With the popularity of vertical machining centers, China’s current machining center technology applications are basically synchronized with the world, and are roughly the same as the world in terms of accuracy and stability . At the same time, China’s CNC vertical machining centers are also favored by metal manufacturers all over the world at low prices, so why is there a big price gap between foreign and domestic brands for the same VMC 850 vertical machining center, and there are also domestic brands. Quite the spread?
There is an old Chinese saying that “you get what you pay for”, and the cost determines the price. Some manufacturers are large in scale and strong in strength, and can produce castings by themselves. The cost of common parts and equipment is relatively low, and the price is relatively cheap. Some manufacturers are small in scale and cannot independently produce the whole machine. They need to purchase important components for assembly. The equipment production cost is high and the requirements are relatively high.
This article will explain the following core components that determine the price of a machining center:
- Machine spindle
- CNC control system
- Tool magazine
- Bearings and Lead Screws
- Hard and linear rails
Machine spindle
The spindle is a key component of a vertical machining center. There are two factors that determine the price of the spindle: The first is the speed of the spindle. Generally speaking, the standard spindle speed of a machining center is 8000~10000 rpm. Some customers want to In pursuit of higher efficiency, a spindle with a higher speed must be selected, and the price will also vary according to the needs of customers. The second is the cooling system of the spindle. There are two types of spindle cooling: water cooling and oil cooling (the difference between water cooling and oil cooling, please click for reference). The cooling system is an indispensable part of the spindle and one of the important factors that determine the price of the spindle.
The price accounts for about 3%-10% of the overall price
CNC Control System
The CNC system is the core component of the machining center and the most important factor in determining the price. Because the CNC system is often bundled with a servo motor, that is to say, what brand of servo motor is used for what brand of control system is used. At present, the well-known CNC systems on the market include Fanuc, Siemens, and Mitsubishi. These CNC systems need to be imported, so the price is relatively expensive. But there are also low-priced ones, such as China’s GSK control system. The price of this CNC system is much cheaper than other imported CNC systems, and it is easy to use and has after-sales service points all over the world. Now more and more customers will choose GSK CNC system.
The price of CNC system accounts for about 15%-25% of the overall price
Tool magazine
The tool magazine is a container for storing tools in the machining center. The part of the tool that directly contacts the workpiece can realize drilling, milling, cutting and other operations. Common tool magazines are divided into bucket hat-type tool magazines and disc-type tool magazines. Different types of tool magazines are absolutely different in the number of tools and tool changing speed. Knives, the price is higher than the bucket hat type knife magazine. Now the world’s most popular knife magazine brands are Taiwanese brands, such as OKADA, New Generation and AIMACH.
The price of the tool magazine accounts for about 10%-15% of the overall price.
Bearings and Lead Screws
Bearings are mainly used to support the mechanical selection body, reduce the friction coefficient during movement, and ensure rotation. In the machining center equipment, the bearing is mainly used on the lead screw to drive the lead screw to rotate. In addition to the rigidity and anti-wear properties of the lead screw, the bearing is the main factor affecting the price of the lead screw. At present, the high-end bearing market is dominated by Swiss and Japanese brands. The performance of Japanese NSK bearings is suitable for use in machining center screws, but the price is high. If only medium and low-end machining center equipment is needed in daily production, domestic bearings can be chosen.
The price of the lead screw does not exceed 10% of the overall price of the machining center.
Hard and linear rails
The hard rail refers to the casting that the guide rail and the bed are integrated, and then the guide rail is processed on the basis of the casting. Linear guides usually refer to rolling guides, which are the ones used in linear modules that are often used in the machine tool industry, and are also commonly referred to as linear guides. The track is fast and accurate. The rigidity of the hard rail is good, the load is heavy, and the heavy cutting ability is relatively strong. There is no difference between the two, and the choice should be based on specific processing needs.
Hard guides and rolling guides of different types of materials do not exceed 10% of the overall price of the machining center.