Swiss-type turning: when a sliding-headstock lathe is the right choice
Swiss-type lathes support the bar right next to the cut. That makes them ideal for long, slender, small-diameter parts — and the wrong choice for short, chunky ones.
Key takeaways
- Swiss-type lathes support the bar next to the cut through a guide bushing.
- Best for slender parts (L/D from about 3:1), small diameters (≤ 32–42 mm), many features, medium–high volume.
- Limits: diameter, bar tolerance for the guide bushing, remnant waste, longer setup.
- Yağmaksan: 2 Swiss-type lathes to Ø42 mm × 320 mm.
How it works
On a conventional lathe the bar is clamped in the chuck and the tool moves along the part; the further the tool is from the chuck, the more a slender part deflects. On a Swiss-type lathe the headstock slides: it feeds the bar through a guide bushing, and the tools cut right next to that bushing. The unsupported length stays short no matter how long the finished part is.
When Swiss-type pays off
| Part characteristic | Swiss-type | Conventional CNC lathe |
|---|---|---|
| Length-to-diameter ratio | High (from about 3:1 upwards) | Low to moderate |
| Bar diameter | Small — typically up to 32–42 mm | Any |
| Features | Many small features, cross-holes, threads, back working | Simpler geometries, larger features |
| Volume | Medium to high, from bar | Any |
| Bar stock | Usually ground or precision-drawn bar for the guide bushing | Standard bar or blanks |
Limits to keep in mind
Swiss-type machines are limited in diameter, and the guide bushing usually needs bar with a tight diameter tolerance. Each bar leaves a remnant, which is relatively long on a sliding-headstock lathe and matters on expensive materials. Set-up takes longer than on a simple lathe, so very small batches of simple parts are often cheaper on a conventional machine.
Typical parts
Pins and shafts, spindles, connector and contact bodies, valve components, screws and special fasteners, medical and instrument parts — long, slender and feature-rich.
Our Swiss-type capacity
We run 2 sliding-headstock lathes: Tsugami B0386E-III and VAN MR38-V8 (Ø42 mm), for part lengths up to 320 mm. Larger and more complex turned parts go to our multitasking centres.
Related pages
- Capabilities
Multitasking and Swiss-type
Turn-mill to Ø670 × 1,512 mm; Swiss-type bar work to Ø42 mm.
- Capabilities
CNC turning
8 turning centres with C/Y axis and twin spindles, parts to Ø670 × 1,512 mm.
- Technical guides
3-, 4- or 5-axis machining
3+2 vs simultaneous, cost and accuracy trade-offs, which part goes where.
Send us your drawing.
STEP, IGES, DXF or PDF. Quotation within 2–15 business days, depending on size and complexity.