Micro lathe

A micro lathe (also styled micro-lathe or microlathe) is a machine tool used for the complex shaping of metal and other solid materials.

Despite a more available price point and lower rigidity than their larger counterparts, micro lathes still operate within the required tolerances of many tasks.

This makes them particularly useful in applications where small precision pieces are needed for projects like miniature engines that require fine detail and mechanical accuracy.

The smallest CNC micro lathe was made by researchers at the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Olympus Optical Co.

A majority of micro lathes utilize a variable speed electric motor and are usually employed to turn metals such as iron, aluminum, copper, and titanium.