This specialised workpiece-holding system, usually used along side a milling machine, permits for the exact rotational indexing of an element. This allows the creation of evenly spaced options reminiscent of gear enamel, splines, or bolt holes on a cylindrical workpiece. For example, a round plate might be mounted on this system to mill slots at exact 30-degree intervals.
The power to precisely divide a rotation into particular increments is essential for varied machining operations, significantly in toolmaking, prototyping, and small-batch manufacturing. Earlier than the widespread adoption of pc numerical management (CNC) machining, this system was important for creating complicated geometries. It stays a worthwhile software in workshops the place handbook machining remains to be practiced or for specialised duties the place CNC is probably not cost-effective. Its enduring relevance stems from its inherent simplicity, precision, and flexibility to numerous workpiece sizes.