Machining is the manufacturing process of shaping metal by removing little bits at a time, rather than by casting. Machine tools and machine tool accessories then, are types of equipment that are used in the machining industry. Machined products are typically parts to other machines, such as screws or plates. There are many different types of equipment used in this process; however, the first, and still most commonly used is a lathe. This article will look at the lathe, as well as some other common machining equipment.

Use of the lathe for shaping raw materials into finished products can be traced back to nearly the beginning of time; this tool was first used for shaping wood and was, most likely, a hybrid of a potter’s wheel and a saw. The use of lathes became more and more common starting around the early 1400’s, and, by the 1800’s, this equipment was the standard for building furniture. During the industrial revolution of the late 1800’s, the lathe was mechanised, which allowed the machines to work with materials other than wood (metal). Today, shaping metal is the primary purpose of the lathe.

Besides the lathe, there are other types of machine tools and machine tool accessories; though these machines perform different functions, many of these still operate on the basic principal of turning to remove excess metal. Some other common machine tools include a drill press (for drilling holes), a gear shaper (for shaping metal gears) and screw machines (for forming threads on screws).