DureX Incorporation

Automation and technological advancements have made the manufacturing world surpass anyone’s expectations. Computer technology combined with the ingenuity and intellect of talented machinists allows for precise, flawless production. However, many people are understandably confused about the difference between CNC turning and traditional turning.

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) turning center machines are programmable and offer more movement complexity than traditional turning lathes. CNC lathes are less diverse than CNC turning centers, and they don’t offer up and down movements. Turning centers are best for fast, large-scale productions whereas CNC lathes are better for small runs of cylindrical objects.

The differences between these types of machines go beyond that. Both types of machines have their places and are invaluable in the manufacturing world. Follow along as we explore and highlight the differences between CNC turning and traditional turning.

CNC Lathe

What is a CNC Lathe?

A CNC lathe is the traditional turning machine that many machinists and businesses are familiar with. Lathes have been around for thousands of years, and they were originally used to cut wood. Now, automated lathes, or CNC lathes, are used in manufacturing to cut materials like metal into cylindrical shapes.

CNC (Computer Numerical Control) lathes rely on computers to precisely spin and cut materials based on preset specifications. Mechanical servo motors control the lathe’s movement across the X and Y axes to ensure precision. The key differences between old lathes and CNC lathes are precision and ease of use.

While CNC lathes are largely automated, you still have access to manual control. The programmable nature of CNC lathes means that you can repeat the process hundreds or thousands of times. Each piece you spin and cut should look the same given the identical movements the lathe makes. Traditional CNC lathes typically come in horizontal and vertical configurations for different applications.  

What is a CNC Turning Center?

CNC turning centers are similar to CNC lathes, but they have more advanced features. Unlike traditional CNC lathes, CNC turning center machines are positioned on slant beds. CNC turning center machines can move up and down and across more axes than traditional CNC lathes.

For example, CNC turning center machines offer A-axis, B-axis, and C-axis movement. That means that you get rotations from the Y-axis and Z-axis, offering more diversity than CNC lathes. The complexity of CNC turning centers vs traditional turning lathes is what makes them stand out.

This allows manufacturers to program CNC turning centers to handle multiple parts at the same time. Not only can this expedite production time, but it can also help make the most of your materials.

Key Differences

Traditional CNC lathes and CNC turning center machines have several key differences that affect their use in manufacturing, such as:

1. Practical Uses

Standard CNC lathes are primarily used to create simple cylindrical parts. Conversely, CNC turning center machines are much more diverse and can create shapes of many parts. The diversity in geometry that CNC turning center machines offer makes them appeal to many more practical uses.

This allows machinists and manufacturers to produce everything from gears and turbine blades to crankshafts. Traditional CNC turning lathes are ideal for cylindrical metal shafts and car parts. While CNC turning center machines have more practical uses, both options are essential in manufacturing.

2. Versatility

CNC turning center machines are typically more versatile than traditional CNC lathes. That’s because you have more options with axis movement and machine positioning. CNC turning center machines offer more variety when it comes to turning options.

That ultimately means that you can use them for more products and components with specific dimensions. Granted, traditional CNC turning lathes also offer plenty of versatility, but they don’t move up and down. This limits the types of cuts you can make with them, ultimately limiting the manufacturing possibilities.

3. Scale

Traditional CNC turning lathes are perfect for small-to-mid-scale projects and production runs. They typically work best with simpler materials and dimensions. The layout and mechanisms of traditional CNC lathes can somewhat hinder production speed, limiting production scale.

Conversely, CNC turning center machines can handle a high volume of materials for large production runs. They also typically work much faster than traditional CNC lathes, partially because of the axis and movement variety. You can even program CNC turning center machines to work on multiple parts at once.

4. Automation

Naturally, both CNC lathes and CNC turning center machines are automated. However, the nature of the automation between these machines varies. For example, standard CNC lathes offer some manual control, which comes in handy during production.

Conversely, CNC turning center machines are almost entirely automated. This is largely because of how much more complex CNC turning center machines are than traditional CNC lathes. That said, the manual maneuverability of CNC lathes is far from a downside.

5. Investment and Operational Costs

There’s no denying that CNC turning center machines are much bigger investments than traditional CNC turning lathes. The upfront cost of a CNC turning center machine alone often exceeds $150,000. That is quite expensive compared to the $50,000 investment of a traditional CNC turning lathe.

Between the operational complexity and investment cost, it costs more per hour to run a CNC turning center than a traditional CNC lathe. For example, operational rates for traditional CNC turning lathes start at $15 per hour. You can expect to spend at least $25 per hour in operational costs for CNC turning center machines.

This ultimately makes production more expensive when using a CNC turning center machine. That said, many manufacturers and business owners consider it worth the cost. The turnaround is often faster, and you can work on more parts at once with a CNC turning center.

Which One is Better?

There is no difference in quality between traditional CNC turning lathes and CNC turning center machines. That said, some manufacturers may prefer CNC turning center machining because of the added complexity. However, many manufacturers have no use for these extra capabilities as they require simple parts.

Both types of turning machines require similar maintenance and are both programmable. CNC turning center machines are better for large-scale, complex productions, whereas standard CNC lathes are better for small operations. Many modern manufacturers use both types of machines for different uses and clients.

Precise, Reliable CNC Machining in New Jersey

We have never had better tools at our disposal in the history of manufacturing than we do right now. Automation and the advancement of reliable, easily programmable computer programs have injected the machining world with precision. Whether it be traditional turning lathes or CNC turning center machines, precision is invaluable.

At DureX, we make use of traditional lathes, CNC lathes, and CNC turning center machines. They each have unique practical uses that let us cater to our customers’ needs. This allows us to program and adjust for both small and large-scale products. Call DureX at (908) 688-0800 to ask about our CNC machining capabilities.