A CNC router is one of the most easily justified financial expenditures in a manufacturing facility. But as you research options and evaluate proposals, it pays to consider five key factors before your purchase decision: return on investment, product-specific configuration, software, workflow, and maintenance.

#1 Return on investment
To calculate return on investment consider immediate labor savings, additional business acquired, efficiency of the machine, and decreasing manufacturing defects. Elevated quality from numerically controlled manufacturing is also a crucial consideration, as is an affordable financing program.

When you reduce the repetitive labor required to produce a product, you can reallocate it to a more value-adding task such as acquiring new business or expanding a product line. A CNC router spends most of its time working ‘alone’ with little to no supervision, making it the perfect choice for reallocating labor to maximize individual skills and capabilities.

#2 Product-specific configuration
Consider what you want the machine to do. Specify the application that drives the machine’s configuration. You should determine a well-defined set of parameters for the product you wish to create, write them down, and communicate the details to the machine manufacturer’s representative. Some of these parameters might be minimum and maximum part sizes, manufacturing method involved, such as nesting or cut-bore-band, and material composition that leads to fixturing alternatives.

Depending on the product-specific requirements, there are also different approaches to increasing production. These methods usually involve levels of automation, ranging from relatively simple conveyors to complex systems that involve multiple robots and sorting stations. 

By making production requirements clear to your machinery manufacturer, you ensure they can be evaluated for feasibility from the start. Sometimes the evaluation can involve physical demos on similar machines or software simulations. The product specialist should take responsibility to ask the right questions. The customer must provide a concise, realistic, end-product description.

#3 Software
The basic point of a CNC is that it requires software to tell the machine where to go so that the results are repeatable and consistent from the first part produced to the last. Software, like the physical machine, must be able to create precisely what the end-user wants to produce. Different software companies have different levels of expertise in unlocking a machine’s manufacturing capabilities. Match the software capabilities to the machine capabilities.

#4 Workflow
Anyone looking to buy a CNC router should also evaluate how the new piece of equipment will interface with existing equipment and processes. This can involve anything from material flow logistics on the floor, to how your design software will program the new CNC.

#5 Maintenance
Maintenance considerations should include the manufacturer’s parts structure, their availability, and access to support — what type of support and how long it will be provided. 

Modern CNCs reduce the need for a physical technician to be on site to provide required maintenance. In fact, some machines do it automatically or offer customer collaboration to provide real-time machine care, translating to cost savings for the end user.

Conclusion
Each of these five success factors shine a light on common questions during the implementation process. 

In addition to doing your own research, don’t forget that professionals within the manufacturer’s organization dedicate their careers to help purchasing managers make an informed decision on their capital equipment. Use them for what they are — great, reliable and easy-to-reach assets, always ready to discuss your application and how investing in a CNC will enhance productivity and quality now and in the future.

Source: Andrew De Piante is a Product Area Manager for Biesse. For information on Biesse call 704-357-3131 or visit Biesse.com..