12 Automatic Lathe Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for automatic lathes as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 12 automatic lathe manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked automatic lathe companies as of November, 2024: 1.Murata Machinery USA, Inc. | Muratec USA, 2.Smart Machine Tool U.S.A, 3.TRAK Machine Tools - Southwestern Industries.
Table of Contents
What Is an Automatic Lathe?
An automatic lathe, or a multi-axis automatic lathe, is a machine tool that shapes material by applying a cutting tool to it while it rotates. These lathes are often controlled by CNC (computerized numerical control), enhancing precision and efficiency in the machining process.
Uses of Automatic Lathes
Automatic lathes are indispensable in metalworking manufacturing for cutting bar-shaped materials. They automate the machining process to produce parts with consistent shapes, such as screws and rotary shaft parts. While lathe turning produces chips and swarf, automatic lathes enable efficient mass production by minimizing waste, unlike forging and heading, which require expensive dies.
Principle of Automatic Lathes
Automatic lathes consist of a cutting process unit and a control unit. The machine secures the material using a chuck, rotates it with a spindle, and applies cutting tools mounted on a tool post. To accommodate various processing types, the tool post can hold multiple tools and automatically switch between them, using mechanisms like combs or turrets for tool change.
The control unit, which is operated through an operation panel, manages the spindle's rotation speed, tool selection, and tool movement. Operators input machining programs to shape the material into the desired form.
Types of Automatic Lathes
Automatic lathes vary by control method and configuration:
1. Classification by Control Method
They are categorized into CNC automatic lathes, which use computer programs and servo motors, and cam-type automatic lathes, which rely on mechanically produced cams for operation movements.
2. Classification by Machine Configuration
Bar Workpiece Machines: These machines process longer materials by cutting and re-gripping to achieve the desired shape.
Profile Processing Machines: These machines work on pre-cut materials to the required length for single products, processing each by changing grips.
3. Classification by Moving Part
Models differ by whether the spindle head or the tool post moves. The spindle head mobile type uses a guide bush to stabilize the material during machining, reducing material deflection.
List of 12 Automatic Lathe Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
- Default
- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- Germany
- Japan
- Taiwan
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Smart Machine Tool U.S.A
Lathe Macine
Manufacturer Overview
Smart Machine Tool U.S.A. is an American manufacturer of machine tools founded in 2018 and based in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. The company's product portfolio includes 2- and 3-axis CNC lathes, drill tap and milling machines, vertical or horizontal machining centers, and bridge mills. These are primarily used by clients in the medical, aerospace, automotive, and defense sectors. Aside from machine tools, the company also offers additional parts and installation services for customers requiring additional support.
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Murata Machinery USA, Inc. | Muratec USA
Automatic Lathes
Manufacturer Overview
Murata Machinery USA, Inc. is based in Charlotte, North Carolina as a subsidiary of Murata Machinery, Ltd., originally founded in 1935 in Japan. The company is a manufacturer of world-class machinery and a provider of automated solutions for companies from many industries. The company manufactures CNC turning, fabrication, and textile machinery, as well as other integrated technologies designed to improve productivity and process automation. The company’s specialized services include automated guided vehicles, machine rebuild programs, and replacement parts of fabricated machinery and CNC turning tools.
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TRAK Machine Tools - Southwestern Industries
TRAK TC820si Turning Center
Company Overview
TRAK Machine Tools - Southwestern Industries, Inc., established in 1962 and headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of CNC machine tools. The company's product range includes CNC bed mills, knee mills, vertical machining centers, 3D printers, and additive manufacturing systems. It serves diverse industries like aerospace, defense, medical, automotive, and industrial, offering many services including machine tool sales, repair, 3D printing solutions, and additive manufacturing training. Accredited by the National Machine Tool Builders Association (NMTBA) and the ASME, the company draws on decades of experience in the machine tool industries.
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OptiPro Systems
Automatic Lathes
Company Overview
OptiPro Systems located in the Rochester (NY) area is a manufacturer of precision optical fabrication machines and metrology systems since 1982. In 2011, OptiPro expanded its facility to 20,000 square feet to accommodate the company's growth. Eventually, a second building was added, and in 2014, OptiPro was named the exclusive distributor for Methods Machine Tools in Upstate NY. Three years later, in 2017 OptiPro was again named the exclusive distributor for Methods Machine Tools in Upstate NY.
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Shun Chuan Precision Machinery Co., Ltd.
CNC Lathe
Manufacturer Overview
Shun Chuan Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. was established in 1994 and is based in Yuanli Township, Taiwan as a manufacturer of metalworking machinery. The company’s product portfolio includes conventional lathes, CNC lathes, and other precision lathes, among others. The lathes and accessories offered by the company are essential components in metal processing, enabling accurate and efficient machining. The products are used in various industries such as aerospace, automotive, construction, and mining. It is suitable for multiple purposes, from manual operation to computerized control.
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LICO MACHINERY CO., LTD.
Traub-type Automatic Lathes
Manufacturer Overview
LICO MACHINERY CO. LTD. is a Taiwanese manufacturer of various turning machines that was established in Taichung City in 1978. The company produces turning centers in a wide range of configurations, including twin turret, sub-spindle, and gang type models. It also offers multi-slide CNC screw machines, traub-type automatic lathes, and custom engineered solutions by customer specifications or use cases. The company’s products are used primarily by clients in the electronics, electrical, automotive, and aerospace industries.
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NIDEC SANKYO
Automatic Lathe
Manufacturer Overview
Nidec Corporation was founded in Kyoto, Japan in 1973 and is a conglomerate with over 200 subsidiaries. Primary products are hard-disk drive motors and automotive parts, and specializes motors ranging from miniature to gigantic. Nidec’s products are used in robotics, automotive, home appliances, agriculturel equipments well as molding, cutting, and machining equipment and sensors.
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INDEX-Werke GmbH & Co.
Multi-spindle automatic machines overview
Manufacturer Overview
INDEX-Werke GmbH & Co. KG Hahn & Tessky is a German manufacturer of CNC machines that was established in Esslingen, Baden-Württemberg in 1914. Under the TRAUB brand — which the company acquired in 1997 — it produces various machines including automatic and multi-spindle lathes, turn-mill centers, CNC turning machines, and Swiss-type lathes. It also offers accessories and tool holders, as well as automation solutions for the incorporation of robots and conveyors into production lines. The company’s products are used mainly in Germany’s aerospace, medical, automotive, and industrial manufacturing sectors.
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KNUTH Machine Tools USA, Inc
Lathes
Manufacturer Overview
KNUTH Machine Tools USA is the American subsidiary of Knuth, originally founded in 1928. The American subsidiary is headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois. The company is a manufacturer of industrial machinery and accessories. The company has an extensive product listing including lathes, milling machines, grinding machines, drilling machines, as well as several others. The company’s accessories include consumables for EDM and cutting machines, machining tools, and machine accessories. The company also offers start-up services, maintenance services, repair, and spare parts services.
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Weldlogic, Inc.
Automatic Lathes
Manufacturer Overview
Weldlogic was started in 1978 and is headquartered in Newbury Park, California. The company serves both domestic and international customers globally in the medical, sensor, aircraft, military, and oil industries as an engineer and manufacturer of welding systems and roll-forming systems. In addition to welding systems and roll forming systems, the company offers various custom systems, tube manufacturing cells, welding power supplies, and laser welding systems. The company offers process validation via pretesting systems and guarantees that the quality and specifications of every system delivered meet or exceed customer requirements.
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STAR MICRONICS CO., LTD.
CNC Swiss Type Automatic Lathes
Company Overview
Star Micronics Co. Ltd. is a ISO 9001-certified manufacturer of machine tools and card reader/writers established in Shizuoka, Japan, in 1950. The company’s product lineup includes automatic lathes for various metal cutting operations, signal conditioners for processing or converting signals, and card readers/writers for I/O operations from magnetic or smart cards and RFID tags. It also offers small printers for printing receipts or tickets from point-of-sale systems and kiosks. The company operates internationally, with subsidiaries such as Star Micronics America, Inc. and Star Micronics Europe Ltd.
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Surplex GmbH
Automatic Lathes
Distributor Overview
Surplex GmbH is an e-commerce supplier of digital auction trade for used machinery and was founded in 1999 and headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. The product categories are metal, wood, and construction with machinery such as excavators, containers, construction vehicles, rollers, loaders, and power & lighting. The wood category has saws, planing machines, edge banders, spindle moulders, and CNC machining. The metal tools are lathes, grinding machines, sheet metal processors, drilling machines, and presses. The company buys machinery from customers and is ISO 9001:2015 certified.
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Automatic Lathe Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Murata Machinery USA, Inc. | Muratec USA |
18.2%
|
| 2 | Smart Machine Tool U.S.A |
17.4%
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| 3 | TRAK Machine Tools - Southwestern Industries |
11.6%
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| 4 | OptiPro Systems |
9.9%
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| 5 | LICO MACHINERY CO., LTD. |
7.4%
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| 6 | INDEX-Werke GmbH & Co. |
7.4%
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| 7 | NIDEC SANKYO |
7.4%
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| 8 | Shun Chuan Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. |
5.0%
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| 9 | Weldlogic, Inc. |
5.0%
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| 10 | Surplex GmbH |
4.1%
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Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the automatic lathe page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- NIDEC SANKYO: 114,371
- STAR MICRONICS CO., LTD.: 437
Newly Established Company
- Shun Chuan Precision Machinery Co., Ltd.: 1994 (30 years ago)
- LICO MACHINERY CO., LTD.: 1978 (46 years ago)
- NIDEC SANKYO: 1973 (51 years ago)
Company with a History
- STAR MICRONICS CO., LTD.: 1947 (77 years ago)
- NIDEC SANKYO: 1973 (51 years ago)
- LICO MACHINERY CO., LTD.: 1978 (46 years ago)
Automatic Lathe Manufacturers in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
- Smart Machine Tool U.S.A
- Murata Machinery USA, Inc. | Muratec USA
- TRAK Machine Tools - Southwestern Industries
- OptiPro Systems
Global Distribution of Automatic Lathe Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
United States of America
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4 | 44.4% |
Taiwan
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2 | 22.2% |
Japan
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2 | 22.2% |
Germany
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1 | 11.1% |
