Explanation of Machine Tool Model Designations

Currently, machine tools in our country are divided into eleven major categories: lathes, drilling machines, boring machines, grinding machines, gear processing machine tools, thread processing machine tools, milling machines, planing and slotting machines, shaping machines, sawing machines, and other machine tools. This article mainly introduces lathe models and the meaning of letters and numbers in lathe model designations.

Before understanding lathe model designations, we need to know general-purpose machine tools, precision machine tools, and high-precision machine tools. General-purpose machine tools include ordinary lathes, drilling machines, boring machines, milling machines, and planing machines. Precision machine tools mainly include grinding machines, gear processing machine tools, thread processing machines, and other precision equipment; high-precision machine tools include coordinate grinders, gear grinders, thread grinders, high-precision hobbing machines, and other high-precision machines.

In everyday practice you may see lathe models like CA614A. What does this sequence represent? Let us explain together below.

Category codes for machine tools

Machine tools are divided into eleven categories, each with a category code: lathe C, drilling Z, milling X, grinding M, gear processing Y, thread processing S, planing and slotting B, shaping L, sawing G, and other machine tools 0. These codes are based on the initials of the Chinese pinyin.

General characteristic codes

1. General characteristic codes

If a machine tool type has a general characteristic (other than the ordinary type), the characteristic code is appended after the category code. Common general characteristic codes include: high precision G, precision M, semi-automatic B, numerical control K, machining center H, profiling F, lightweight Q, heavy-duty C, economy type, flexible machining unit R, digital display X, high-speed S, etc. These codes are generally based on initials as well.

After learning the category and general characteristic codes, you can form various model designations. For example, K stands for CNC lathe, MB for semi-automatic grinding machine, and so on.

2. Structural characteristic codes

Machines with the same main parameters but different structures or performance add structural characteristic codes to distinguish them, using pinyin letters such as A, D, L, N, P, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, etc. If one letter is insufficient, two letters may be combined. When a model has a general characteristic code, the structural characteristic code follows it; if there is no general characteristic code, the structural code follows the category code.

Series codes

A group refers to machine tools of the same type with similar layout and use. In the same group, machines with the same main parameters and similar structure form the same series. Each type is divided into 10 groups, and each group is divided into 10 series. The group code is a single Arabic digit placed after the category or general characteristic code. The series code is a single digit placed after the group code. The table below shows the grouping for lathe series.

Main parameter codes

Main parameters reflect the machine tool size and are called first main parameters. The parameter code follows the series code and is represented by Arabic numerals, generally indicating the main parameter or its fraction. Different machine tools have different main parameters. After the first main parameter comes spindle count and the second main parameter, which may indicate maximum span, maximum workpiece length, or maximum module. The second main parameter is usually expressed in two digits.

After the main parameter code comes the major revision letter. Major structural improvements that require redesign and testing are marked with letters such as A, B appended to the model to distinguish them from the original product. Major revisions differ from completely new designs; they are improvements based on the original machine tool.

With the above knowledge, you should now be able to interpret the lathe model CA614A: C is lathe, A is a structural characteristic code, 61 indicates a horizontal lathe, 40 represents the main parameter (maximum workpiece turning diameter 400mm), and A denotes the first major revision.