Planer Machine A planer is a type of metalworking machine tool that

uses linear relative motion between the work piece

Applications
Linear planing
The most common applications of planers and shapers
are linear-toolpath ones, such as:
Generating accurate flat surfaces. (While not as
precise as grinding, a planer can remove a tremendous
amount of material in one pass with high accuracy.
Cutting slots (such as keyways).
It is even possible to do work that might now be done by wire EDM in some cases. Starting
from a drilled or cored hole, a planer with a boring-bar type tool can cut internal features that
don't lend themselves to milling or boring (such as irregularly shaped holes with tight corners).
Helical planing
Although the archetypal tool path of a planer is linear, helical cutting can be accomplished by
coupling the table's linear motion to simultaneous rotation. The helical planing idea is similar to
both helical milling and single-point screw cutting.
Current Usage
Planers and shapers are now obsolescent, because other machine tools (such as milling
machines, broaching machines, and grinding machines) have mostly eclipsed them as the tools
of choice for doing such work. However, they have not yet disappeared from the metalworking
world. Planers are used by smaller tool and die shops within larger production facilities to
maintain and repair large stamping dies and plastic injection molds. Additional uses include any
other task where an abnormally large (usually in the range of 4'×8' or more) block of metal
must be squared when a (quite massive) horizontal grinder or floor mill is unavailable, too
expensive, or otherwise impractical in a given situation. As usual in the selection of machine
tools, an old machine that is in hand, still works, and is long since paid-for has substantial cost
advantage over a newer machine that would need to be purchased. This principle easily
explains why "old-fashioned" techniques often have a long period of gradual obsolescence in
 Planer Machine
industrial contexts, rather than a sharp drop-off of prevalence such as is seen in mass-consumer
technology fashions.
 Planer Machine

Parts and Functions

Bed:
It is a box-like a cast iron casting with cross ribs.

It is very large and heavy in weight.

The bed supports the column and all the moving parts of the machine.

The length of the bed is twice the length of the table, so that table maybe slide on it. The
bed is provided with accurately machined v-type or flat type guideways for smooth
sliding of the table.

The bed houses the driving mechanism for the table.

Table:
The table is a rectangular cast iron casting having accurately machined top surface to
locate the work accurately.

T- slots are provided on the entire length of the table to hold the work properly and
holes are drilled on its surface in regular intervals for supporting the poppets and stop
pins.
 Planer Machine
At each end of the table, a hallowed space is provided to collect the chips and a groove
is cut on its side for clamping planer reversing dogs at different positions.

The planer may have a single table or two separate tables mounted on guideways and
reciprocates separately or together. Hydraulic bumpers are fitted at the end of the bed
to stop the table from overrunning and giving cushioning effect.

Housing or Column:
Housing is a rigid box-like vertical structure fastened on each side of the bed. They are
also called as uprights.

These are heavily ribbed to take heavy load during cutting action. The front face of each
housing is provided with precision ways for sliding the cross rail up and down and also
having two side tool heads slide upon it.

The column houses the cross rail elevating screw, vertical and cross feed screws for
tool heads. These screws may be operated by power or hand.

Cross Rail:
It is a rigid cast-iron box-like casting that connects the two housings.

It provides additional rigidity to the machine. The cross rail may be moved up and down
on the face of the housing by means of elevating screw and can be clamped at any
position and it is parallel to the top surface to the table.

The front face of the cross rail provided with accurately machined guideways for cross-
feeding the tool head saddle by means of a screw.

Tool Head:
The planner tool head is similar to that of the shaper in construction and operation.

Tool heads are mounted on a cross rail by a saddle, which moves crosswise to give
crossfeed. The swivel base is pivoted on the saddles and it is graduated to 60 degrees
on each side, so that which can be tilted at any desired angle for machining angular
surfaces by rotating down feed screw.

The apron is fixed on the face of the vertical slide which may be swiveled up to 20
degrees on each side for giving the tool clearance while machining vertical surfaces.

The clipper block is hinged to the clipper box to hold the tool post in which cutting tool is
held firmly.
 Planer Machine
The clipper block lifts the tool head upward during return stroke to prevent the cutting
edge of the tool from dragging on the work. The tool heads can be moved up and down
by moving the cross rail up and down.

How Planer Machine Works

The tool single point cutting tool is fixed in the tool head and the workpiece is fixed on
the work table.

Now we switch on the machine that means power supply to the machine and the
worktable moves forward hence it cuts the material and it is called cutting stroke.

The worktable moves downward there is no cutting of material so this is called the
return stroke.

The process will be continued unless you change the power supply or others.