CNC sliding head machining, also known as Swiss-type turning, in reference to its origins in the watchmaking industry, is the preferred process for small-diameter, high-precision turned components where tight tolerances, long length-to-diameter ratios, and excellent surface finish are required.
The defining characteristic of a sliding head machine is that the workpiece moves along the Z-axis while the cutting tools remain stationary. Unlike conventional fixed head turning, where the part is held at one end and the tools traverse it, the sliding head approach provides additional rigidity at the cutting point, significantly reducing deflection and enabling very tight tolerances to be held on long, slender components.
Turnspeed's sliding head machining capability is built around three Tornos SwissDECO lathes: two 20mm machines and one 26mm machine. This allows us to produce sliding head components from 4mm to 30mm in diameter, covering a wide range of small precision parts across the aerospace, automotive, hydraulic, and medical device supply chains.
Sliding head turning is particularly effective for components such as shaft bodies, fittings, connectors, pins, and precision inserts, where concentricity, surface finish, and dimensional consistency across large batch runs are non-negotiable.
For high-volume components that do not require the precision of sliding head turning, our CNC multi-spindle machining service may offer a more cost-effective solution.
Finished components can move directly into our assembly and call-off service.
In-house zinc plating is available for components requiring corrosion protection.