Shaper, Planner, Slotter

By S K Mondal
Shaper
 Shaper
The relative motions between the tool and the workpiece,
shaping and planing use a straight-line cutting motion
with a single-point cutting tool to generate a flat surface.
In shaping, the workpiece is fed at right angles to the
cutting motion between successive strokes of the tool.
For either shaping or planing, the tool is held in a clapper
box which prevents the cutting edge from being damaged
on the return stroke of the tool.
Relatively skilled workers are required to operate shapers
and planers, and most of the shapes that can be produced
on them also can be made by much more productive
processes, such as milling, broaching, or grinding.
Shaper
Quick return motion Mechanism
 Quick return motion Mechanism
In shaping, the cutting tool is held in the tool post
located in the ram, which reciprocates over the work
with a forward stroke, cutting at velocity V and a quick
return stroke at velocity VR.
The rpm rate of the drive crank (Ns) drives the ram and
determines the velocity of the operation.

cu ttin g strok e an gle

 The stroke ratio, R s 
360 0
 Ram Drive
The mechanical ram drive is a slotted arm quick
return motion mechanism,
 Feed Mechanism
Table feed is intermittent and is accomplished on the

return (non cutting) stroke when the tool has cleared

the workpiece.
The cross feed is given to the table with the help of a

cross feed screw which is actuated by a pawl which

engages a notched wheel (ratchet) keyed to the screw.
 Classification of Shaper Machine
Shapers, as machine tools usually are classified according
to their general design features as follows,
1. Horizontal
a. Push-cut
b.Pull-cut or draw cut shaper
2. Vertical
a. Regular or slotters
b.Keyseaters
3. Special purpose
 Formula
N L (1  m )
Cutting speed, V 
1000
w
Number of strokes, N s 
f
L (1  m )
Time of one stroke, t  m in
1000V
L (1  m ) L w (1  m )
Total time,T  Ns  m in
1000v 1000vf
Hydraulic Shaper
Advantages of hydraulic shaping
1. Cutting speed remains constant throughout most of the cutting stroke, unlike
the crank shaper where the speed changes continuously.

2. Since the power available remains constant throughout, it is possible to

utilise the full capacity of the cutting tool during the cutting stroke.

3. The ram reverses quickly without any shock due the hydraulic cylinder
utilised. The inertia of the moving parts is relatively small.

4. The range and number of cutting strokes possible are relatively large in
hydraulic shaper.

5. More strokes per minute can be achieved by consuming less time for reversal
and return strokes.
 Planer
Planing can be used to produce horizontal, vertical, or
inclined flat surfaces on workpieces that are too large to
be accommodated on shapers.
Planing is much less efficient than other basic
machining processes, such as milling, that will produce
such surfaces.
Planing and planers have largely been replaced by planer
milling machines or machines that can do both milling
and planing.
 Slotter
Slotting machine is basically a vertical axis shaper. Thus
the workpieces, which cannot be conveniently held in
shaper, can be machined in a slotter.
Generally, keyways, splines, serrations, rectangular
grooves and similar shapes are machined in a slotting
machine.
The stroke of the ram is smaller in slotting machines
than in shapers to account for the type of the work that is
handled in them.
Slotter
 Slotter
The types of tools used in a slotter are very similar to
those in a shaper, except that the cutting actually takes
place in the direction of cutting.
However, in view of the type of surfaces that are possible
in the case of slotter, a large variety of boring bars or
single-point tools with long shanks are used.
 IAS - 1994
Stroke of a shaping machine is 250 mm. It makes 30
double strokes per minute. Overall average speed of
operation is
(a)3.75 m/min (b) 5.0 m/min
(c)7.5 m/min (d) 15 m/min
 GATE-2012 (PI)
In a shaping process, the number of double strokes per
minute is 30 and the quick return ratio is 0.6. If the
length of the stroke is 250 mm, the average cutting
velocity in m/min is
(a) 3.0 (b) 4.5 (c) 7.5 (d) 12.0
 GATE - 2005
A 600 mm x 30 mm flat surface of a plate is to be
finish machined on a shaper. The plate has been
fixed with the 600 mm side along the tool travel
direction. If the tool over-travel at each end of the
plate is 20 mm, average cutting speed is 8 m/min,
feed rate is 0.3 mm/stroke and the ratio of return
time to cutting time of the tool is 1:2, the time
required for machining will be
(a)8 minutes (b) 12 minutes
(c)16 minutes (d) 20 minutes
 IES – 1994, ISRO-2008
Given that, average cutting speed = 9 m/min, the
return time to cutting time ratio is = 1 : 2, the feed
rate = 0.3 mm/stroke, the clearance at each end of
cut = 25 mm and that the plate is fixed with 700 mm
side along the direction of tool travel, the time
required for finishing one flat surface of a plate of
size 700 x 30 mm in a shaper, will be
(a)10 min (b) 12.5 min
(c)15 min (d) 20 min
 GATE-2014
A cast iron block of 200 mm length is being shaped in a
shaping machine with a depth of cut of 4 mm, feed of
0.25 mm/stroke and the tool principal cutting edge angle
of 30o. Number of cutting strokes per minute is 60. Using
specific energy for cutting as 1.49 J/mm3 the average
power consumption (in watt) is ………….
 IES - 2004
Consider the following alignment tests on machine
tools
1. Straightness 2. Flatness
3. Run out 4. Parallelism
Which of the above alignment tests on machine tools are
common to both lathe and shaper?
(a)1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c)3 and 4 (d) 1 and 4
 IES - 2001
In a shaper machine, the mechanism for tool feed is
(a)Geneva mechanism
(b) Whitworth mechanism
(c)Ratchet and Pawl mechanism
(d) Ward- Leonard system
 IES 2010
Assertion (A): Longitudinal cutting motion of the
tool and cross-wise feed motion of the job generates
flat surfaces in planning process.
Reason (R): Jobs used in planning machines are
generally long and heavy compared to shaping.
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the
correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is NOT the
correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
 IES - 1997
Which of the following are the advantages of a
hydraulic shaper over a mechanically driven shaper?
1. More strokes per minute can be obtained at a given
cutting speed.
2. The cutting stroke has a definite stopping point.
3. It is simpler in construction.
4. Cutting speed is constant throughout most of the
cutting stroke.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a)1 and 2 (b) 1 and 4
(c)2 and 4 (d) 1, 3 and 4
 IES - 1995
In a mechanical shaper, the length of stroke is
increased by
(a)Increasing the centre distance of bull gear and crank
pin
(b) Decreasing the centre distance of bull gear and
crank pin
(c)Increasing the length of the ram
(d) Decreasing the length of the slot in the slotted
lever
 IAS - 1995
Size of a shaper is given by
(a)Stroke length (b) Motor power
(c)Weight of the machine (d) Table size.
 ISRO-2010
The cutting speed of the tool in a mechanical
shaper is
(a) Maximum at the beginning of the cutting stroke
(b) Maximum at the end of the cutting stroke
(c) Maximum at the middle of the cutting stroke
(d) Minimum at the middle of the cutting stroke
 GATE-2014 (PI)
Match the following
Group I (Mechanism) Group II (Machines)
P Quick return 1 Lathe
Q Apron 2 Shaping
R Intermittent indexing 3 Gear hobbing
S Differential mechanism 4 Milling

(a) P1-Q2-R4-S3 (b) P2-Q1-R4-S3

(c) P4-Q1-R2-S3 (d) P2-Q3-R1-S4