What is the difference between a Lathe, a Screw Machine, a Swiss Machine, a Milling Machine and a Grinding Machine?
A Lathe is used to remove metals from a workpiece to give a desired shape and size. Lathes hold and rotate the workpiece to perform various metal removing operations such as turning, grooving, chamfering, knurling, facing, forming, etc. with the help of tools. Screw machines are automated lathes, typically equipped with multiple spindles that allows multiple tools to cut multiple pieces of material simultaneously. Like a Gatling gun, the multiple spindles are carried in a precision-machined drum that rotates in a horizontal orientation. Our six- and eight-spindle New Britain automatic screw machines allow us to fill large orders with diameters up to 3.5 inches, while our single-spindle Brown & Sharpe automatics typically handle smaller orders. A Swiss machine mounts the workpiece on a rotary slide. CNC Swiss machines typically make more complex parts, completing both turning and milling operations within the same machine. Our newest Swiss machines are equipped to provide tooling and can handle your most comple