Considerations for a Wise Machine Tool Purchase

There are a lot more than dollar signs to consider before purchasing a new machine tool. A high-quality machine tool requires a capital outlay measured in tens of thousands of dollars. Ensuring a solid return on that investment within a relatively short time frame is imperative.

As with most major purchases, research, reflection, and preparation are prerequisites to making a wise machine tool purchase. Here are some key points for shops to consider before making that investment.

The first but not always the most often-asked question is: Does the shop really need it? Or, put another way, is more machine capacity necessary in terms of machine hours or added processes? It's possible that although part volumes are high, shops are only utilizing a small percentage of their total available spindle time.

If, however, circumstances mandate more machine time to make larger parts or to adjust for making smaller parts faster, then adding a new machine tool is likely in order. However, capacity is not always measured in throughput and overall equipment effectiveness. Sometimes, changing industry regulations and requirements demand more precision and closer tolerances that exceed a shop's capabilities. In that case, a new machine is often a reasonable opportunity to gain precision capacity.

Secondly, and most importantly, a shop should understand that the machine it's purchasing may not be quite as critical as the company they acquire it from. The bigger issue: What kind of company does a shop want to do business with? Considering an OEM and/or builder's history, reputation, product range, technical support, and even transaction conventions can reap substantial savings in the long run. The price of a machine is not necessarily its true cost.

Often overlooked is the cost in terms of lost time devoted to the actual purchasing process. This includes time devoted to researching machines that meet a shop's requirements, traveling to and from test sites, and the time and tasks needed to close the transaction once a decision has been made.

Mazak is one of the few builders that offers a purchasing partnership program that streamlines the buying process by addressing transaction and account needs at the beginning of the customer relationship. Terms and conditions don't have to be re-addressed with every purchase or transaction. And thanks to our extremely broad product range, Mazak typically meets all of a customer's purchasing requirements.

Consider industry experience and customer support. Both are critical. Mazak has been producing machine tools for decades, and it maintains a network of regional technology and technical centers that provide post-sale application support and training, and contribute to the refinement and adaptation of technology to proactively meet customer needs. When a Mazak machine is delivered, it's production ready. There is no downtime in starting the ROI lifecycle.

Finally, buyers should focus on price rather than discount. There are sales models that spotlight generous customer discounts, but what are you actually paying for the equipment? A significant discount means virtually nothing if the baseline purchase price has been bumped up considerably. It is wise to avoid the discount game. Mazak offers standard pricing across the United States, regardless of whether the purchase was made in California or New Hampshire.

The concept of discount may also impact a shop's standing and reputation. Shops shouldn't discount the goodwill, hard work, and branding that makes them an industry leader by aligning their business with anything but the best. That, too, comes with a price.

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