WHAT IS A SWISS-TYPE SCREW MACHINE?
A Swiss-type screw machine is an automatic lathe that has a sliding headstock and a guide bushing. The sliding headstock is the part of the machine that holds the bar stock (usually 12 foot metal or plastic bars) and rotates it at a specified RPM depending upon the diameter and type of material to be cut. The cutting tools move in and out of the material to create the required diameters while the headstock moves the material forward or back to create the required lengths. Unlike many other types of screw machines, Swiss-type machines generate the features of the part by moving the material and the tool at the same time. The headstock contains the collet which clamps the material. The material is then fed through a guide bushing which is usually made of carbide. The bushing is adjusted so that the material can slide through it, but tight enough to keep the material from flexing away from the cutting tool. The guide bushing allows Swiss-type screw machines to hold very tight tolerances o
