What CNC Milling Machine to Buy – Tips for Choosing Your First CNC Milling Machine | CNCLATHING

2020.5.22

This is not a strange question for a CNC manufacturer or machine operator, when buying first milling machine, what CNC milling machine to buy? It’s more likely many aspects should consider. Here are some ideas for buying CNC mills, perhaps you can get some useful tips. 

CNC Milling Machine Buying Guide - What Should Consider for Purchasing a CNC Mill

If you are ready to purchase a CNC milling machine that costs an amount of money, make sure you have a complete understanding of what products you are going to fabricate, and the construction, function, working principle of a mill. It concerns the CNC milling services of a company.

1. Budget

Define your budget ahead of time. The first thing you should understand is that a CNC machine won’t be cheap. Buying a CNC milling machine is to do an investment. First of all, you should consider what prices you or your company can afford, not only the machine, there are also other factors should also be taken into accounts, such as the machines tool parts for replacement, transportation expenses for taking the machine to your location, installment fee, and more. New equipment and the old one will differ much in the cost. Make sure the budget of all parts about the machine and keep that, then you can choose CNC mills within a range. Everyone’s purpose is to buy the best CNC milling machine within the budget. If you can’t find a proper one, reevaluate the budget.

 

2. The specification of the machine

What size of the machine do you need? What kinds of parts are you going to manufacture? Mass production may need industrial-grade milling machine, while for medium or low volume production needs, a commercial quality mill may be enough. Speed and precision are two other important factors to consider for a CNC machine. Higher speed means greater productivity in the general situations, but it may not come with high accuracy at the same time. The CNC milling machines provide different levels of tolerances that have a large difference in price. In addition, different models can work with different materials, based on the part you need to machine, search for the right type of machine for your project. 

 

3. Brands or manufacturer

Like most products, there are some top brands on the CNC machine market. Each brand has its own reputation and characteristics. Some suppliers set themselves apart from others in certain fields, such as price, durability, technique, service, and capacity. Best CNC milling machine brands you can search for including Okuma, HAAS, DMG Mori, and Mazak. Figure out the advantages and disadvantages of multiple brands for an easier choice. 

 

4. Programming

Each instrument performs in a different way when programming, make sure you can make programs with the CNC machine. For beginners, you can look for a machine with conversational programming to better get started in operation. Get used to the programming style of the CNC milling machine you bought. 

 

5. Service

Whether you are using a new or an old machine, it is likely to be damaged, and the repair of the machine can be very complex and expensive. At this time, it is very important for the manufacturer to provide affordable support when necessary. For second-hand machines, please investigate the availability and cost of spare parts of the brand or model to be purchased, and regularly clean and maintain them.

What CNC Milling Machine to Buy? - What Types of Milling Machines You Need

Before buying first milling machine, you need to do lots of preparations. Based on the capacity, cost, features of the machine, and your requirements, select the best CNC mills in your budget. Here are 10 recommended CNC milling machines for 2020.

1. Tormach PCNC 440

2. Stepcraft D.840 CNC

3. Tormach PCNC 770

4. Tormach PCNC 1100

5. Bolton Tools M4A

6. Taig 5019DSLS Micro Mill

7. Sherline 12” Deluxe CNC Machine 

8. CNC Supra Vertical Knee CNC Machine

9. CNC 3018pro-M DIY Mini Machine

10. Genmitsu CNC 3018-PRO Router Kit GRBL Control 3 Axis Plastic Acrylic

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