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Other people with experience of Taiwanese Machines vs Korean Machines

smilidon

Plastic
Joined
Apr 26, 2021
So Our company currently has 5 Taiwanese CNC lathes, and 1 China CNC lathe. All of them relatively the same in capability... Standard XZ gang type lathe with separate Y axis live tooling, capable of 4-8 live tools radial and axial. Mostly only 7.5HP spindle motors but really we don't need much more, as we don't do exotic metals, almost exclusively only stainless steel 304 and the like.

We're not a job shop, we're more on mass production, so as long as the machines are consistent and repeatable, a little slower on the cycle time really isn't much of a problem (all 6 machines have barfeeders). Now based on my experience, the China machine works just as well as the Taiwanese machines, just that the detail and finish of the China machine is way worse than the Taiwanese ones that we have (not referring to product finish, but the machine tool finish, as in paint job, fit of sheet metal panels, the little things). Maybe it's the size of the company that makes the difference, But in my opinion both companies are quite medium sized... Nowhere as big as the big guys, mazak, okuma, dmg Mori, Doosan, Hyundai, goodway, Haas etc.

For reference
China machine : BLIN BL-H6Y x 1
BL-H6Y Slant Bed CNC Lathe
Taiwanese machines : GREENWAY HCP-42 x 6
Greenway Taiwan-CNC Lathe, Auto Lathe, Swiss Type, Dual Spindle

I've been to the Taiwanese factory, and they're a pretty neat company... as in I've become good friends with their chief engineer and their products are actually great bang for buck. So no problems for me there. The China machine factory however, I haven't been to. Only pictures from the salesman.

Anyway, now I'm thinking of acquiring a more capable multipurpose machine. With subspindle, larger tool turret along with live tools etc. For use as an R&D machine to test new product ideas and small production runs of the new idea until we decide its worth it again to get another dedicated machine for the said "new part".

Greenway doesn't have the sort of multipurpose fully capable machine that I'm looking for so I have to look somewhere else. Possibilities are:
Taiwan
Goodway (large) [note Goodway & Greenway are
different just so you know]
Tongtai (large)
Mylas (medium)
- have a dealer in Netherlands, target market eur
Greenway (medium)
- biggest market is in Turkey
Korea
Doosan (large)
Hyundai (large)

You guys are probably quite familiar with the other names here, but one company that I'd like to show you guys is MYLAS CNC. I've been to their factory as well during my trip to Taiwan and they're about the same size as Greenway but also very impressive. Check out their website,

Two Spindle Twin-Turret CNC Lathe : MYLAS MY-TURN DT42/DT52/DT65 Model Multi-Tasking Turn Centres Series

MYLAS is actually the one im leaning towards. Specifically this model above.

What are your guys' suggestions? Basically, I know that the Korean Machines have more name reliability to them, so they won't be bad purchases per se, just that they are more expensive.

The two Taiwanese companies that I mention Greenway and Mylas, seem to be stable family run companies as I've been to both factories. In my opinion, these medium sized companies have better service because they respond quicker and way more personally than sometimes the more detached replies of large companies and absence of replies from small companies.

Our country the Philippines is very backwards, very few local dealers of the other brands(Doosan, mazak are the only 2 I know of) and their margins are toooo much, waaay more expensive, and too much premium on "service" (big headed service techs), the Taiwanese company on the other hand help us out with one call or mssg so long as it's not a big scary major problem. So we've been direct importing our taiwanese machines, slightly more hassle but cheaper. And no need to navigate and argue what the dealers will and will not do. We're not in the capital of Manila and all the dealerships are based in Manila so every little issue has to go through them and then they demand that their tech has to service the machine so they force us to fly them here to Cebu even a little problem, yet another added cost in addition to wasted time.

So As I'm sure we're all familiar, buying a machine is not only about the machine itself, the politics of dealership can and cannots are also very annoying especially in a backwards nation like ours where we have no other options. Which is why even if I'd really like a mazak and or Doosan, they're already expensive and they will become even more expensive and hassle with the dealerships blocking the way... So I've been more inclined towards the brands without dealers, and straight to the manufacturers.

So basically I kinda know what I want (MYLAS CNC), I just want to hear opinions from differrent people... Most helpful will be opinions from people from overseas. Anything you can tell me is good. Crappy dealer experience, good dealer experience, direct importing, Taiwanese vs Korean brands, how about the brands/companies I mentioned.

Additional info, we make parts for local marine craft. Smallest is 1/2" in diameter, largest being 2" in diameter. Stainless 316, 304 mostly. Main operations are medium deep drilling, deepest at 2-3 inches deep. A little bit of Heavy OD cutting. But not a lot of Heavy ID cutting. The whole plant is 3 hectares, but the cnc machining area I've currently only allocated about 800sqm of space. Have space for about 7-8 more machines depending on size. The main control we use now is Syntec, basically a fanuc knockoff but reliable enough for mass production use. I think most people here are from big job shops and from what I read most people swear by heidenhein, fanuc, okuma controls and I'm not opposed to trying something new, to be able to move the company forward ofcourse, just need some guidance and opinions from yall. The processed parts from the lathes, some are sold as is, but majority get passed to 5 robotic welding cells for further processing.

We don't run 24/7, only average about 10hrs/day, 6 days a week. I don't know how much of this info is useless or useful.

Thanks for your replies.
 








 
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