CNC turning machines use stationary cutting tools to remove material from a part, which is mounted on a rotating chuck. This is an ideal way to manufacture parts with symmetry along their center axis. Turned parts are typically produced faster and at a lower cost than milled parts.
Typically, CNC turning systems—also known as lathes—are used to create cylindrical parts. Modern multi-axis CNC turning centers, equipped with CNC milling tools, can manufacture non-cylindrical parts. These systems combine the high productivity of CNC turning with the capabilities of CNC milling and can manufacture a very large range of geometries with rotational symmetry, such as camshafts and radial compressor impellers.