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Help choosing a used turning centre! Hardinge, Nakamura, Tongtai...

Ishtar

Plastic
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Hi all

Need some help choosing a machine from a shortlist of 3 please! Consider me a complete amateur to these machines, I'm moving on from an Emco PC Turn 120... This will be my first machine with a sub spindle and live tooling, I use Fusion 360 for post and I'm happy I can program for a sub spindle and live tooling. I really don't know what sets these machines apart from each other apart from brand and would welcome any and all help!!

I'm mostly turning small parts in lowish volumes but would like to experiment with possibly milling small parts from the bar stock in one of these? I don't know if live tooling can be turned 90 degrees to accomodate this. I'd really like to be able to use the one machine for almost everything if that's even possible.

They all have bar feed and chip conveyors, and a variety of live tooling and collets. They're all in the same price bracket.

Tongtai TA20LMB, 2012. Cleanest looking of the 3 machines, also the lowest hours. Single 12stn Snuter turret and tons of spare live tooling. Cheapest of the 3.

Nakamura TW10MM, 1998. Twin 12stn turret. Loads of collets though. 6 axis? Most expensive of the 3.

Hardinge Quest 8 51, 2005. Single 12stn turret (24 positions?), least live tooling of all of the machines but this one also has a Y axis.

Full seller descriptions are below.

I really don't know what features I should be prioritising, they come with a 12 month warranty from the seller.

Thanks!

Tongtai TA20LMB, 2012, s/n U20195, Fanuc 18iTB Control, Sub Spindle, Driv Tooling, Short mag bar feed, Collet Chucks Main & Sub Spindle, 3 Driv Holders, Toolsetter, 12 stn turret, swarf conveyor, parts catcher & conveyor, max turning dia 335mm, max workpiece length 650mm, bar cap 51mm

Nakamura TW10MM, 1998, s/n W105809, Fanuc 18Ti Control, 6 axis, LNS Ecoload short mag bar feed, twin 12 stn turret, full c axis & driv tools, toolsetting eyes, Collet chuck, 3-jaw chuck, 12 stn turrets, q setters, renishaw probe, parts catcher, swarf conveyor, 52mm bar cap.

Hardinge Quest 8 51 CNC Driven Tool Sub-Spindle CNC Lathe, 2005, s/n qc-671, Fanuc 16i-T, Driven tooling, sub-spindle, 5 Driven Tool Holders, 8 static, Hydrafeed Multifeed short Magazine Bar feeder s/n5707, collet chuck, 18 Off C 16 Collets. Swarf conveyor, Toolsetter, parts catcher, max turning dia 340.4mm, max turning length 355.6mm, bar cap 50.8mm, 14.9kw.
 
Hi all

Need some help choosing a machine from a shortlist of 3 please! Consider me a complete amateur to these machines, I'm moving on from an Emco PC Turn 120... This will be my first machine with a sub spindle and live tooling, I use Fusion 360 for post and I'm happy I can program for a sub spindle and live tooling. I really don't know what sets these machines apart from each other apart from brand and would welcome any and all help!!

I'm mostly turning small parts in lowish volumes but would like to experiment with possibly milling small parts from the bar stock in one of these? I don't know if live tooling can be turned 90 degrees to accomodate this. I'd really like to be able to use the one machine for almost everything if that's even possible.

They all have bar feed and chip conveyors, and a variety of live tooling and collets. They're all in the same price bracket.

Tongtai TA20LMB, 2012. Cleanest looking of the 3 machines, also the lowest hours. Single 12stn Snuter turret and tons of spare live tooling. Cheapest of the 3.

Nakamura TW10MM, 1998. Twin 12stn turret. Loads of collets though. 6 axis? Most expensive of the 3.

Hardinge Quest 8 51, 2005. Single 12stn turret (24 positions?), least live tooling of all of the machines but this one also has a Y axis.

Full seller descriptions are below.

I really don't know what features I should be prioritising, they come with a 12 month warranty from the seller.

Thanks!
Hi,

I think Nakamura machine would be the great choice because it'll save maintenance spare cost compare to other machine. Ex:- 24*7*365= it'll will run 5 years without maintenance spares. So think about machine life.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
 
Strongly suggest a Y axis machine for doing your milling.Very limited otherwise. Your live tools will be fixed either toward the main spindle, vertical, or towards the sub spindle, but won't "swivel". Unless you need lots of tools, doubt you would nee twin turrets.
 
I would give those control listed hours meters only a passing glance. They can be changed in the parameters. Sometimes I've seen total hours locked, but again, unreliable information. A non-resetting analog hour meter on a door somewhere will have truer meaning.
 
Strongly suggest a Y axis machine for doing your milling.Very limited otherwise. Your live tools will be fixed either toward the main spindle, vertical, or towards the sub spindle, but won't "swivel". Unless you need lots of tools, doubt you would nee twin turrets.

I think you're right, I need the Y axis capability. Is there anything I should know about the Hardinge? I'm struggling to find a Fanuc 16i post for Fusion 360.
 
I think you're right, I need the Y axis capability. Is there anything I should know about the Hardinge? I'm struggling to find a Fanuc 16i post for Fusion 360.

If you find an 18, 18i, 16, or even a Fanuc generic, you've pretty much found what you need. Any differences if they exist at all will be minor. I'm talking about a post only. Not the layout or specifics of what might appear on the control screens.

What you might find is MTB (Machine Tool Builder) specific G or M codes that control certain functions on the machine. These are likely going to force you to modify any post if you want every bell and whistle available through your post. (Functionality can always be added manually after the post output.)

Which brings me to another important point to remember in your decision process. Do not buy a machine without all the manuals available. You'll thank me for that some day. If they're not included, expect to pay good money to get them, if that's even possible on some older stuff.

Dave
 








 
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