Swiss-type Lathe — officially known as a sliding-headstock CNC lathe, it can also be referred to as a spindle box movable CNC automatic lathe, an economical turn-mill composite machine tool, or a longitudinal cutting lathe. As a precision machining equipment, it can simultaneously complete multiple composite machining processes such as turning, milling, drilling, boring, tapping, and engraving in one operation. It is mainly used for the mass production of precision hardware, shaft-type special-shaped parts, and non-standard components.

    This machine tool originated first in Germany and Switzerland. Initially, it was mainly used for precision machining of military equipment. With the continuous development and expansion of industrialization, due to the urgent demand of the market, it gradually began to be applied to the processing of civilian products. The development of similar machine tools in Japan and South Korea was earlier than that in China. In the early days, they were mainly concentrated in the use in the military industry. After the war, with the demand for development, they gradually became widely used in the manufacturing industry. Subsequently, Taiwan, China introduced this technology and independently developed equipment of this type to meet different processing needs.

    The development of Swiss-type lathes in China started relatively late. Due to technological isolation and policy restrictions, China mainly relied on imports to meet processing needs before the 1990s. With the continuous development of automation and the strong market demand, a large number of capable CNC Swiss-type lathe manufacturers emerged in the Chinese market. Production of this series of machine tools is carried out in coastal areas such as Guangdong, Jiangsu, Nanjing, Shandong, Liaoning, as well as inland cities like Xi'an. They have achieved good market application and filled the domestic gap.

Turn-milling machines have made a qualitative leap in processing efficiency and precision compared to CNC lathes. By adopting a dual-axis tool arrangement, they significantly reduce processing cycle time. This is achieved through shortened tool exchange time between the tool post and the opposite tool turret, overlapping functions of multiple tool turrets, effective axial movement overlap for thread cutting, and direct spindle indexing function during secondary processing, all of which contribute to reducing idle running time. The chip-forming tools operate continuously at the spindle and workpiece clamping area, ensuring consistent processing precision. The maximum processing diameter of turn-milling machines on the market is 38mm, giving them a significant advantage in the precision shaft processing market. This series of machine tools can be equipped with automatic feeding devices to achieve full automation production on a single machine, reducing labor costs and product defect rates. They are particularly suitable for mass production

 of precision shaft parts.

Features and Advantages

Compared with conventional CNC machining processes, multi-task machining (turn-mill composite machining) offers prominent advantages in the following aspects:

(1) Shortens the product manufacturing process chain and improves production efficiencyTurn-mill composite machining enables complete or most machining operations to be finished in a single setup, significantly shortening the product manufacturing process chain. This not only reduces the auxiliary production time caused by setup changes but also shortens the manufacturing cycle and waiting time for fixtures, thereby remarkably improving production efficiency.

(2) Reduces the number of setups and enhances machining precisionFewer setups avoid error accumulation resulting from the conversion of positioning datums. Meanwhile, most turn-mill composite machining equipment is equipped with in-process inspection capabilities, enabling in-situ detection of key manufacturing data and precision control. This effectively improves the machining precision of products.

(3) Saves floor space and lowers production costsAlthough the unit price of turn-mill composite machining equipment is relatively high, the shortened manufacturing process chain, reduced number of required machines, and decreased usage of fixtures, workshop floor space, and equipment maintenance costs effectively lower the total investment in fixed assets, as well as production and management costs.

Design Features

Due to the structural differences between Swiss-type lathes and traditional CNC lathes, Swiss-type lathes offer higher machining efficiency and precision. Equipped with a dual-axis tool arrangement, this design significantly reduces the machining cycle time. By shortening the tool change time between the gang tool post and the opposing tool post, it achieves multiple tool post overlapping, effective axial movement overlapping for thread cutting, and direct spindle indexing during secondary machining—all of which minimize idle travel time.

In the machining process of the spindle and workpiece clamping area, the cutting tools play a crucial role in ensuring consistent machining precision. In the current Swiss-type lathe market, the maximum machining diameter is 38mm, giving these machines a significant advantage in the precision shaft machining sector. This series of machine tools can also be equipped with automatic feeding devices to realize fully automated production on a single machine, reducing labor costs and defective products during production. They are particularly suitable for mass-producing high-precision shaft components.