Last updated on Mar 8, 2025

What are the most common types and applications of machine tools in different industries?

Machine tools are devices that use power to shape or cut materials, such as metal, wood, or plastic, for various purposes. They are essential for many industries, such as manufacturing, engineering, construction, and aerospace. In this article, you will learn about the history and evolution of machine tools, and the most common types and applications of machine tools in different industries.

1 Origins of machine tools

Machine tools can be traced back to ancient times, when humans used simple tools, such as hammers, chisels, and lathes, to create objects from raw materials. The first recorded use of a machine tool was by the Egyptians, who used a bow drill to bore holes in wood and stone around 3000 BC. The ancient Greeks and Romans also developed various machine tools, such as the screw-cutting lathe, the water mill, and the hydraulic press.

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2 Industrial Revolution and machine tools

The Industrial Revolution, which spanned from the late 18th century to the early 19th century, was a period of rapid technological and social change that transformed the production of goods and services. Machine tools played a crucial role in this transformation, as they enabled the mass production of standardized and interchangeable parts, such as screws, nails, gears, and cylinders. Some of the most influential machine tools invented during this era were the steam engine, the power loom, the spinning jenny, the milling machine, and the metal planer.

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Carl Mikkelsen
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I have disassembled, and will shortly be scrapping, a lathe made in about 1890 by the Blaisdell machine tool company in Worcester, MA. This lathe seems to have been specialized for making short tapers. With a chuck mounted, the longest object it can hold is about 15 inches long. The lathe has an integral taper attachment which can but a +/- 10 degree taper. The lantern-style tool post is moved by the taper attachment across the bed, and it also pivots up through a lifting screw at the rear of the cross slide. Although the manufacturer made lathes with lead-screw power feed to allow the lathe to cut screws, this lathe had only a single-slot powered bar this drives the X-axis power feed, unsynchronized with the spindle.

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3 Modern machine tools and innovations

Machine tools continued to evolve and improve in the 20th and 21st centuries, as new sources of power, materials, and control systems were introduced. Some of the most significant developments were the electric motor, the computer numerical control (CNC), the laser, the plasma cutter, and the additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing. These innovations enabled machine tools to perform faster, more accurately, more complexly, and more efficiently than ever before.

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Anthony Barbet

Expert en fabrication horlogère | Accompagnateur des entreprises du luxe | Passionné par l’excellence et l’innovation
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De mon point de vue dans le secteur du luxe et de l'horlogerie, les avancées telles que l'impression 3D ont révolutionné la fabrication d'outillages pour la production de composants complexes. Cependant, une innovation moins visible mais tout aussi prometteuse est l'émergence des micromachines-outils pour la production de petits composants. Ces micromachines fonctionnent en UGV, permettant un usinage ultra-rapide et précis dans un faible espace de travail, avec des gains de temps pouvant atteindre 30 % par rapport aux machines traditionnelles. Leur faible consommation d'énergie, inférieure à 1 kW, et leur empreinte au sol réduite à moins de 1 m² en font un atout stratégique pour les démarches RSE.

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4 Types of machine tools

Machine tools can be classified into two main categories: cutting tools and forming tools. Cutting tools remove material from a workpiece by means of a cutting edge, such as a drill bit, a saw blade, or a milling cutter. Forming tools shape material by applying pressure or heat, such as a press, a hammer, or a forge. Within these categories, there are many subtypes of machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, drilling machines, grinding machines, turning machines, boring machines, shaping machines, and punching machines.

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5 Applications of machine tools

Machine tools have a broad range of uses in different industries, depending on the type, size, and complexity of the machine tool and the workpiece. In manufacturing, they are used to make engines, turbines, bearings, gears, pipes, and furniture. In engineering, they are used to design and test new materials, structures, and systems such as bridges, buildings, vehicles, and aircraft. In construction they are used to cut, shape and join materials like wood, metal and concrete for building and repairing structures and infrastructures. Aerospace applications include creating and maintaining parts for space exploration and aviation such as rockets, satellites, planes and helicopters. Medical uses include making and repairing medical devices and instruments like implants, prosthetics, surgical tools and diagnostic machines.

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David Fabián González

Limpieza técnica de piezas, componentes y ensambles. Máquinas prácticas y redituables para la industria.
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La utilidad y aplicación de las máquinas herramienta es demasiado amplia, dependiendo la industria y complejidad de la pieza se puede usar un tipo de máquina u otro. Actualmente existen máquinas con diferentes tipos de husillos e interfaz para el portaherramientas, también tamaños y de uno o varios husillos, carreras de los ejes y más. Puedes crear desde piezas muy pequeñas, con características y detalles diminutos, prótesis, partes de avión y de automóvil, moldes, inclusive prototipos y mucho más. Trabajar con materiales blandos, duros y exóticos para industrias como la automotriz, aeroespacial, médica etc. Existen equipos que pueden hacer desde una sola operación específica hasta una pieza completa, depende de tu necesidad.

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What are the most common types and applications of machine tools in different industries?

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1 Origins of machine tools

2 Industrial Revolution and machine tools

3 Modern machine tools and innovations

4 Types of machine tools

5 Applications of machine tools

Machine Tools

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