The machining industry has long relied on CNC lathes to manufacture a range of products, from custom screws and micro fasteners to the minuscule accouterments that go into wrist watches and make up the components of cell phones and laptops. Lathes cut and form hard materials into specified shapes through the use of a rotating tool or drill bit; CNC (Computer Numerical Control) lathes are extremely precise versions of these machines, requiring the use of a computer program to produce highly accurate results.
Check out our EZ Screw Builder to build your custom screw!
If you’re wondering where you may have witnessed the product of these machines, the answer is simple: everywhere. Every screw, nut, and bolt (the industry for which is worth about $30 billion in the U.S.) you see was molded on a lathe based off of an exact computer program, hence the consistency in shapes and sizes. The Swiss have become known for their precision in engineering and designing watches of all styles, creating time keepers that are more akin to objects of art than functional devices (although they do still function, and exceptionally well).
A Japanese company — another great nation known for its ingenuity and commitment to high quality engineering — has recently planned to unveil a CNC machine unlike no other at Chicago’s International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) this September. Tsugami LaserSwiss states that the machine, which boasts a 12mm, 5-axis Swiss-style CNC lathe with a fully integrated SPI laser cutting system is the “only one of its kind.”
“This machine offers tremendous flexibility, but it’s not overly complicated. It’s a straightforward, simple machine that’s very easy to program and use,” Tsugami LaserSwiss Business Development Director Dan Walker reported. “It’s like having a very fast, very precise cutting tool that never gets dull.”
This one of a kind machine may be too expensive to purchase and maintain, especially if you are unskilled with the operation of such a delicate and finely tuned piece of equipment. Luckily, there are other custom small screw specialists that can meet whatever manufacturing needs you may have. Leave the production to the professionals and find a custom small screw specialist for your business today.