Fitting & Machining: Lathe, Milling & Gear Manufacture is one of 9 topics in the Grade 12 Mechanical Technology CAPS syllabus, covered across 3 lessons on Study Vault. Below are real practice questions from this topic with full worked answers.
Sample practice questions
Easy
1. What is the purpose of indexing on a milling machine?
Accurately rotating a work piece by a precise angular amount, e.g. to mill regular shapes or evenly spaced features
Measuring the depth of a hole precisely
Cutting an external screw thread by hand
Testing the hardness of a material surface
Answer: Accurately rotating a work piece by a precise angular amount, e.g. to mill regular shapes or evenly spaced features — Indexing accurately rotates a work piece by a precise angular amount on a dividing head, used to mill regular shapes or cut evenly spaced features such as gear teeth.
Easy
2. What type of indexing uses a direct, quick-release mechanism for common, simple divisions like a square or hexagon?
Rapid indexing
Differential indexing
Angular indexing
Simple indexing
Answer: Rapid indexing — Rapid indexing uses a direct, quick-release mechanism for common, simple divisions, useful where speed matters more than an unusual division count.
Medium
3. Name the type of indexing that uses an additional gear train connecting the index plate to the dividing head spindle, used for divisions simple indexing cannot achieve.
Answer: differential indexing — Differential indexing uses an additional gear train connecting the index plate to the spindle, allowing divisions (such as certain prime numbers) that simple indexing cannot achieve.
