engine lathe

machine tool

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 26, 2026

Quick Summary

An engine lathe is a fundamental machine tool used for turning operations. In this process, unwanted material is removed from a workpiece that rotates against a cutting tool. The engine lathe is considered the precursor to many other machine tools due to its incorporated mechanical elements.

It is capable of various operations, including turning straight or tapered cylindrical shapes, grooves, shoulders, and screw threads, as well as facing flat surfaces. It can also perform internal cylindrical operations like drilling, boring, reaming, and threading. The engine lathe uses a single-point cutting tool for these tasks.12

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lathe
On an engine lathe the tool is clamped onto a cross slide that is power driven on straight paths parallel or perpendicular to the work axis. On a screwcutting lathe the motion of the cutting tool is accurately related to the rotation of the spindle by means…
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On an engine lathe the tool is clamped onto a cross slide that is power driven on straight paths parallel or perpendicular to the work axis. On a screwcutting lathe the motion of the cutting tool is accurately related to the rotation of the spindle by means…
Read More

machine tool
Turning machines
The engine lathe, as the horizontal metal-turning machine is commonly called, is the most important of all the machine tools. It is usually considered the father of all other machine tools because many of its fundamental mechanical elements are incorporated into the design of other machine…
Read More
The engine lathe, as the horizontal metal-turning machine is commonly called, is the most important of all the machine tools. It is usually considered the father of all other machine tools because many of its fundamental mechanical elements are incorporated into the design of other machine…
Read More