5 Things to Know Before Buying Horizontal CNC Machining Center Supplier

What are the factors you should consider before purchasing the right CNC machine tool for your manufacturing jobs?

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From vertical to horizontal milling machines and lathes, to 5-axis machining centers, and multi-axis turning centers, CNC machine tools come in a wide variety of sizes, functions and performance.

Available in different dimensions and axes, with varying levels of quality and automation, CNC machine tools are important assets in your manufacturing business.

To purchase the right machine tool for your manufacturing needs, here are five things you should consider.

#1 Know Your Project Requirements

First and foremost, you need to have a clear assessment of your current and future production needs to avoid buying an undersized machine or an over specified machine.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What are the parts and materials that I wish the machine to produce?
• What levels of precision will I require in making those parts?
• How many axes would I need?
• How do I balance between speed, accuracy, flexibility and price? In certain cases, choosing a slower model may mean more accuracy at a lower price.
• What are the different sizes, complexity and grades of materials that I will be working with?

By asking yourself these questions, you can determine what performance and capabilities you’ll need as you move to the next stage.

#2 Consider the Best Machine Type

With such a wide array of machine types available, you will need to consider the best fit for your manufacturing jobs.

From our decades of experience in manufacturing and selling high performance CNC machine tools, we find that experienced customers usually look at the following factors before they choose a machine:

• Dimensions, shapes and materials of parts to be manufactured
• Production cycles and turnaround time, eg small vs large batch processing
• Size of working spaces, eg table size, tool size, chuck size, and tool change time
• Fixture length, width, height, number of parts produced in one cycle, and number of operations in one setting
• Tool capacity and machine spindle power and performance (cutting force)
• Types of tool holders, using BBT/CAT/BT/HSK (depending on cost or availability)
• Degree of automation and the machine control needed
• Compatibility with existing CAM software or other design programmes
• Number of machining axes, which depends on the complexity of the pieces to be manufactured
• Flexibility of the machines, ie can you run other jobs on it if another machine is down?
• Cycle time of the machine
• Turning vs milling machines

If you need to make parts which require both turning and milling, we recommend that you consider multi-tasking machine tools like C1 or the upgrade version C2.

For high precision and complex positioning or simultaneous machining needs, do consider multi-axis machines like our 5-axis Machining Centers (M3-5AX, M4-5AX, or SIRIUS- 5AX) or Hwacheon’s newly launched D2-5AX, a new concept 5-Axis Vertical Machining Centre for “high mix low volume” manufacturing.

In developed industries where the highest precision and premium quality molds are made, we recommend either our SMART machines or SIRIUS Series. Both machine tool lines offer powerful roughing and precise finish machining capabilities.

#3 Understanding CNC Machine Tool Prices 

With CNC machine tool costs ranging in price from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, machine purchases are often considered as high investments by manufacturing companies.

In working out your budget for your machine tool, you need to consider the options that you need. Most CNC machines come with commonly used options, with additional options for selection and other costs needed if you require greater manufacturing sophistication.

You need to also consider the trade-offs between price, quality and production output. A lower cost machine may be easier to stomach from the onset but may be unable to provide the speed and performance which your business demands. Conversely, overpaying for features which you do not need can affect your bottom-line.

#4 Understand Your Spare Parts and Maintenance Costs

Often overlooked are the parts and maintenance costs. In considering the right machine tool, you need to work out the life cycle costs of your investment.
A cheaper machine may be more expensive over its entire life span, due to the poorer quality of its machine parts. Breakdowns can also be frustrating for machine operators and owners, resulting in lost opportunity and foregone income.

#5 Origin of Machine and its Components – “Cheaper is not Better”

Every field has its competition. Wherever possible, machine tool buyers will try to locate the best machine for their needs at the cheapest available price. Machines made in technology advanced countries tend to have a higher quality and durability and may be priced higher. However, these may have a longer lifespan and less downstream maintenance needed.

Beyond country of origin, you need to also look at where its parts are made and assembled. Some machine tool makers may be based in countries with a strong engineering tradition, but their component parts are made and assembled in other countries.

Unlike some Korean manufacturers of machine tools, Hwacheon fabricates its machine parts and assembles them in Korea. We do not mass produce our machines nor do we allow them to be assembled by OEM companies in Korea or other countries. This includes the design and production of the spindle – the heart of every CNC machine.

10 factors to consider when purchasing a CNC milling machine, Customers ignore these factors when choosing a CNC milling machine.

When looking to purchase CNC mill and CNC machining center for your application.

it is important to consider speed, torque, power and voltage requirements.

In this article, we will discuss the 10 factors that are worth reviewing before deciding to purchase a CNC milling machine.

1、Choose a model

Choose a suitable model CNC milling machine is very important.

Because the price of different model of CNC milling machines varies greatly.

We have to choose a model that works for you.

In what ways do you judge and choose?

Need to determine the model number is primarily through the workpiece to be used for machining.

Workpiece size to determine the type of CNC milling machine required.

For example: workpiece size is 400x300x250mm.

The required CNC milling machine axis travel is larger than this size.

We can choose the T5V model, its axis travel is 500x400x300mm, which is very suitable for the processing of this workpiece.

2、CNC controller

There are many brands in the CNC controller market.

If you have used a CNC controller before, it is definitely the preferred brand that you are proficient in.

Let us introduce the brand of CNC controller first.

• Germany’s Siemens：Siemens is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-end CNC controllers. With a wide customer base around the world, it is a very good CNC controller brand.
• Heidehan：HEIDENHAIN is also a well-known German CNC controller manufacturer.I have to say that Germany is really strong in the field of automation. It is widely used in Europe, but there are fewer Asian customers.
• Japan’s Fanuc：Fanuc is the leader of CNC controllers, and their applications in a wide range of fields are very extensive. Very popular in China.
• Japan’s Mitsubishi：Mitsubishi CNC controller is also very famous in Asia, and its price is similar to that of FANUC.
• Taiwan SYNTEC: SYNTEC CNC controllers develop very fast at a lower price and quality service, Widely used in the low-end market

These systems do not know if you have heard or used them?

They are mainstream CNC controllers with a high market share.

Of course, there are many brands of CNC systems that I have not introduced.

China also has a large number of CNC system brands, such as Guangzhou GSK, Beijing KND and Wuhan Huazhong CNC.

Goto Ling Yueyang to know more.

How do you choose so many brands of CNC controllers?

• Select the CNC controller you will operate, Different brands of CNC controller operation is different, if you need to get started quickly, please choose their own familiar.
• According to the CNC mill manufacturer’s selection list, The CNC controllers that can be selected by different manufacturers are different, so it is also necessary to look at the recommendations of the manufacturers.
• Choose brands with high market share and they can provide services worldwide

3、Voltage level

This is very important, you must provide your own national voltage standard when purchasing CNC milling machines.

CNC manufacturers manufacture CNC milling machines through their own national voltage standards.

For example, China is 220V. Many countries are 110V.

4、Automatic tool changer

An Automatic tool changer or ATC is used in computerized numerical control (CNC) machine tools to improve the production and tool carrying capacity of the machine. ATC changes the tool very quickly, reducing the non-productive time.

There are many types of automatic tool changers to choose from.

The commonly used automatic tool changers are umbrella type and Arm type.

Umbrella type automatic tool changer is cheap but tool change is slower.

Arm type automatic tool changer has a high market share and high tool change efficiency. It is highly recommended.

Grip arm type automatic tool changer is usually applied to small CNC mill. Its tool change efficiency is the fastest, you can achieve 1-second tool change

Chain type Automatic tool changer is usually used in horizontal machining centers, it can hold a lot of tools.

So how do you choose the automatic tool changer?

• According to the recommendation of CNC mill manufacturers.
• Choose your own needs for the number of machining tools.
• The common vertical machining center can choose Arm type, which can accommodate up to 24 tools and can accommodate up to 32 tools.

5、cooling system

The cooling system is a very important accessory for CNC milling machines.

It directly affects the work of CNC milling machines.

The spindle of CNC milling machine will generate high temperature when it runs at high speed.

The cooling system is mainly to cool the main shaft.

When choosing a CNC milling machine, you must consult the manufacturer whether there is a cooling system.

Usually the cooling system is an optional accessory.

6、Spindle

The spindle is the core component of the CNC milling machine.

The spindle can be divided into BT30 BT40 and BT50 according to the taper hole.

According to the traditional structure, it can be divided into belt type, gear type and straight end type.

• Belt-type spindles are used in the widest range and can process materials with high hardness.
• The geared spindle has the strongest rigidity and is suitable for rough machining of high hardness materials such as large moulds.
• The straight-through spindle has a fast speed and is ideal for machining precision parts.

Belt type spindle has BT30, BT40 and BT50 3 kinds of taper holes.

The straight spindle has only two kinds of cone holes, BT30 and BT40, while the gear spindle has only two kinds of cone holes, BT40 and BT50.

So how to choose it Spindle？

The main shaft is mainly selected according to the recommendation of CNC milling machine manufacturers.

Prerequisites, you need to tell them the details of the products you need to process.

7、Outline size

Why does the size matter?

CNC milling machine size are relatively large, so in the purchase must pay attention to their own factory whether there is such a large area to store.

Is there a point where your door can pass this size?

Many buyers who purchase small CNC milling machines are home users.

It is important to understand the size of CNC milling machines.

8、Motor Power

Motor power is very important for the products you process.

Servo motor and CNC controller are provided by the manufacturer.

Different types of machine tools require different motor power.

Specific motor power CNC milling machine manufacturers will provide, you can also choose according to your own needs.

9、After sales service

CNC machine tools will inevitably failure, the need to select enterprises with perfect after-sales service.

10、Means of transport

Choose efficient transport to keep your machine safe, Shipping is usually the best option, and it takes less time.

Choose a qualified shipping company to transport, the specific details need to communicate with the manufacturer, such as packaging.

After reading the above content, it should be clear to 10 Factors To Consider When Purchasing a CNC Milling Machine.

Are you interested in learning more about Horizontal CNC Machining Center Supplier? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!