Machining encompasses all manufacturing processes in which material is gradually removed from the surface of a workpiece using tools (such as cutting tools or grinding machines). Since 1926, we at Flühs have specialised in manufacturing customized components using turning machining technology.
Machining is a very old manufacturing process that is used to produce components for many industries. Examples include threaded bushings, shafts, implants, housings, axles for the automotive sector, medical technology, building technology, and aerospace. Machining is a key manufacturing process for the industrial sector, producing essential products for almost all industries. There are various machining processes, such as turning, milling, drilling, and grinding.
On this site, we explain what machining is, what different types of machining there are, and what services we offer in the field of machining.
Machining (also known as cutting or chip removal) is a collective term for subtractive manufacturing processes in which workpieces are given a specific geometric shape by continuously removing material from their surface. An example of machining is the process of forming metal rods into screws.
According to DIN 8580 (the industry standard for manufacturing processes), machining belongs to the main group of separating processes. The 4 most important cutting processes are turning, milling, grinding, and drilling. In the metalworking industries, turning, drilling, and milling are particularly widespread.
In all machining processes, excess material (chips) is removed from a workpiece, for example, a metal bar. This makes the component smaller and changes its shape. There are 3 different types of chips that are formed during the machining process: continuous chips, discontinuous chips, and shear chips.
A continuous chip is formed in the shear zone by plastic deformation and is uniform in shape. It is produced at high cutting speeds and temperatures, with the cutting tool in continuous contact with the material.
Discontinuous chips or segmental chips are often generated when machining brittle materials. The chip breaks off in front of the cutting edge without significant deformation as a result of a tear. Discontinuous chips produce a rough surface and often occur when machining particularly brittle materials, such as ceramics, glass or hardened steel.
A shear chip is created by deformation in the shear zone and occurs in high-strength materials with low ductility, such as titanium. The material is stressed beyond its forming capacity and tears apart parallel to the shear plane.
Most ferrous and non-ferrous (NF) metals, such as aluminum, brass, red brass, or stainless steel, are suitable for machining. Wood and plastics can also be machined. Materials with very high strength, such as titanium, are difficult to machine; they require the use of special, very sharp-edged, and hard tools.
Machining can be carried out manually or automatically. In an industrial context, mechanical machining processes are generally used, inter alia, by machining centers, CNC machines, or similar.
There are different types of machining, which are explained below.
There are 2 different types of machining: machining with a geometrically defined cutting edge (like milling or turning) and machining with a geometrically undefined cutting edge (like grinding). In machining with geometrically defined cutting edges, the geometry and number of cutting edges are known. This includes turning, drilling, and milling. In machining with geometrically undefined cutting edges, the number and geometry of the cutting edges are unknown. This mainly includes grinding, but also blast machining and vibratory finishing. Tools used for machining with geometrically undefined cutting edges consist of many grains. These grains form cutting edges that separate chips in the micrometre range.
The most common types of machining techniques are described below.
Turning is a machining process that involves cutting with a geometrically defined cutting edge and is used to manufacture rotationally symmetrical components. During turning, the workpiece rotates around its own axis and is machined by tools. Cutting, grooving, and shaping tools are used for machining. Flühs uses turning to manufacture individual turned parts for assemblies and components in valve technology.
Milling is the removal of contours from a fixed workpiece using rotating tools. It is a form of machining with geometrically defined cutting edges and is used, among other things, to produce grooves and guide components.
Drilling is a machining process for producing internal surfaces (bores) by inserting a drill bit into the workpiece. Drilling is a machining process with a geometrically defined cutting edge. It is used, for example, in the manufacture of engine blocks, door locks, housings, and lock cylinders.
Grinding is a cutting process that involves machining with an undefined cutting edge and is used for finishing or smoothing surfaces.
Blast machining is a process for the targeted removal of layers from a workpiece by directing a jet of abrasive particles (like sand) at the workpiece under high pressure. This process is used, among other things, to manufacture precision components for the automotive industry and for aerospace technology.
Vibratory finishing, also known as barrel finishing or tumbling, is a separating process in which the workpiece is placed in a tub together with loose abrasive grains. It is a type of machining with an undefined cutting edge and is mainly used in metalworking.
At Flühs Drehtechnik, the primary manufacturing process is turning.
Otto Flühs founded Flühs Drehtechnik in 1926 as a turned parts manufacturer. Today, 100 years later, we have state-of-the-art CNC automatic lathes that enable us to produce approximately 1 million turned parts per day.
The turned parts from Flühs Drehtechnik are primarily used in valve technology and the fittings industry. We specialize in particular in brass, which is very easy to machine.
Brass is easy to machine because it has a uniform microstructure and tool wear is comparatively low. The low tool wear compared to other metals is due to the good thermal conductivity of brass and the short chips that form during machining. Brass is extremely easy to machine and can be used in a wide range of applications, for example, in drinking water installations, electrical applications, or in the automotive sector.
Due to the versatile applications of brass in machining, Flühs is able to manufacture individual assemblies that are precisely tailored to the respective customer or user requirements.
Thanks to the use of CNC lathes, all machining process steps are fully automated, from loading the lathe to quality control. The high degree of automation in the machining process ensures consistently high quality and extreme precision for every single turned part.
Please fill in the blanks below and send us your questions and requests.