The cam-driven screw machine dates back to the 19th century, before
the widespread availability of electricity, when the machines were
often powered
by "Turner drive", a mechanical means of distributing
power through a machine shop from one central power source (usually
a diesel engine) via a rotating shaft running the length of the
shop and coupled to the drive shaft of each machine tool.
As
mature as this technology is, it is still unsurpassed in terms of
pure, blinding speed. Few screw machine cycle times exceed 45 seconds,
and many are less than 4 seconds. Our screw machine department includes
20 Brown and Sharpes with up to 1.5" diameter bar capacity.
To set up and run these machines, we've assembled an impressive
team of gifted machinists with a combined total of more than a century's
experience in working with every conceivable material and geometry.
While
CNC equipment can create complex parts because of its capability
for tool movement in multiple axes, the screw machine can create
complex parts by moving multiple complex tools (form tools) in one
axis. Because of the need for tooling and the time required to set
up screw machines, they are more competitive in large quantities,
from 1000 pieces to millions of pieces.
For
an example of a screw machine part we currently run in the millions,
while holding a dimension to ±.0002, see case
study number 9.
powered
by "Turner drive", a mechanical means of distributing
power through a machine shop from one central power source (usually
a diesel engine) via a rotating shaft running the length of the
shop and coupled to the drive shaft of each machine tool.
As
mature as this technology is, it is still unsurpassed in terms of
pure, blinding speed. Few screw machine cycle times exceed 45 seconds,
and many are less than 4 seconds. Our screw machine department includes
20 Brown and Sharpes with up to 1.5" diameter bar capacity.
To set up and run these machines, we've assembled an impressive
team of gifted machinists with a combined total of more than a century's
experience in working with every conceivable material and geometry.
While
CNC equipment can create complex parts because of its capability
for tool movement in multiple axes, the screw machine can create
complex parts by moving multiple complex tools (form tools) in one
axis. Because of the need for tooling and the time required to set
up screw machines, they are more competitive in large quantities,
from 1000 pieces to millions of pieces.