At Swistek, we distribute and service some of the finest machines for manufacturing in the entire world: Swiss-type CNC screw machines. But what is a Swiss-type CNC screw machine? What does Swiss-type mean? Are they made by the Swiss? Are they full of chocolate or gold or clock parts? The answer is much simpler than you may even realize.
The Basics
Like other kinds of lathes, a Swiss-type CNC screw machine allows workers to cut, drill, or otherwise manipulate a workpiece along an axis of rotation in order to guarantee symmetry along that axis. It gets its name from the region it was originally invented in, as Swiss watchmakers initially used them to make the tiny screws for clocks, which helped cement their reputation for making the best timepieces on the entire planet. Today, a Swiss-type CNC, also known as a Swiss Screw Machine, is a type of lathe that is perfect for manufacturing a huge range of parts and pieces.
The Difference
The quality that makes a Swiss CNC screw machine unique from other machines is that it provides material with additional support through what’s called a guide-bushing. The guide-bushing is fitted around the material and prevents a large amount of the bar stock being exposed, which provides rigidity and allows the machine to hold a tight tolerance better than other kinds of lathes.
The Wide Range of Possibilities
While the name Swiss screw machine implies that it is only useful for making screws or other threaded parts, there is actually a wide range of projects and parts that this machine is capable of making. Because of the rigidity and support that the machine provides, turned parts that are long, slender, and detailed are particularly well-suited to being made by a Swiss-type lathe. Of course, Swiss screw machines aren’t only limited to the small and slender. All kinds of parts can be machined on them, to the point where the all major manufacturers in the defense, medical, and aerospace industries rely on Swiss-Type CNC Screw Machines to make many of the parts that their complicated designs include.
A Swiss CNC screw machine is a fantastic addition to any manufacturing floor. To learn more about these machines, click here to view Swistek’s product line.