Machine Tool Design 1

Topic 5
Frames

Mostafa ElBahloul
Assistant Professor
Department of Production and Mechanical Design
Spring 2023

Mansoura University
Contents
• Introduction
• Classification of frames
• Design criterion
• Material
• Shape
• Effect of holes and ribs

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Introduction
• A machine tool frame includes a body, which carries and accommodates all other
machine tool parts.
• A machine tool frame mounts and guides the tool and the workpiece and maintains their
specified relative position during the machining process.
• Machine tool frames must therefore be designed to withstand and transmit, without
deflection, the cutting forces and weights of the moving parts of the machine onto the
foundation.
• For a multi-unit frame, the unit must be designed to locate and guide each other in
accordance with the required position between the tool and the workpiece.

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Classification of Frames
• Machine tool frames are classified by layouts into:
1. Open (C-frames)
• Typical examples: turning, drilling, milling, shaping, grinding, slotting, and boring.
2. Closed frames
• Typical examples: planers, jig boring, and double-spindle milling.

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Classification of Frames
• Machine tool frames can also be classified according to the component's hierarchy into
the following categories:
1. Bed, columns, and foundations.
2. Boxes such as speed and feed gearboxes.
3. Elements for supporting the workpiece, such as tables, chucks, face plate, tailstock,
carriage, knees, and aprons.

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Design Criterion
• Frames play an important role in the performance of machine tools as well as the quality
of the workpieces they produce.
• The shape of a machine tool frame is very complex since the optimum construction can
not be found by calculation only; experimental expertise is required.
• Main requirements of a machine tool frames are:
1. High accuracy of guide surfaces.
2. High stiffness and rigidity.
3. High wear resistance.
4. Possibility of simple adjustability, chip removal, and lubrication.
5. Minimum cost.
6. Avoidance of stick-slip effect.

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Design Criterion
• Machine tool frames are designed to satisfy the following requirements:
• Strength • Stiffness • Producibility
• Low cost • Chatter resistance • Wear resistance
• The configuration/shape of machine tool frame is governed by the arrangement of the
necessary cutting and feed movements and their stroke lengths, as well as the size and
capacity of the machine.
• In this regard, chip disposal, transport, and maintenance are also considered.
• The rate of material removal determines the power capacity of the machine tool and
hence the magnitude of the cutting forces.
• The grade of production accuracy is affected by the deformation and deflections of
the frame, which should be kept within specified limits.

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Design Criterion
• The assessment of the behavior of machine tool frame is obtained by evaluating its static
and dynamic characteristics.
Static characteristics
• These characteristics concern the steady deflection under steady operational cutting
forces, the weight of the moving components, and the friction and inertia forces.
• They affect the accuracy of the machined parts and are usually measured by the
static stiffness.
Dynamic characteristics
• The dynamic characteristics are determined mainly by the dynamic deflection and
natural frequencies.
• They affect the machine tool chatter and hence the stability of the machining
operation.

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Material
• Generally, casting is used to produce machine tool frames as it achieve the following
advantages:
1. Good machinability
2. High abrasion resistance
3. Low cost for large lot production
• However, casting has the following difficulties:
1. Long time is required (making patterns and core boxes, aging and stress relieving).
2. Rejection due to defects.
3. Large allowances should be provided.
4. Costs of patterns and core boxes are uneconomical for small lot production.
5. Aging for long times require in-process inventory.

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Material P
d
• To overcome these difficulties, casted frames h
are replaced by welded frames, which achieves l
70% material saving.
Steel
• Considering the frame of a machine tool is a simply 𝑽
Cast Iron
supported beam with the dimensions shown. 9
𝑉𝜎𝑏
• The allowable bending stress and deflection of the
beam could be calculated as: 𝑉𝛿𝑃 Required
Cross-Section
𝑀𝑦 𝑃𝐿3
𝜎𝑏 = 𝛿𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑚 = 𝑉𝜎𝑏
𝐼 48𝐸𝐼
𝑉𝛿𝑃
• Accordingly, the allowable volume is found as:
2
2
3𝑃 1 𝐿2 𝑃1 1 𝐿2
𝑉𝜎𝑏 = 𝑉𝛿𝑃 =
2 𝜎𝑏 ℎ 4 𝐸 𝛿𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑚 ℎ
2 3 𝒍𝟐/𝒉
• The diagram shows the reduction in cross section.
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 engfac.mans.edu.eg

Mostafa ElBahloul
Assistant Professor
mostafaelbahloul@mans.edu.eg