Experiment No.
9: To perform Parting Operation on Lathe
Theoretical Background
Parting Operation:
This process also called parting off or cutoff is used to create
deep grooves which will remove a completed or part-complete component from its
parent stock. Parting is like grooving, except that grooves are cut to a specific depth
instead of severing a completed/part-complete component from the stock.
With the tip of tool make an initial cut just beyond the surface of work-piece. Turn on
the lathe. Slowly advance the cross-slide crank until the tool starts cutting into the
metal. Keep advancing the tool and you get a steady chip curling off the work-piece
and the try to maintain this cutting speed. Keep advancing the tool until it reaches the
center of the work-piece. As you get close, the work-piece is suspended by a thin
stalk of metal. Be careful, if the work-piece extends from the chuck more than a few
times its diameter. After few cuts the extended portion of work-piece will fall down
after cutting
.
Tool used:
Parting uses a blade-like cutting tool plunged directly into the work piece to
cut off the work piece at a specific length. It is normally used to remove the finished
end of a work piece from the bar stock that is clamped in the chuck. Other uses
include things such as cutting the head off a bolt.
Procedure:
Parting-off is the operation of cutting a work piece after it has been
machined to the desired size and shape. The process involves rotating the work piece
on a chuck or faceplate at half the speed to that of turning and feeding by a narrow
parting off tool perpendicular to the lathe axis by rotating the cross slide screw by
hand. Before the operation starts, the carriage is locked in position on the lathe bed
and the cutting tool is held rigidly on the tool post with the compound slide set
parallel to the lathe axis. The tool should be fed very slowly to prevent chatter. The
feed varies from 0.07 to 0.15 mm per revolution and the depth of cut is equal to the
width of the tool. In parting off, a work of very large diameter, cuts are made in
stages. The parting off tool is first fed through a certain depth, and then withdrawn
and two more cuts are made at the two sides of the central groove. The tool is next
fed into the central groove until the work is cut off in two parts.
Calculations:
Material of work piece = Mild Steel
Material of tool = HSS
Required RPM’s = 230rpm
Drawbacks and Improvements:
The parting tool that is used in laboratory lathes cannot be used
for parting off work pieces of large diameters. For this purpose, special parting tools
can be used or instead of lathe another machine like saw mill can be used to carry out
the operation
Precautions
Always wear approved safety glasses. When operating a lathe, chips fly and it
is important to protect your eyes.
Never wear a ring or watch because it can cause serious injuries.
Always remove the chips with a brush and never with your hand or a cloth.
Steel chips are sharp and can cause cuts if handled manually or with a cloth
that has chips embedded in it.
Whenever polishing, filing, cleaning, or making adjustments to the work piece
or machine, always remove the sharp cutting tool from the tool holder to
prevent serious cuts on your arms and hands.
Always wear approved safety glasses. When operating a lathe, chips fly and it
is important to protect your eyes.
Roll up your sleeves, remove your tie, and tuck in loose clothing. Short sleeves
are preferable because loose clothing can get caught by revolving lathe dogs,
chucks, and rotating parts of the lathe. You can be drawn into the machine and
be seriously injured.
Conclusions:
Experiment is conducted with great care and parting of work material is done by HSS
tool at required RPM’s and learn how to operate lathe machine for parting operations
and how to deal with the quick gear box mechanism for the settings of RPM’s.
