The cutting force in a lathe operation acts along how many independent directions?

The cutting force in a lathe operation acts along how many independent directions?

• A. One
• B. Two
• C. Three
• D. Four

Answer: (C)

The cutting force in a lathe operation is resolved into three mutually perpendicular components: tangential (along the direction of cutting velocity), radial (toward or away from the workpiece center), and axial (along the spindle axis, i.e., the feed direction). These three components are independent forces, so the overall cutting force is the vector sum of these three directions. In 3D space, forces from the tool–workpiece contact can’t be described fully by just one or two directions, hence there are three independent directions.

The cutting force in a lathe operation is resolved into three mutually perpendicular components: tangential (along the direction of cutting velocity), radial (toward or away from the workpiece center), and axial (along the spindle axis, i.e., the feed direction). These three components are independent forces, so the overall cutting force is the vector sum of these three directions. In 3D space, forces from the tool–workpiece contact can’t be described fully by just one or two directions, hence there are three independent directions.