When purchasing a new CNC machine, forming a purchasing committee is a good idea. A CNC machine can be expensive enough that a mistake in buying one can worsen the financial condition of a company.
With a decision as important as purchasing a new CNC machine, it’s essential to consider all the departments that the machine will impact. There are many factors to consider before purchasing a new machine, and many questions must be asked and answered before selecting the right CNC machine. This process includes asking questions about why the CNC equipment is being purchased and considering the size and type of parts being machined. It’s a good idea to bring together the people and departments involved in the machine purchase before purchasing.
Need to gather ideas? Form a committee
During the machine purchasing process, some companies form committees, especially when multiple departments will be directly responsible for and involved in the machine’s operation. Purchasing committees allow each department to contribute ideas and agree on requirements and priorities when selecting a machine.
Engineering:
The engineering department is responsible for assessing the machine’s capabilities to achieve machining that meets the required specifications and tolerances.
Production:
The production department will be responsible for verifying that the machine tool will meet the agreed requirements and delivery dates.
Maintenance:
The maintenance department will undoubtedly have concerns about the machine, as they will be forced to deal with problems if the selected machine is not the best option. This department is most interested in spare parts, electronic components, as well as air pressure and electrical requirements, oil filters and lubrication, CNC control type, CNC software type, preventive maintenance recommendations and frequency, as well as general startup.
Warehouse:
Warehouse managers will be concerned with optimizing the space the CNC machine will occupy within the workshop, as well as the foundation, if necessary, and the general layout, taking into account power and compressed air outlets, as well as access to forklifts or storage vehicles.
Purchasing:
The purchasing department will be interested in ensuring that the machine specifications and requirements are correct in order to negotiate with the supplier the best price and technical service required for the purchase of CNC equipment.
CNC machine selection is commonly used by large companies. Even when the machine has been purchased to replace an existing one, and the machine type and model are already known to the company, a committee will generally not be required in this case. In a workshop environment, the company owner may purchase the machine himself and find it unnecessary to convene a committee due to the potential time involved. Similarly, in small workshops, the owner is the one who operates the machine and knows exactly what he needs and how he needs it without the need for anyone else’s opinion.
However, different needs lead to different machine selection. Small-scale and home-based manufacturing industries are more advised to use desktop CNC machines that are designed for lighter jobs and with much smaller work volumes. It should still be emphasized that the difference in capacity and work volume does not really affect the level of precision offered and popular desktop CNC machines such as those made by Makera have met the precision standards that CNC machines in general must meet. Depending on the manufacturer, desktop CNC machines can still fulfill the manufacturing needs of small and medium-sized businesses.
One thing is for sure, CNC machines are a necessity for modern industries that are precise, fast-paced, efficient, and as cost-effective as possible. Investing in a CNC machine may be tough at first but in the long run, it will be profitable.
