The forward-and-backward movement of the cross slide aligns with which axis on the engine lathe?

The forward-and-backward movement of the cross slide aligns with which axis on the engine lathe?

• A. X axis
• B. Y axis
• C. Z axis
• D. B axis

Answer: (A)

The cross slide moves in and out from the center of the spindle, i.e., in a radial direction. On a traditional engine lathe, this radial motion is defined as the X axis. The axis that runs along the length of the spindle is the Z axis, which handles longitudinal travel. Y and B axes aren’t part of a standard manual lathe’s setup, so they don’t describe the cross slide movement. So, the forward-and-backward (in-and-out) motion of the cross slide aligns with the X axis.

The cross slide moves in and out from the center of the spindle, i.e., in a radial direction. On a traditional engine lathe, this radial motion is defined as the X axis. The axis that runs along the length of the spindle is the Z axis, which handles longitudinal travel. Y and B axes aren’t part of a standard manual lathe’s setup, so they don’t describe the cross slide movement. So, the forward-and-backward (in-and-out) motion of the cross slide aligns with the X axis.