Points for you to consider
Buying a CNC machine, how to make the right choice
CNC machining centres come in all shapes and sizes, so which one do you need? Just consider the difference between a CNC machine with a gantry, a CNC machine with a moving column, a multitasking CNC machine or one that has been built to your specifications. You want to make a properly thought-out choice, not least because a new CNC machine is a considerable investment. Based on our many years of experience and our expertise, we will help you make that choice. These are the most important points to consider when deciding which CNC machine is right for your manufacturing situation.
CNC machine tailored to your product
You are looking for a CNC machine and have Unisign on your shortlist. The first question we will ask you: what kind of products will you manufacture on a CNC machine? Do you have drawings, dimensions and product specifications? Using this information we will draw up a shortlist for you. Another important question we always ask: what do you want to use your CNC machine for in the near future? Is there a possibility that you will want to make larger products? Will other operations be required? We do our best to anticipate your future needs.
Your product dimensions
Naturally, the size of your product is the major determining factor when choosing a CNC machining centre. For lengths of 2 metres or longer (up to more than 30 metres with our CNC gantry machines) Unisign has numerous options for the X, Y and Z axes. We will give you relevant advice based on your product specifications.
Which metals?
You can deploy our CNC machines in almost any sector. From general machining to the oil and gas industry, the energy sector and truck and train manufacturing. You can machine a very wide variety of metals on our CNC machines. From normal grade steel to hardened materials, from super alloys to aluminium which has many applications in the aerospace industry.
Operations required
Do you particularly need CNC milling operations? And do you also need turning operations? And will 3 axis milling be sufficient, or does the machining process require 5-sided or even 5 axis simultaneous milling? You probably already have answers to most of these questions, but we would still like to answer these based on our experience. Often our answer differs from yours but rest assured: the outcome is always the best CNC machine for your product.
Product accessibility
An important consideration is the accessibility of the product to be processed. Perhaps this is challenging or even quite problematic for your product. In which case, we will recommend a CNC machine that allows for different machining heads. Such a machine automatically switches between a number of heads (right-angled head, 5 axis, product specific, etc.) and selects the head that can reach those awkward areas of your product. This in contrast to CNC machining centres with a fixed head, which makes you much less flexible.
An additional advantage for you is that at Unisign, we develop these heads ourselves and we can make them exactly to your specifications. With automatic head changing, long lead times due to repeated product clamping or the use of long ‘slow’ tools is a thing of the past.
Value added and turnkey
We not only provide added value with our CNC machines, but we also add value by integrating automatic loading systems, developing clamping fixtures and tools and help you with the production engineering. With a full turnkey project we take care of everything for you from A to Z.
High service level
When you purchase a CNC machine from us, you start from one of our ‘standard’ machines. A CNC machine with gantry, a CNC machine with moving column or a multitasking CNC machine. We then adapt it to create your new CNC machining centre which meets your specific needs regarding speed, capacity and operations.
Because we know exactly what goes on inside our CNC machining centres, we also know exactly how you can get the maximum possible benefit from your machine. Our service doesn’t stop after commissioning your machine. We provide extensive support with our detailed product and process knowledge and, in the event of a breakdown, our factory support team will help you resume operations as quickly as possible.
Testimonials of our clients
Everything possible in a single setup – that’s what Voith were looking for – so the UNICOM6000 was proposed. “The UNISIGN would be our first machine with a HSK1OO interface,” said Richard Schmidt, project engineer at Voith. In particular, they were looking for stability and rigidity in the machine concept, since accuracy was important on the heavy parts being produced. In the end though the choice was made not just for the combination of turning and milling; it was also the possibility to do lateral drilling, the availability of good service and particularly UNISIGN’s willingness to think with us. And the payback? In practice, Voith found they could shave an entire day off the usual one week production time for some parts!
project engineer at Voith
As a manufacturer of railway bogies in Switzerland, a productivity increase of around 50% was hugely significant for Stadler. And it’s all down to the UNIPORT7000. Supporting the customer’s aims of manufacturing flexibility and productivity, this Unisign portal machine halved the usual milling and drilling time. According to Mayer, “It’s all down to the extremely high dynamics and the very powerful machine capabilities.” Reliability was another aspect where the machine excelled said Meyer, another but a crucial differentiator for this particular machine was the simpler and hence much cheaper foundation for the installation.
head of the railway bogie center at Stadler Winterthur AG
We are a full service provider in aerospace, machining as well as plant, tool and wind-tunnel model engineering. Whether prototyping or series manufacturing, our machinery and expertise make short processing times possible, even for the most demanding, highest precision machined parts! Unisign Unipro 5000 with a working range of 5.000 x 800 x 500 mm is an important resource to machine also large parts at high accuracy to the satisfaction of our customers.
Head of Sales and Marketing at Deharde
“No-nonsense and a service that continues, also after the purchase. They understand what we do.” That is how Mark Das, SafanDarley, describes the relationship with UNISIGN. “Furthermore, just like us, it is a Dutch machine tool builder. This meets with our vision. We know what we get.”
For the production of machine parts, Unisign supplied a new milling machine, also suitable for grinding; the UNIVERS 6000, which replaced two existing machines.
The UNIVERS 6000 creates flexibility in the production process, being able to perform multiple tasks, such as milling as well as grinding. “It may not be the cheapest machine but UNISIGN offers robust quality and good service”, concludes Das. “The UNIVERS 6000 is a big hit in our company.”
Production Manager SafanDarley
“When considering a new machine for replacement of our aging Unisign CNC machine the basic condition was that all – 1000 NC programs of our active parts portfolio can continue to be used on a new machine. Unisign presented an innovative solution based on a Unicom 7000 which meets the challenging project requirement. In combination with a Fastems pallet loading system, our existing portfolio can be managed even more efficient.
With the Unisign Unicom 7000, we have an extremely efficient system in connection with the Fastems pallet loading systems, which is tailored to our parts portfolio and is ready to operate without a long ramp up period. A successful project in which we have proven that very complex systems can be replaced smoothly with the right partner.”
Head of Supply & Production Network
applications
- Logistics
- Energy
- General machining
We have established a world leading position in front axle machining. Truck manufacturers and suppliers use our UNITWIN6000 CNC machine to produce more than 2 million front axles every year.
For the complex rear axle machining we also have a dedicated solution: our UNIAXLE. With this new CNC machine you can machine cast iron as well as steel welded rear axles to the greatest precision, in the shortest possible time, all in a single setup.
For everything from bogies to wheels and weld preparation to wheel carrier machining, Unisign has highly versatile machines like the Univers6000, Uniport6000 and Uniport7000. These moving column and gantry style machining centres are part of the machine tool program that have been designed to deliver extremely high capacity, dynamics, rapid acceleration and offer a generous working area.
applications for logistics
Heavy duty turning, milling and drilling characterises the production of components for energy-producing equipment like (wind) turbines. So you need a CNC machine that can take the load. A mill-turn machining centre like the Unicom6000, Unicom7000 and the Uniport7000-MTC or a multi-functional Uniport6000 and Uniport7000 are the ideal solution for producing these demanding parts.
Pumps and valves for the oil & gas industry can be highly complex parts to produce with seals, gaskets, flanges and requirements like spiral grooves and elliptical conical eccentric turning. The machining centres from Unisign, with their high degree of automation and specially designed software, are a unique solution capable of milling parts that others cannot.
At Unisign we understand that our customers don’t just buy a CNC machine, they buy a process. And price per part is key. So for general applications we offer high torque machines with high material removal rates, including 5-axis and 5-sided machining and a choice of moving table or palletized, depending on the footprint available.
applications for general machining
