Planing machine

Introduction
A metalworking planer is a type of metalworking
machine tool, analogous to a shaper but larger and with
the entire workpiece moving beneath the cutter (instead
of the cutter moving above a stationary workpiece). The
work table is moved back and forth on the bed beneath
the cutting head by either mechanical means (a rack and
pinion gear) or by a hydraulic cylinder.
Planers and shapers were used generally for two types
of work: generating accurate flat surfaces and cutting
slots (such as keyways). Planers and shapers are now
obsolescent, because milling machines have eclipsed
them as the machine tools of choice for doing such work.
However, they have not yet entirely disappeared from
the metalworking world.
TYPES OF PLANING MACHINE
1. Double housing planer
2. Open side planer
3. Pit planer
4. Plate planer
5. Divided table planer
 DOUBLE HOUSING PLANER
The double housing planer is most widely used in
workshops.It has a long heavy base on which a table
reciprocates on accurate guideways.The length of the
bed is little over twice the length of the table. Two
massive vertical housings are mounted near the middle
of the bed which are connected at the top. The tool
heads which hold the tool are mounted upon the
crossrail. Tools maybe fed either by hand or power in
crosswise or vertical direction. In addition to these tool
heads there are two other tool heads which are mounted
upon the vertical face of the housing. The planer maybe
driven by mechanical or hydraulic devices.
PLANER
 OPEN SIDE PLANER
Open side planer has a housing only on one
side of the base and the crossrail is suspended
from the housing as a cantilever. This feature
allows large and wide jobs to be clamped on
the table. Only 3 tool heads are mounted.
OPEN SIDE PLANER
 PIT PLANER
It is massive in construction and differs
from ordinary planer in which table is
stationary and column carrying the
crossrail reciprocates on massive
horizontal rails mounted on both sides of
the table. This type of planer is suitable for
machining very large work which cannot
be accommodated on a standard planer.
 PLATE PLANER
The design of a plate planer is totally
unlike that of an ordinary planer. It is
specially intended for squaring and
bevelling the edges of steel plates used for
different pressure vessels and ship
building works. One end of a long plate
which remains stationary is clamped with
the machine frames by a large number of
air operated clamps.
 DIVIDED TABLE PLANER
This type of planer has two tables on the bed
which maybe reciprocated separately or
together. This type of design saves much of idle
time while setting the work. To have a
continuous production on one of the table is
used for setting up the work while the other
reciprocates past the cutting tool finishing the
work. When a heavy and a large job has to be
machined both the tables are clamped together
and are given reciprocating movement under the
tools.
OPEN AND CROSS BELT DRIVE
PLANING MACHINE PARTS
1. BED
2. TABLE
3. TOOL HEAD
4. CROSSRAIL
5. HOUSING
6. DRIVING AND FEED MECHANISM
PRINCIPAL PARTS OF A PLANER
 DESCRIPTION OF PARTS
BED
The bed of a planer is a box like casting
having cross ribs. It is very heavy in weight
and supports the column and all other
moving parts of the machine. It is provided
with precision ways over the entire length.
 TABLE
It supports the work and reciprocates
along the ways of the bed. T-slots are
provided along the entire length of the
table so that the work and the holding
devices maybe bolted upon it. Accurate
holes are drilled on the top surfaces of the
planer table at regular intervals for
supporting the poppets and stop pins.
HOUSING
The housings also called columns or uprights are
rigid box like vertical structures placed on each
side of the bed and are fastened to the sides of
the bed. They are heavily ribbed to trace up
severe forces due to cutting. The front face of
each housing is accurately machined to provide
precision ways on which the crossrail maybe
made to slide up and down for accommodating
different heights of the work. Two side tool
heads also slide upon it.
CROSSRAIL
Crossrail is rigid box like casting connecting the
two housings. The crossrail maybe raised or
lowered in the face of the housing and can be
clamped at any desired position. The front face
of the crossrail is accurately machined to provide
a guide surface for the tool head saddle. The
crossrail has screw for vertical and cross feed of
the tool head and a screw for elevating the rail.
 TOOL HEAD
Tool head of a planer is similar to that of a
shaper both in construction and operation. The
important parts of a tool head are :-
1. Saddle 7. Tool post
2. Swivel base 8. Down feed screw
3. Vertical slide 9. Apron clamping bolt
4. Apron 10.Apron swivelling pin

5. Clapper box
6. Clapper block
Planer
Fig shows a heavy duty planner.

Double Column construction with a built-in gearbox

- Automatic lubrication to 'V' guides
- All main shafts of EN-9 steel
- Provided with automatic lifting arrangement for quick
and easy movement of cross slide
- The carriage is heavy duty and long, to give balanced
bearing to the bed even at the end of the stroke
- BED: The bed is of heavy duty box type construction. It
is ribbed through out the length and breadth giving
vibration free movement under the heaviest cut. The bed
has deep 'V' type grooves to receive the table and has oil
collecting troughs at the end
- TABLE: It is heavily ribbed and proportionally
dimensioned heavy duty close grained cast iron box type
construction. It has 'V' slides matching the 'V' grooves on
the bed and is hand scrapped to give oil film lubrication
- CROSS SLIDE: A box type construction carrying the
tool slide which can be operated by hand as well as by
automatic feed
-  GEARBOX: Machine cut gears running in anti friction
bearings. Oil immersed. 
- TOOL POST: Rigid cast iron close grained construction.
Tool holders machined out of steel blocks.
- UPRIGHTS: Heavy duty cast iron construction bolted to
the sides of the bed. Ribbed inside to avoid vibration.
Dowelled to keep correct alignment
 SHAPER VERSUS PLANER
1. Relative movement b/w the tool and the work.
2. Capability of holding different size of jobs.
3. Accuracy of planer is more.
4. Planer consumes large power to take deep cuts.
5. Planer is economical for machining large quantities.
6. Cutting and Return speed of planer is uniform.
7. In planer, work setting requires skill.
8. Planers are heavier, larger and costlier machines.
9. The largest shapers have a 36-inch cutting stroke
and can machine parts up to 36 inches long.

METALWORKING TOOLS MACHINE TOOL OPERATION