The front-operated lathe has two main spindles adjacent to each other and two cross slides. The two cross slides have a common inclined bed in the adjustment axis. The two slides that run on this bed carry the feed slides. The adjustment and feed slides are driven.

The linear bearings must guide the tools and capstan heads without clearance or stick-slip. The guidance systems must transmit large cutting forces and therefore large feed forces safely into the machine bed. The guidance systems must also be capable of damping vibrations. The vibrations that can occur during turning impair the surface quality and accuracy of the workpiece.