Design and fabrication of a low cost mini lathe machine

Due to its small size, low power consumption, and ability for precision machining, the mini lathe machine has become an important machine tool in laboratories, institutions of learning, and small businesses. Nevertheless, engineering institutions, vocational training centers, and individual students occasionally view micro lathes available in the market as expensive. This paper presents the design and manufacture of an affordable small lathe machine made from locally available materials and mechanical components. The lathe machine designed has capabilities of facing, turning, drilling, chamfering, and threading on polymers and soft metals. The mild steel material is used to fabricate the structural frame while the DC motor is driven using a belt drive system. The spindle speed, torque transmission, feed forces, shaft diameters, and bearings are all calculated during the designing stage. The built prototype demonstrates good machining performance, reduced manufacturing cost, and adequate dimensioning accuracy. Suitability of the machine for use in educational laboratories, prototype manufacture, and hobby machining is verified through experiment. As compared to commercially produced small lathes, the fabrication cost of the machine is considerably reduced. Keywords: Mini Lathe Machine, Low-Cost Machine Tool, Fabrication, Machine Design, Turning Operation, Educational Equipment, Prototype Manufacturing.