Nerdlinger
Stainless
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2013
- Location
- Chicago, IL
We have/had lots of older equipment for a long time, along with which were more-or-less "normal" maintenance issues for "older" equipment, and then we were finally in a position to start investing in some new equipment. The first one we got 4 or 5 years ago was a Brother S2Dn. We run it two shifts (dedicated part) cutting steel with "HSM" paths, maxing out the spindle RPM, etc. and have not had a single maintenance call yet (except, of course, for the time I rapid crashed the spindle but that was MY fault).
Now I do not know if we got lucky on that machine or what but since then we have bought three other new machines - one other reputable mill, one reputable swiss machine, and one reputable fixed headstock lathe and have had little this's and that's with all of them. Auto door's alarming out for no good reason (probably a goofy sensor), 4th axis alarming out from time to time(just keep turning the machine off and on to fix this one), rotary guide bushing sensors getting clogged with chips and breaking (I guess we're supposed to clean that out after every job now? ), way cover screws backing out and snagging the seals (I guess we're supposed to add that one to the PM!?!? - "Check to make sure way cover screws aren't backing out",)
Anyways, can you share how many times you have had a machine failure within the first couple years due to something other than lack of normal PM? Something analogous to a servo amp or prox switch crapping out after 6 months...It might not be a huge deal to fix or have fixed but still....
I'm guessing I just got lucky with the S2Dn and maybe set the bar too high on my expectations of new machines but wanted to see what y'all have experienced. Time is money in this biz and we're all good at diagnosing and fixing switches, turrets, overloads, etc. so we usually end up fixing it ourselves so we can get back running instead of making some big stink out of principle and holding out for the service guy to show up but sometimes I wonder if the MACHINE manufacturers are taking advantage of the fact that most of their customers are good at FIXING MACHINES.
Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you!
Now I do not know if we got lucky on that machine or what but since then we have bought three other new machines - one other reputable mill, one reputable swiss machine, and one reputable fixed headstock lathe and have had little this's and that's with all of them. Auto door's alarming out for no good reason (probably a goofy sensor), 4th axis alarming out from time to time(just keep turning the machine off and on to fix this one), rotary guide bushing sensors getting clogged with chips and breaking (I guess we're supposed to clean that out after every job now? ), way cover screws backing out and snagging the seals (I guess we're supposed to add that one to the PM!?!? - "Check to make sure way cover screws aren't backing out",)
Anyways, can you share how many times you have had a machine failure within the first couple years due to something other than lack of normal PM? Something analogous to a servo amp or prox switch crapping out after 6 months...It might not be a huge deal to fix or have fixed but still....
I'm guessing I just got lucky with the S2Dn and maybe set the bar too high on my expectations of new machines but wanted to see what y'all have experienced. Time is money in this biz and we're all good at diagnosing and fixing switches, turrets, overloads, etc. so we usually end up fixing it ourselves so we can get back running instead of making some big stink out of principle and holding out for the service guy to show up but sometimes I wonder if the MACHINE manufacturers are taking advantage of the fact that most of their customers are good at FIXING MACHINES.
Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you!