How To Choose The Right Machine Tools For Your Business: By Experts

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Manufacturing a mechanical product is not a simple affair. Hundreds of parts and components come together giving you the final product and output. You might look at the humble ceiling fan and say it’s simple enough. But the reality is that the ceiling fam is made up of hundreds of mechanical parts that need to work in unison and complement each other.

When it comes to mechanical product engineering and manufacturing, companies look to arm their technicians and engineers with the right set of tools. These machine tools are responsible for aiding technicians in their day-to-day work activities. Let us try to explain this with the help of an example-

‘Have you witnessed how an electrician works? He carries tons of tools and equipment with him that helps in fixing wires, getting fuses out, creating power sockets, tightening hooks, etc. Does he do the same with his bare hands? He cannot! He takes help from machine tools like drillers, fasteners, pliers, and so on.’

In this article, we are going to help technicians and engineers choose the best machinist tools and supplies for their requirements. If you are a business owner that is looking to purchase a new set of tools, this article will help address your concerns.

What are Machine Tools?

To be honest, machine tools have been the same for some time now. In fact, in their most modern avatar, they draw heavily from their ancestors that were used in the 19th and 20th centuries! Yes, that is a fact that you should know about. In some ways, it is their simplicity that makes them so successful.

The following are the seven major classes of machine tools that are used in our times:

1. Press Machine Tools
2. Power Saws and Cutting Tools
3. Turning Machine Tools
4. Drilling Machine Tools
5. Shaper Machine Tools
6. Milling Machine Tools
7. Grinding Machine Tools

You will notice that all the individual machine tools fall into one of the above-mentioned seven categories. In the following section, we are going to list down some ways to help you choose the right machine tools for your business.

5 Factors that will help you Choose the Right Machine Tools for your Business

1. Ask professionals who would be using the machine tools

One of the most common mistakes businesses make is buying certain tools that the technician has not used before. In other words, asking the technician about specific tools that he has experience handling and working with in the past should be your starting point. If they have experience, they will start using them immediately without wasting any time getting used to them.

2. Look at the space available on the location

When it comes to buying machine tools, the size of the location matters a lot. For example, a lathe machine will have to be kept somewhere. This means that you need to evaluate whether you have the real estate available in your machine shed or factory. Else, you will be left with an expensive tool that needs to be stored outside and suffer from the inclement weather.

3. Assess the kind of value the machine tool will add

At the end of the day, you are buying a machine tool to carry out some work. This is an important factor in assessing the kind of output you want. A small press might be able to execute just twenty processes in a day, whereas a large one might be able to do more than a hundred. This is why you need to look at the output you are looking for and then proceed.

4. Compatibility with other tools, machines, and software

In any manufacturing facility, a particular machine tool is always connected with others that are part of the complete process. This means you need to ensure that the various tools that are part of the manufacturing process are compatible or not. You also need to check for software integration to make sure that the manufacturing work is carried out seamlessly.

5. Going with a Reputed Manufacturer and Brand

When it comes to buying machine tools, investing in a credible and reputed brand should be a top priority. Going for the cheapest machine tools, you are compromising on the build and quality. If you want the tools to last for a long time, you need to invest in a good brand. Make sure you do your research, test the machine well, and then arrive at your decision.

The Bottom Line

Choosing the right machine tools can help you improve productivity and work output. In most manufacturing operations, a wrong tool that breaks down brings the entire production process to a halt. By following the points in the article, you will be in a much better position to narrow down your selection of machine tools.