New machine day!

[Zoober]

@zoober, isn't the cycle time competition more about matching the perfect part with the perfect machine size. .. just big enough to make.

Lots of things are involved. But fast cycles don't mean anything without solid processes.
Nothing makes that more apparent than Medical, where processes must meet capability requirements and validations.
You want to make a change? You need to rev the validation, which is expensive and time consuming.

[YoDoug]

I'll be 100% honest, For the most part Okuma doesn't build the fastest machines. They build strong, accurate, and reliable machines. That combination fits very well with our style of highly automated, long unattended processes. We run our machines between 8-16hrs a day unattended making hundreds of parts. We need accurate, thermally stable, and consistent machines. We can set a finishing tool for a press fit bore in Aluminum and have it hold size all night long.

[mkd]

I've been really impressed with my year 2000MacTurn. It has a scale on X and temp probes in the casting. After a first part warmup, that sucker holds tenths from 70 degrees to 90 degrees ambient. ok, impressive for having the wonkiest toolholders known to man. Nary a mechanical design issue either. A few minor age related things.
 Surprisingly, some ultra premium brands don't comp for actual temp very well; they just go to great lengths to normalize temps. And this approach works very very well too.

 odd random thought: I wonder if ball screw manufacturers use Invar for their material selection? Seems like a cheaper solution that pumping fluid through the core.

[mkd]

Would Invar be tough enough (can you harden it?)

you and your logical ways..
High nickel gummy stuff might need hard chrome plating, I guess.