AET: Machine Tool Lab

The Machine Tool Laboratory emphasizes machine shop, machining processes, testing, and safety. The lab consists of a lathe, an end milling machine, a drill/end machine, a drill/tap machine, various cutting tools, and fixtures. Laboratory exercises include major turning, milling, drilling, tapping, and threading projects that give the students a firm background on machining processes.

The laboratory is equipped with a data acquisition system with LabVIEW software and two new oscilloscopes for machining force and vibration testing. LabVIEW is powerful instrumentation and analysis software with graphical programming language. A dynamometer and three accelerometers are used to measure cutting force and vibration in a lathe or an end milling machine. The cutting force signals and acceleration signals amplified by charge amplifiers can be used to observe machine tool vibration and machining chatter stability. The study is critical to students' learning experience in machine tool operation and surface quality control.

For more information, please contact Dr. Richard Chiou.

A student operates the end/drill machine in the lab. Hands-on experience is emphasized in AET program.		The Machine Tool Laboratory emphasizes machine shop, machining processes, and safety.
The lathe in the Machine Tool Lab is equipped with cutting force measurement system.		A student operates the lathe and perform machining process analysis for design applications.
The drill/tap dress is used for hole-making and tapping processes.		The end milling machine can be used for up milling, down milling, face milling, and drilling.