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Which WEDM would you choose... 2010 Sodick VZ300L or 2012 Charmilles Cut200mS ?

Milacron

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Dec 15, 2000
Location
SC, USA
Both smaller machines with about 6,000 hours. Both about $50,000.

Is one less likely to have errors than the other ? Which company is better for phone troubleshooting ? Parts prices ?

Or is Fanuc the king of smaller WEDM's ?
 
I've always liked Sodicks. Support here in Los Angeles is good, there's several people that are all about these machines. Actually, I have a VL600Q on order right now to replace our AP500 machine.
 
Both smaller machines with about 6,000 hours. Both about $50,000.

Is one less likely to have errors than the other ? Which company is better for phone troubleshooting ? Parts prices ?

Or is Fanuc the king of smaller WEDM's ?

Im bias but Sodick in my opinion.

I've been running a Sodick Wire EDM since 2008 (AQ537L Premium), always has been reliable and tech support has always been great. The Service Dept. has always been easy to work with, although machine hasn't required much service over the past 12 yrs (just hit 17,000 cutting hrs) other than your consumables, which aren't crazy expensive. The machine is also still very accurate well past Sodicks 10yr position guarantee. Changing settings and parameters through out the flag/setting pages is also very easy and setting up for 4 axis machining is simple.
 
The general consensus is the uk is that +GF+ are quick to sell you machines and good prices but fuck will they help you when they break.

Brand new charmilles I used to run had software crashes on a weekly basis and all they could offer was to reload the same software over and over...

My new company has a suite of sodick, needed to make a call about an trivial issue and got a call back in 30 minutes.
 
I would avoid AgieCharmiles. I had a cut200ms from 2018 or so. They are pretty capable machines when they work. Thing is they tend not to work. Huge software issues. If there is an update for a minor issue you could be pretty sure it will break something major. And in the end you have to come up with workarounds to get it working. Also the positioning on my machine in my previous workplace was inconsistent. For example: I had a part where I needed to cut 2 holes one bigger and one smaller in a 20mm thick material at around 140.000 +- 0,005 mm from each other. And most cases it was spot on, but other times it was 0,03-0,05 off. I never figured out why, so I just used our Mitsubishi MV2400R for those kinds of works. When you make one offs, you kinda want everything to work on the first try.
Long story short. Even tho I haven't had a chance to use a Sodick, I would still choose that one over the Charmiles.
 
In 2008 we replaced an aging Charmilles with a Sodick. Since then we bought 3 more Sodicks. We couldn't be more happy with the machines, application support and service. They're fast, accurate, give a great finish and easy to use. Linear motors over ball screws is a no brainier as well.
 
I have been using both Charmilles and Sodick. I like Sodick more as it is less costly to operate and very easy to operate. I always find good help online for sodick issues and get out of it easily. Another reason is, I got reasonable Wire edm clamping system compatible to sodick. It is highly accurate and makes my life easy. Wire EDM Tooling System 3R MIC2616 Sodick AQ750L Compatible from rapidholdingsystems.
 
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Or is Fanuc the king of smaller WEDM's ?

Any opinions on second hand FANUC WEDM's ?

The new machines seem very capable but their prices seem to be climbing still pretty relentlessly (for new).

If you are going for higher tolerances but slowish "Burn" does Sodick still go toe to toe with Fanuc ? (of various vintages in the price range Milicron is talking here - second hand ).

Out of Sodick and Fanuc for second hand WEDM machines who is the most likely to leave you twizzling in the wind ? + parts. ?

I don't know very much about Sodick but they look solid / good.
 
I run a pair of 10 year old Sodick AG600L machines, very accurate. Sodick support for applications and hardware issues is top notch.
 








 
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