Quote:
Originally Posted by R.C.
1323 (kinda) owns a Tormach and we've spent a ton of money on it. Got it for 25k with everything and then we've probably invested 5-6k on it (All school money, machine was paid for by the Shop Classes). And this is without the ATC which came out after we bought it.
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If you're getting into the $20k range, it's really worth it to hold out and go the extra mile for the HAAS. A lot of schools like to hear that you're interested in installing
industry standard equipment so students develop skills
directly transferable to the workplace. This may help up the budget. Also, the school should know that a HAAS machine is a 10+ year purchase. It isn't like it's going to be obsolete or irrelevant in 5 years. And it's going to last. Comparing the cost to something like outfitting a lab with new computers, it's clear which dollars last for a longer time.
A HAAS Mini Mill can be had for just under $30k if you're a school. You can get into a HAAS Toolroom mill (which gives you great travels and workspace) for probably just over $25k, but it has no tool changer (unless you get the more expensive "P" model). I would have a hard time recommending a machine without a tool changer if one is available. It's just too important of an option to pass up if it is available.
For CAM software, you may be interested in
HSM Express for Solidworks. It looks very good and is free. One interesting note is that HSMWorks is getting bought out by Autodesk oddly enough. I envision good things to come from this in the next 3 years.
For now, we're enjoying OneCNC XR5 so far. There are many free training videos available and we've only had minor hiccups in the learning curve. Although it's less popular than MasterCAM, it seems every bit as powerful and just as easy to use. It has great simulation graphics. The OneCNC West reseller has been fantastic and the educational pricing can't be beat. Also, once you own it, you own it. No annual fee. Finally, In some sense I like the fact that it's a standalone program.
I'm curious if any teams with CNC mills have used them to run jobs for customers to generate income for the team.