CNC Lathe Chuck Jaws: Function, Design, and Selection Guide

Today we will talk about cnc lathe machine jaws. You might read this post as an introductory article about cnc machine jaws. CNC machine jaws are used on a cnc lathe machine to grip the component in cnc lathe machine chuck.

So the sole purpose of the cnc machine jaws is to grip the component in the cnc lathe machine chuck. Therefore almost all the cnc lathe machine jaws have almost same blueprint or you might say that normally all the cnc lathe machine jaws have the same shape and look.

CNC Machine Jaws introduction for cnc machinist

Jaws Selection a CNC Setter Job

Whenever a new component comes into workshop, CNC Setter have to select the jaws to grip that component.

Sometimes cnc setter have those jaws (same cnc machine jaws can be re-used for component grip),

but in some situations the component has a shape that is difficult to grip, so cnc setter have to tinker the cnc machine jaws,

sometimes cnc setter have to weld some extra pieces with the standard shape jaws,

and other times cnc setter have to machine the cnc machine jaws itself to make jaws to properly grip the required component.

CNC Machine Jaws Properties

Normally cnc machine jaws has following properties

CNC Machine Jaws Properties

CNC Machine Jaws Tee Nuts

• Height  (s-3)
• Width  (s-2)
• Length  (s-1)
• Groove width  (s-4)
• Number of Steps
• Serration
• Serration Pitch  (3P)
• Serration Angle  (60°)
• Hard Jaws
• Soft Jaws
• Number of Gripping Screw Holes (2 in figure)
• Gripping Screw Hole Space  (s-7)
• Tee-Nuts Size (used to grip the jaw with the chuck)
• Gripping Screw (Bolt) Size (used with the Tee-Nuts for grip)
• Jaws Face
• Jaws Face Shape
• Jaws Face Teeth

This cnc machine jaws properties list might be even more longer, but actually I want to tell you that a very simple looking cnc machine jaw is an important entity of the cnc machine workshop and cnc machine jaws has lot more properties than we realize.

Every cnc machine jaw has a height width and length, these sizes are almost dependent on the cnc machine chuck and the component we are going to grip. For bigger cnc machine chucks definitely bigger jaws will suit, because bigger cnc chuck has a slightly wider serration pitch than the smaller cnc machine chucks.