the shaping machine,
use all thesemachines in order to make his own repairsdrilling ormilling machine. Clearance angles must be
in a safe manner. Veryoften he has to superviseprovided to prevent thetool surface below the cutting
machinists. The information belowshould be useful foredge from rubbing against the workpiece. Rake angles
that purpose.are often provided on cutting tools to cause awedging
Lathe Machineaction in the formation of chips and to reduce friction
The lathe machine uses a single-point-cutting tool for aandheat.
varietyof turning, facing, and drilling jobs. Excess metalTool Materials
is removedby rotating the work piece over the fixedIn order to remove chips from a work piece, a cutting
cutting tool to formstraight or tapered cylindricaltool must beharder than the work piece and must
shapes, grooves, shoulders andscrew threads. It canmaintain a cutting edge at thetemperature produced
also be used for facing flat surfaces onthe ends ofby the friction of the cutting action.
cylindrical parts.Carbon Steel
The work piece is clamped onto a horizontal rotatingCarbon steel tools even though comparatively
shaft by ainexpensive tend tolose cutting ability at temperatures
3-jaw or 4-jaw chuck. The latter chuck can be usedaround 400 degree F (205degree C).
to cutoff-centered cylinders. The rotating horizontalHigh-Speed Steel
spindle to whichthe chuck is attached is usually drivenHigh-speed steel, containing 18 percent tungsten, 4
at speeds that can bevaried.percent chromium,
The cutting tool is fixed onto a tool rest and1 percent vanadium, and only 0.5 to 0.8 percent carbon,
manipulated byhand. It can also be power driven onpermits theoperation of tools twice or three times the
straight paths parallel orperpendicular to the work axis.speeds allowable withcarbon steel
This is useful for screw cutting.Cast Alloys
Internal turning known as boring results in theCast-alloy cutting-tool materials containing cobalt,
enlargement ofan already existing hole. The holes arechromium, andtungsten are effective in cutting cast iron
more accurate inroundness, concentricity, andand retaining theircutting ability even when red hot.
parallelism than drilled holes. Ahole is bored with aCemented Tungsten Carbide
single-point-cutting tool that feeds alongthe inside of theThe hardness of Tungsten Carbide approaches that
work piece.of a diamond.
Shaping MachineTungsten carbide tools can be operated at cutting
The shaping machine is used to machine flat surfaces,speeds many timeshigher than those used with
grooves,shoulders, T-slots, and angular surfaces withhigh-speed steel.
single-point tools.Oxides
The cutting tool on the shaper oscillates, cutting on theCeramic, or oxide, tool tips consist primarily of fine
forwardstroke, with the work piece feedingaluminum oxidegrains, which are bonded together.
automatically toward the toolduring each return stroke.These are very hard.
Drilling MachineCutting fluids
The drilling machine is used to cut holes in metal with aAn overheated tool can become blunt and soft very
twistdrill. By changing the cutting tool, they can be usedfast. Thereforevery often, cooling fluids cools the
to doreaming, boring, counter boring, countersinking, andcutting points of the tool. Thisserves to lubricate and
threading.cool.
Milling MachineWater is an excellent cooling medium, but it corrodes
The milling machine uses a rotating cutting tool to cutferrousmaterials. Sulfurized mineral oil is one of the
flatsurfaces, grooves, and shoulders, inclined surfaces,most popular coolantsas it can both cool as well as
dovetails,and T-slots. Cutters of many shapes arelubricate. The sulfur prevents chipsfrom the work from
changed to cut differentgrooves.melting on to the tip of the tool.