A horizontal boring machine has a horizontal spindle that slides out of a headstock moving up and down a column. It bores, faces, mills and drills large, heavy parts such as gearbox casings, machine beds, pump bodies and frames, often reaching deep bores in line from one setup. Table types carry the work on a rotary table; floor types work on parts set on a floor plate.
Quick facts
- Main types
- Table type, floor type, planer type
- Spindle
- Sliding quill, typically about 100–160 mm (3.94–6.30 inch) diameter
- Typical travel
- X about 1.5–10 m or more
- Table load
- Several tonnes to tens of tonnes
- Control
- Manual with DRO, or CNC
- Typical work
- Line boring, facing, milling of big parts
Main parts
- Column with vertically moving headstock
- Sliding boring spindle (W axis)
- Rotary table (table type) or floor plate (floor type)
- Facing head for large faces and grooves
- Boring bars and line-boring supports
Horizontal boring machine or HMC?
| Horizontal boring machine | HMC | |
|---|---|---|
| Part size | Large and heavy | Small to medium |
| Deep bores | Sliding spindle reaches far | Limited |
| Tool changing | Often manual | Automatic, fast |
| Best for | Few big parts | Batch production |
Good to know
- A rotary table lets all four sides be machined in one setup
- Line boring keeps bearing bores in line on gearbox bodies
- Big parts need careful levelling and clamping
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Questions
- What is a horizontal boring machine used for?
- Machining large parts: boring bearing holes in line, facing big flanges, milling and drilling gearbox bodies, frames and pump casings.
- What is a facing head?
- An attachment with a radially moving slide that faces large surfaces and cuts grooves without moving the part.
- Table or floor type?
- Table type suits parts up to the table's load; floor type handles the largest parts, which sit on a floor plate while the column moves.
The figures on this page are typical values for guidance, written by Diemeco from standard engineering practice. They are not a specification: confirm grades and properties with the relevant standard or the supplier's mill test certificate, and tolerances with your workshop. Last checked 23 October 2026.