Metal to obecnie materiał powszechnie stosowany w przeróżnych dziedzinach naszego życia. Aby jednak mógł nam dobrze służyć i spełniać konkretną funkcję musi zostać poddany obróbce. Branża przemysłowa cały czas idzie w tej kwestii naprzód, a automatyzacja poszczególnych procesów pozwala na precyzyjne i szybkie obrabianie metalu. Jakie zatem są rodzaje maszyn do obróbki metali?
Metalworking
Before we move on to specific machines, it is worth knowing what metalworking is all about. It is primarily a technological process that involves changing the original form or parameters of a given metal. In practice, this means that metalworking allows us to change their dimensions, shapes, and even physical and chemical properties. Such effects can be achieved in various ways: through plastic, mechanical or thermal processing. When we want to change the shape of metal, we first subject it to plastic processing - this can be done both hot and cold. Giving more precise dimensions, shape and appearance to specific metals is the task of mechanical processing, i.e. cutting, milling, grinding or turning metal. Heat treatment, on the other hand, is a thermal process that allows, for example, for the modification of steel. Fortunately, we no longer have to perform all of these processes manually. All this thanks to specialized metalworking machines available on the market.
Types of metalworking machines
For each type of metalworking mentioned above, there are dedicated tools and machines that make the work easier and much faster. The following are currently mainly used for processing various types of metals:
- Milling machines – are used, among other things, for very precise milling of various types of threads, grooves or gears. They can take the form of smaller machines to be placed, for example, on a countertop or large free-standing machines. The most technologically advanced models of CNC milling machines are controlled by means of a touch screen and a built-in computer.
- Lathes – mainly involved in turning metal into a cone, cylinder or sphere. The workpiece is then placed in a holder, after which it is turned with a lathe tool. Additional equipment allows the lathe to perform more complex machining operations.
- Bending machines – allowing, as the name suggests, bending metal sheet and folding it to the desired angle. Thanks to CNC control technology, they can perform even very precise bends.
- Press – available in many types and models. One of them is turret press equipped with a tool turret and most often numerically controlled, although they also come in a version with digital control. The second type is eccentric press: single-, double- or multi-point used not only for pressing, but also for bending, turning or cutting metal. Hydraulic presses are machine tools that cold press sheet metal. They are also used for so-called drawing – i.e. plastic processing of metal.
In addition to the basic metalworking machines listed above, there are many others available on the market. These can include: injection molding machines, pipe straightening machines, grinders, edging machines, plotters, engraving machines or, increasingly popular nowadays, lasers. All of these devices certainly facilitate and speed up work in every metalworking plant, but they are even more pleasant and efficient to use when they are machines from well-known and proven manufacturers controlled by CNC technology.
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