MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS OF MACHINE-TOOLS

The paper presents the mechanical properties of materials which are already used or could be used in building structural elements of machine tools. The materials presented are metals, natural stone, ceramics, metal foams, fiber reinforced polymers, polymer concrete (mineral casting) and hybrid structures. The most common characteristics of structural elements are detailed and categorized. A methodology for choosing the optimum material is detailed at the end of the paper and a performance metric shows graphically why mineral casting is better suited for milling machines and lathes than cast iron with lamellar graphite.