How Does a Screw Machine Work?

Screw machines are among the lesser-renowned but majorly valuable tools in a manufacturer’s assorted arsenal. They are automated, rotary lathes that turn a workpiece to shave down material (usually metal) until the workpiece is whittled into shape.

The Evolution of CNC Screw Machining

Screw machining technology received its name generations ago, circa the mid-19th century. It was then used to make screws, but has more recently evolved beyond that purpose to create an assortment of pieces not limited to threaded parts. 

In 1845 Stephen Finch introduced one of the first things to be called a “screw machine,” a manually-operated turret lathe. With its newfound productive utility, one of its first significant orders filled a government contract for 30,000 percussion locks for pistols. 

Not long thereafter, in the 1860s, Joseph R. Brown innovated a more efficient and modern screw machine that was mechanically automated using drum cans. Another game-changing addition, the rotary cam, transformed rotational movement into linear movement. 

The screw machine gained another revolutionary upgrade in the 1950s with the advent of CNC, or computer numerical control. Though cam-operated screw machines are still in use, CNC-powered automatic screw machines now mass-produce an almost limitless variety of parts with minimal human involvement.

Automatic Screw Machining is Going Strong

Since the advent of computer control, generations of crafting tinier and more precise components have led to technological advancements in output and delicacy. Today’s CNC Swiss screw machine, initially invented to make screws for Swiss watchmaking, has evolved to provide nigh unbelievable capabilities. It can spin workpieces at 10,000 RPM to achieve exceptional accuracies of 0.0002 to 0.0005 inches. And while automatic Swiss screw machines offer the benefit of being able to handle multiple operations at once, they cannot match the precision of their CNC counterparts. 

Steel, brass, aluminum, copper, and titanium are popular choices across multiple sectors, including commercial production. These robust materials provide additional benefits beyond their strength, such as lightness, recyclability, corrosion resistance, conductivity, and more. The diminutive pieces made through screw machining are indispensable to the industries that are themselves indispensable to modern comfort, convenience, and health: medical, dental, automotive, aerospace, defense, and energy, to name a few. 

Get in Touch Today for Top Quality Components! 

Beltim & Associates proudly partners with the full range of modern industry and all-discipline OEMs. From design to inspection, your project receives our utmost attention every step of the way. So get a free quote or reach out to us today for your machining needs, big or small!