CNC machinery FAQ: top 4 questions about CNC machinery

Whether you own, or are considering buying CNC machinery, you’re probably full of questions about it. Don’t worry. We have you covered. Here’s some of the more common questions we find many customers like you have:

Q:We're strapped for time. Should we consider training?

A: Only if you want to dramatically reduce the time it takes to produce the parts and start making more money more efficiently almost immediately. Seriously, regardless of the process you use, it’s worth your time finding a qualified expert to help you create a more efficient process that delivers the same quality of products, and possibly better. Just make sure you research their background carefully and that they take the time to ask you questions so they have a 100% clear understanding of your problem. This may even be worth investigating for routine processes you haven’t analyzed for years.

Q: When should I upgrade my CNC machinery? 

A: There’s a lot of subjectivity in this question. First, you’ll have to analyze your needs and see how well your machinery meets them. At the same time, start talking to vendors out there to see what’s available in the market. Of course, you want to get the most life out of your CNC machinery as you can. But a reliable vendor can show you how long it will take for an investment in new or upgraded CNC machinery to pay off.

Q: If I'm considering upgrading or buying new CNC machinery, what makes one CNC machine different from another?

A: For the most part, CNC machinery is pretty similar. But, the differences come in the details required to run the router. For example, preparation, programming, procedures, assembly, sorting, and error handling are the main cost areas you’ll want to investigate closely.

Q: What should I look for in a CNC machine?

A: Before you look, you should know precisely what you need your CNC machine to do, what you want to make with it, and how you’re going to do that. Some areas of consideration that you might look at, depending on your needs, include:

• The level of precision you need
• Finish
• How productive you want to be
• How long you’ll need the CNC machine to live before replacing it
• And of course, the price you can afford

The price question generally gets answered on its own after you analyze all the other considerations.

We hope these answers help guide you in finding more efficient and profitable ways to use your CNC machinery in 2016 and beyond!