What is the purpose of a rotary table in CNC milling?

A rotary table in CNC milling is primarily used to position the workpiece at different angles during machining operations. This allows the machinist to create more complex geometries by enabling the milling of features on multiple sides of the workpiece without re-clamping. By rotating the workpiece around a vertical or horizontal axis, precise angular adjustments can be made, facilitating tasks such as machining contours, circular features, and complex shapes that require various orientations.

In contrast, while holding multiple tools may be a function of tool changers, this is not the primary function of a rotary table. Measuring tool rotation pertains more to different types of devices used for feedback in CNC systems, not specifically the rotary table's role. Storing other workpieces is also unrelated to the rotary table's purpose, as this device is specifically designed for positioning and rotating existing workpieces rather than serving as storage for unprocessed materials.