Every time a part is removed from a machine and set up again, two things happen: the tolerance stack grows, and the cost goes up. Turn-mill compound machining removes the second operation entirely — turning, milling, drilling, tapping and even gear milling are completed while the part is still in the first clamping.
We run Yamamoto and Zhengjie turn-mill lathes. For parts with features on more than one face, this is usually the difference between a part that assembles reliably and one that nearly fits.
Why Single-Clamping Matters
Turn-Mill Capabilities
| Operations in one clamping | Turning, milling, drilling, tapping, gear milling |
|---|---|
| Bar capacity | Ø1–46 mm |
| Machining tolerance | ±0.01 mm standard |
| Surface roughness | Ra 1.6 |
| Typical parts | Sensor bodies, valve components, hydraulic fittings, motor shafts, gear blanks |
| Materials | Brass, stainless steel, aluminum, carbon steel, engineering plastics |
Sizing the trade-off
Turn-mill is not automatically cheaper — the machine rate is higher than a plain lathe’s. It wins when the alternative is a second operation, especially where a fixture would be needed or where concentricity between turned and milled features actually matters.
Rules of thumb: if the part has a cross-hole, a milled flat, a slot or a tapped face that must relate to the turned diameter, ask for a turn-mill quote. If it is purely round, plain turning will usually be cheaper.