Machine Tools

Machine tools are machines used for processing metallic materials made through the removal of chips, that is by cutting, deformation and detachment of small pieces of material.
All machine tools are equipped with one or more tools, with single or multiple sharp, tools  which penetrate the material, raising a part, which branches off to form the chip: the chip formation is accompanied by considerable development of heat, that in some cases can also damage the tool.
In machine tools, there are two main movements of particular importance, that the labor movement and the feed mouvement.
The labor movement is the relative motion of the workpiece against the tool or the tool against the workpiece. For example, in the case of the lathe, the labor movement is the rotation of the piece which is affected by the tool;  processing the planer, the table storage, moving longitudinally, takes part in the action of the tool located on the crosspiece; in the shaping machine, on the contrary, it’s the tool,moved by the ram, which makes the labor movement while the workpiece is stationary. In the circular grinding, grinding wheel operator acts on a piece which is then rotated to bring all the generations in contact with the cylindrical grinding wheel, the labor movement is, once again,  the relative movement between grinding wheel and workpiece, for which the rate of work shall, in this case, be determined taking into account the speed of the wheel and the workpiece.
The feed movement, also known as forward motion, is instead the movement that is given to the piece or also to the tool so that the tool does not run always the same route on the piece, and instead aalways new areas are brought into contact with the tool. The feed motion can be possessed by the tool or by the piece. In addition, the forward movement can be continuous (eg, lathe, drill, boring) or discontinuous (eg. planer).