Mill Terminology

[oskar]

Which dimension is the “Throat” on a mill?

When they say the Z axis travel on a mill is 6” (as an example) where is the starting point? If we assume the 6” is at the maximum the spindle can go up when the spindle is at 0” does it touches the table or it stops “x” number of inches above the table?

 

[T Bredehoft]

Z axis travel is the distance the head moves or the knee moves up and down. The quill extends down from the head and moves its own distance.
Touching the table is optional in both cases.

 

[Bob Korves]

Which dimension is the “Throat” on a mill?

Throat is the maximum distance from the center of the spindle to the structure of the machine. In other words, with a throat depth of 12 inches you can just drill a hole in the center of a 24" round disc. Throat dimensions are used in all kinds of machines to show capacity. On a drill press it is the dimension from the column face to the spindle center line, similar to how a vertical mill is measured.

Edit: Swing is typically double the throat depth.

 

[oskar]

Thank you

 

[Richard King 2]

This may help you

http://web.mit.edu/2.670/www/Tutorials/Machining/mill/Description.html

 

[oskar]

Thanks Richard for the link

 

[Richard King 2]

Z isn't on the photo but as the others said Z on a Mill is Up and down

 

[Bob Korves]

Z isn't on the photo but as the others said Z on a Mill is Up and down

Not on a horizontal mill... Or a boring mill...

 

[T Bredehoft]

Not on a horizontal mill...

Picky picky.

If we assume the 6” is at the maximum the spindle can go up when the spindle is at 0”

Z can't go up on a horizontal mill, we must be talking about a vertical.