Shaper Machine

Taslim Ben Alam Protik

Lecturer (Part-time)
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET)
 Introduction
• The shaper (also called shaping machine) is a reciprocating type of
machine tool used for producing small flat surfaces with the help of
a single point tool reciprocating over the stationary work piece.
• Surfaces may be horizontal, vertical or inclined. Modern shapers
can produce contoured surfaces.
• It uses reciprocating straight line motion of the tool and a
perpendicular feed of the job or the tool. By moving the work piece
across the path of the reciprocating tool, a flat surface is generated
regardless of the shape of the tool.
Shaper Machine
Shaper Machine
Basic Working Principle
 Basic Working Principle
• In a shaper, a single point cutting
tool reciprocates over the stationary
work piece. The tool is held in the
tool post of the reciprocating ram and
performs the cutting operation
during its forward stroke.
• It may be noted that during the
backward stroke of the ram, the tool
does not remove material from the
work piece. Both these strokes (i.e.,
forward and backward strokes) form
one working cycle of the shaper.
 Basic Working Principle (Cont’d)
• For shaping in horizontal direction, as shown in Fig.(a), the clamped
workpiece is fed against the reciprocating tool after every cutting
cycle. The depth of cut is adjusted by moving the tool downward
towards the workpiece.
• For shaping in vertical direction, as shown in Fig.(b),The tool is fed
vertically towards the work piece after every cutting cycle. The depth
of cut is adjusted by moving the work piece sideways.
 Main Components
• Base
The base of the shaper holds all of the weight of the machine tool,
and it is bolted to the shop floor. It is generally made of cast iron. It
absorbs vibrations and other forces imparted during shaping
operation.
• Column
The column is also made of cast iron in a box shape. It is set on the
base of the shaper. It has precisely machined guideways on top that
allow the ram to move back and forth. For the cross rail to move,
there are guideways on the front vertical face. The ram-driving
mechanism is inside the column. The base holds the column in
place.
 Components (Cont’d)
• Table
The table is one of the crucial components of the device which is
mounted on the saddle. The elevating screw and crossfeed rod can
be turned to move the table both horizontally and vertically. It is a
casting that resembles a box with precisely machined top and side
surfaces. The table has T-Slots to clamp the work and is secured
with support to increase rigidity.
• Ram
It is a component in the shaping machine that reciprocates using a
quick return motion mechanism on the guideways at the top of the
column while holding the tool in place. It contains a screwed shaft to
adjust the working position.
 Components (Cont’d)
• Vice
Clamp or vice is mounted on the table to hold the workpiece firmly
while the shaping process is in progress.
• Crossrail
This part is fixed to the vertical guideways of the column. By turning
an elevating screw, which enables the cross rail to glide on the
vertical face of the column, the table can be elevated or lowered to
meet the varying sizes of the task.
• Saddle
It is fixed to the crossrail securely on the top of the table. The
rotation of the crossfeed screw causes the crosswise movement of the
saddle which moves the table in the same direction.
 Power Transmission
• The power is transmitted to the shaper from a electric motor
through a V-belt drive.
• A gear train is used to provide the different speeds, or strokes per
minute, of the ram.
• The gears may be shifted by the speed change levers.
• The last gear in the train of gears is large gear and is called the bull
gear or crank gear.
• This crank gear or slider crank mechanism converts the rotating
motion to reciprocating motion and delivers to the ram.
• The cutting tool and the tool post arrangement is attached with the
ram. As a result, the tool gets its reciprocating motion.
Crank and Slotted Lever Mechanism
 Crank and Slotted Lever Mechanism
• It finds application in shaping machine,
slotting machine, rotary internal
combustion engine etc.
• In this mechanism a rocker arm is pivoted
at point A. The Crank pin (C) is fixed with
the bull gear. So, when the bull gear
rotates, the crank pin revolves about the
fixed center O.
• The crank pin can slide along the slotted
portion in the rocker arm.

• This makes the slotted lever (Rocker arm) to oscillate about the pivoted point A
when the crank pin rotates about a point O. The rocker arm is attached with
the ram at point B. As a result, a back and forth movement of the ram is
obtained. Also, reciprocating movement is obtained in the cutting tool.
 Quick Return Mechanism of Ram
• There are different types of quick return
mechanism used in shaper
machine. The most common is
oscillating arm type.
• The bull gear in the middle of the
column rotates clockwise at a uniform
rate. A block on a crankpin that travels
in a circle on the bull gear slides in
a slot in the crank and causes it to
reciprocate.
• The crank is pivoted at the bottom and
is connected at the top to the ram
through a link. The direction of
movement of the crank changes when
the center line of the crank is tangent to
the circular path of the crankpin on the
bull gear.
 Quick Return Mechanism of Ram
• For a constant bull gear speed, the ram
speed changes with the radial setting
of the crank pin.
• When the ram moves forward on the
cutting stroke, the driving pin moves
through an arc of 220 degree. On the
return stroke, the pin travels through
only 140 degree of the arc. Thus the
ram travels much faster and takes less
time on the return stroke than on the
forward or cutting stroke. This quick
return motion saves time when the tool
is not cutting.
 Why Quick Return Mechanism?
• A shaper does the cutting operation only in the forward stroke,
backward stroke is idle and, therefore, a wastage. In order to
minimize this wastage, the return stroke should be completed as
quickly as possible.
• It is therefore desired that the return stroke should operate at
higher speed than the forward stroke. To achieve this requirement
quick return motion mechanisms are used in the shaper machine.
 Classifications
• Types of Shaper Machine:
1. According to position and travel of ram
(a) Horizontal shaper. (b) Vertical shaper.
2. According to the direction of cutting stroke: The horizontal machines
are further classified according to the action of the cutting stroke.
(a) Push-Cut shaper. (b) Draw-cut shaper.
The push-cut type cuts in forward stroke and draw-cut type in
backward stroke. The push-cut type shaper is most popular one and
unless otherwise specified, the term shaper refers to this type. In the
use of draw-cut type shaper, the ram is very heavy and is used for
heavier cuts with less strain in the work table.
 Classifications (Cont’d)
3. According to the ram driving mechanism: According to the ram
driving mechanism, the shapers are classified as follows:
(a) Crank shaper. (b) Geared shaper (c) Hydraulic shaper.

4. According to the design of the table

(a) Standard or plain shaper. (b) Universal shaper
 Shaper Machine Operations
1. Machining horizontal surfaces
It is the most common shaper machine
operations. The workpiece is fed in a horizontal
direction under the reciprocating tool and the
surface produced is horizontal and flat. The
work is either held in a vice or clamp directly
on the machine table depending upon its size.
the tool is held in a proper tool holder it is set
at a proper inclination and at the correct height
above the work the depth of cut adjusted and
the machine get starts.
 Shaper Machine Operations (Cont’d)
Precautions:
1. For horizontal cutting the tool should be held
vertically in such a way that it's cutting edge points
in a direction slightly away from the work.
As moves due to the cutting pressure it will move
away from the work instead of digging into it.
2. Another precaution to be taken in tool set is that
its cutting edge should not be projected much below
the tool holder. The vertical side of the tool head
should not be made to overhang too far below the
ram. If otherwise, the tool will be weakened and
subjected to under strain. Also a lot of chatter will
result.
 Shaper Machine Operations (Cont’d)
2. Machining vertical surfaces
• A vertical cut is made while machining the end of a
workpiece by squaring up a block or cutting a
shoulder. The work is attached in the vice or directly
on the table and the surface to be machined is
carefully aligned with the axis of the ram. A side
cutting tool is set on the tool post and the position
as well as length of stroke are adjusted. The down
feed is given by rotating the down feed screw by
hand. The feed is about 0.25 millimeters given at the
end of each return stroke. Both roughing and
finishing cuts are done to complete the job.

• This is necessary to enable the tool to move upwards and away from the
work during the return stroke this prevents the side of the tool from
dragging on the plane vertical surface during the return stroke.
 Shaper Machine Operations (Cont’d)
3. Machining Angular Surfaces
• In this operation the workpiece is set on the table and the vertical slide
of the tooth head is swiveled to the required angle either towards the left
or right from the vertical position. The apron is then further swiveled
away from the work so that the tool will clear the work during the return
stroke. The down feed is given by rotating the down feed screw.
 Shaper Machine Operations (Cont’d)
4. Cutting slots and keyways
With suitable tools a shaper can very conveniently machine slots or
grooves on work for cutting slots or keyways on shafts and internal
keyways on pulleys or gears. For cutting keyways or slots a square nose
tool similar to a parting tool is used.

Fig. Cutting slots and keyways

 Shaper Machine Operations (Cont’d)
5. Machining irregular surfaces
A shaper can also produce a contoured surface that is a convex or concave
surface or a combination of any of the above surfaces. To manufacture a
small contoured surface a forming tool is use. This machining process is
also called contour shaping.

Fig. Machining irregular surfaces

 Shaper Machine Operations (Cont’d)
6. Machining splines or cutting gears
Machining splines or gear cutting can be done by using an index center. A
gear or equally spaced spline may be cut by placing the workpiece between
two centers. Spline is cut similar to the cutting of a keyway. After the first
spline is cut the work is rotated through a predetermined amount by using
the index plate and index pin. To cut gear in an ordinary shaper machine,
a special arrangement is required on the shaper table. So, gear teeth
cutting is usually done in a machine called gear shaping machine.

Fig. Gear teeth cutting

Gear Cutting in an Ordinary Shaper
 Slotter Machine
• It could be considered as a vertical
shaper, having only vertical movement
of ram.
• There is also a possibility of tilting the
ram by about 15° from its vertical
position to permit machining of dies
with relief. This feature is often used
when cutting clearances in metal
stamping dies.
• It is mainly used for internal machining
of blind holes or vertical machining of
complicated shapes which are difficult
to be produced on horizontal shaper
Thank You