Citizen Cincom L20 and M32 sliding-headstock lathes. The guide bushing supports the bar right where the cutting tool meets it — enabling slenderness ratios that no conventional lathe can achieve. For small precision parts in quantities from 100 to 100,000.
On a conventional lathe, the bar is gripped in a chuck; the cutting tool extends out to meet it. The further the tool cuts from the chuck, the more the bar can deflect under cutting force. On a Swiss-type lathe, the bar feeds through a carbide guide bushing that sits immediately behind the cutting zone — the bar is supported at the point where force is applied, eliminating deflection.
This matters most for small-diameter parts with complex features. A Ø3 mm Ti-6Al-4V shaft with an O-ring groove and cross-hole is nearly impossible on a conventional lathe — the bar flexes under tool pressure. On a Swiss, it's routine. Combined with live tooling on multiple slides, a complex medical component can be completed in a single cycle in under a minute.
Swiss-type is the right choice for parts with diameter < 32 mm, features on multiple radial planes, and production quantity above ~200 pieces. For small quantities (<50 pcs), conventional turning is usually cheaper because Swiss setup time is higher. For diameters above 32 mm, use a conventional lathe with bar feeder.
| Machine | Capacity | Spindle / Capability | Qty | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citizen Cincom L20-VIII | Ø20 mm bar · 8 axes · sub-spindle | 10,000 rpm main · 8,000 rpm live tool | 3 | Micro-parts, medical guides, connector pins |
| Citizen Cincom M32-VIII | Ø32 mm bar · 8 axes · sub-spindle | 8,000 rpm main · 6,000 rpm live tool | 2 | Mid-diameter precision parts, automotive injectors |
| Tsugami BE20-V | Ø20 mm bar · 6 axes | 12,000 rpm main · 8,000 rpm live tool | 1 | High-volume small parts, electronics pins |
Bone screws, Kirschner wires, suture anchors. Usually Ti-6Al-4V ELI (ASTM F136) or 316LVM stainless, passivated and electropolished.
Precision-turned contacts for RF connectors, D-sub pins, hermetic feedthroughs. Brass or beryllium copper, often gold or nickel plated.
Watch pivots, crown stems, pushers. Historically the origin of Swiss-type machining — the precision requirements haven't changed.
Injector nozzles, needle valves, fuel metering components. 440C stainless or hardenable tool steel with precision bore tolerances.
Thermocouple sheaths, pressure sensor housings, optical waveguides. Often exotic alloys like Kovar, Invar, or Hastelloy.
Specialty aerospace fasteners, hinge pins, bushings. A286 stainless, Inconel 718, Ti-6Al-4V. FAI and lot traceability standard.
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