Shaper - Uses

Uses

The most common use is to machine straight, flat surfaces, but with ingenuity and some accessories a wide range of work can be done. Other examples of its use are:

• Keyways in the boss of a pulley or gear can be machined without resorting to a dedicated broaching setup.
• Dovetail slides
• Internal splines
• Keyway cutting in blind holes
• Cam drums with toolpaths of the type that in CNC milling terms would require 4- or 5-axis contouring or turn-mill cylindrical interpolation
• It is even possible to obviate wire EDM work in some cases. Starting from a drilled or cored hole, a shaper with a boring-bar type tool can cut internal features that don't lend themselves to milling or boring (such as irregularly shaped holes with tight corners).