Employee
Milling machines are tools used by engineers and machine builders to cut metal into a specific shape. A turret milling machine is a vertical milling machine, that is, the spindle – the area that makes the cuts – is positioned vertically. The turret mill is considered a versatile unit as it can create a wide variety of shapes. It has a quill that can be raised or lowered to create different depths of cut. Tower mills are only effective if kept relatively small in size, because the boom is difficult to operate with larger units.
Milling machines have two main forms: vertical and horizontal. The form describes how the spindle or cutting unit is attached to the machine. All turret milling units have a vertical spindle that remains stationary throughout the entire cutting process. Only the table moves, the area where the metal is placed.
Just like a drill, the turret mill has a quill drive that allows the table to move up and down. This allows the machine operator to create shallow or deep cuts in the metal to reach different depths and create more complex machine parts. Using the boom and moving a part under the table called a knee is the only way operators can make vertical cuts in metal.
With other vertical cutters, the table operates at a 90° angle to the spindle and the spindle remains aligned with its axis. A turret mill uses a table that moves both perpendicular and parallel. This puts more stress on the table, and the table should have more moving parts, but it also makes it easier for operators to make cuts. It also requires less pre-cut work because the operator doesn’t have to account for spindle and table movements.
Depending on the model year and make, a turret mill can be automatic or manual. Manual machines force operators to move the table to make precise cuts. Automatic machines allow the operator to use formulas to tell the machine where to cut.
Turret milling units are normally only found in small sizes. They can be larger, but this creates more stress for the operator because the boom and knee are difficult to reach and move. With larger units, the operator would have to stop milling each time the milling depth became greater or lesser in order to reach the parts and change the depth.