TABLE OF CONTENTS Groove cutting on CNC lathes is a multi step machining operation. The term grooving usually applies to a process of forming a narrow cavity of a certain depth, on a cylinder, cone, or a face of the part. The groove shape, or at least a significant part of it, will be in the shape of the cutting tool. Grooving tools are also used for a variety of special machining operations.
The grooving tool is usually a carbide insert mounted in a special tool holder, similar to any other tool. Designs of grooving inserts vary, from a single tip, to an insert with multiple tips. Inserts are manufactured to nominal sizes. Multi tip insert grooving tools are used to decrease costs and increase productivity.
The cutting tools for grooving are either external or internal and use a variety of inserts in different configurations. The most important difference between grooving and turning is the direction of cut. Turning tool can be applied for cuts in multiple directions, grooving tool is normally used to cut in a single direction only. A notable exception is an operation known as necking (relief grooving), which takes place at 45 , where the angle of the cutting insert and the angle of infeed must be identical (usually at 45 ). There is another application of a two axis simultaneous motion in grooving, a corner breaking on the groove. Strictly speaking, this is a turning operation. Although a grooving tool is not...
