A
metal lathe or
metalworking lathe is a large class of
lathes designed for precisely
machining relatively hard materials. They were originally designed to machine
metals; however, with the advent of
plastics and other materials, and with their inherent versatility, they are used in a wide range of applications, and a broad range of materials. In machining
jargon, where the larger context is already understood, they are usually simply called
lathes, or else referred to by more-specific subtype names (
toolroom lathe,
turret lathe, etc.). These rigid
machine tools remove material from a
rotating workpiece via the (typically
linear) movements of various cutting tools, such as
tool bits and
drill bits.