Anyone had any experiecnce (good or bad)with the newer Hurco VM series machining centers? They're priced pretty aggressively compared to other machines...

We're looking at those and the deawoo machines as well. Hurco seems to have a well thoughtout control. The guides, ballscrews and the torq are on the light side. They have a good reputation as far as I can tell and the peaple that own them that I have talked to have no complaints.

I have ran several hucos and the control is real easy to learn

I have a new VM1 graphite due in wed. Will know real soon.

Hey Skeetman,

Is your new VM1 up and running yet?

I have been researching into what CNC would beest for my business. I saw and worked on a VM1 work yesterday. That "conversational" programming set up is really easy quick to use. I'm not a Machinest and I could make parts without to much problem. I'm going to get hopefully in the next couple of months.

Go connact a HURCO dealer and have him show you one at a shop he sold it at and talk to the operature.


The one I talked to likes it over the HAAS, and he been an operature for seven years.

My father-in-law has a VM1 we got last year as a demo with basically no 'mileage'. It was used to show how to collect dust, cut threads with a thread mill and basic CNC routines in Aluminum.
No problems with the system. 90% of our work is 7075 Al and 10% O1 tool steel. Make mold cavities for rubber compression molds, plastic injection machines and progressive stamp dies. At times I wish we had the higher spindle speed but it is not necessary for the work we are doing.
Write programs in GIbbs or BobCAD (yes 2 extremes). Both generate code well for the machine.
We got the machine with a few options and a Mitutoyo CMM, software, tooling etc for 95K. Less than the price of the Mitutoyo alone.
The only drawback, if it is one, is the 15 hp motor. Others in the same class come with 20 hp. Does it make a difference? Not for what we do.
Only once in a blue moon do we use the conversational language. It is nice and easy to use but we want to archive the drawings and G-code together.
Did not get the rotary table option. There are a few times I wish I had it but not worth the cost for so little use.
Overall, very satisfied with the machine. No maintenance except way oil, cutting fluid and tooing.

mc_n_g

Hey Skeetman,

Is your new VM1 up and running yet?

No will take me a few days to get a spot ready. Will give the low down as soon as I get It running a few parts. We make larger complex electrodes here up to 20" square on a bed mill that we put together using taiwan iron and a dynapath control. It has been doing real good the last 4 years with a spindle speeder at 20k rpm but it is an open system. We suck the dust with nozzles and a collector but it is still a pain in the a**. I hope this machine cures the dust ills and I need another spindle anyways.

Looking to buy VMC..Would love to have a MORI. Would you buy a Hurco vs. Fadal.. which one do you feel is better and better bang for buck?

It really depends on what you want to make on the machine. The Hurco is better Iron and better controls but is more expensive.

It really depends on what you want to make on the machine.
True
It also depends on how you want to use it. ie making the same part for days on end OR quickly programming a 1-off directly on the machine (no extra CAM) and running the part.

The Hurco is better Iron
Then you have not compared it to a Fadal box way machine.

Sorry I wasn't more clear. I wasn't comparing box ways to linear rails, I was comparing the actual Iron. The Fadal has a much poorer quality of castings.

Of coarse Box Ways are way more sturdy, and I believe Hurco newer machines are all Linear Rail. Box ways are slow though, about 400ipm where Linear Rails are in excess of 1000ipm and more accurate.

:)

Interesting!

Has someone done metallurgical analysis and documentation on this? or have you had some interesting experiences?

Please fill us in, this hasn't been mentioned before (that I recall).

I've been servicing these machines fo 20 years. Apparently your favor Fadal, sorry if this is surprising to you but I assume you own one. Take some time to look inside these machines, it will be visually apparent within seconds.

Didn't mean any offense. I do own 1 but wouldn't say I favour it.
Just wanted to know.

Considering the type of work I do I would take a Hurco over a Fadal solely due to the WinMax control. I am a big fan of the Fagor control actually.
If I were running more production oriented work or heavy machining I would likely stay with Fadal (but I am not).

none taken...

As for the original post.

If you are milling stainless or harder metals like A2 etc.., a Box way machine would probably be the way to go since the feedrate will need to be slow as well. They can take a lot more umph than a linear rail. But for material such as alum, coldroll etc.., the linear rails are great for their speed and accuracy. It is scary to watch a machine cut aluminum at 10krpm and 150ipm.

As for the Hurco Control, you can't beat it for 2D programming. When it comes to 3D use G-codes (CadCam), the controls don't really matter much because they all do pretty much the same thing.

Buying a machine is like anything else, you get what you pay for. It's a compromise.

IMO

Buddy

As a new Hurco VM1e owner I would say I'm pretty pleased with the over all construction and the fit & finish of the machine. It's well thought out, easy access to service points, the control is clean and not overwhelming, nice tool changer. Quality components, Yaskawa Sigma II drives. Excellent support. I haven't put it through it's paces yet so time will tell. The only other machine in the running with my budget was the Sharp 2412.

Hi everybody !

I'm new to all of these mills (not a machinist yet) and i want to build a cnc mill, i was pleased by the VM1's frame because it looks overkill...but wait i can't build a fullsize VM1... i just want to build a machine for milling aluminium (& if possible steel & iron) and i think a scaled VM1's frame won't be too hard to cast (from aluminium 2000series salvaged from crankcases & gearboxes) i think a 2HP spindle would be ok for me.

So:

1) Can anyone provide me the "numbers" of a VM1 ? (column width,height,depth,wall thickness... distance between the rails, rails length & size...) put any number on the pic if possible.

2) Do you have any leaflet or VM1's manual or any detailed schematic ?

3) Do you think it's doable ? should i invest in linear rails or you think the frame will react like jellow ? if rails are overkill can you please advice me an alternative.

Sorry for my English !

Thanks !

cnc2.

:UP: :UPUP:

There isn't any easy way to make the measurements & drawing you seek. The casting is enveloped in the cabinet and related components. In addition, I don't think you have a concept of how large the casting is. The machine weighs 2900 kilos. It's designed using FEA analysis for iron, cast aluminum would be entirely different from the engineering aspect. I can only imagine the warpage and stresses you'd have to deal with trying to cast something that large using recycled metal of unknown properties.

Here's some advice, procure a Bridgeport style mill and convert it to CNC.

If fabrication is your only option, then you'd be far better off using common structural steel, like box tubing for the Z axis.

There isn't any easy way to make the measurements & drawing you seek. The casting is enveloped in the cabinet and related components. In addition, I don't think you have a concept of how large the casting is. The machine weighs 2900 kilos. It's designed using FEA analysis for iron, cast aluminum would be entirely different from the engineering aspect. I can only imagine the warpage and stresses you'd have to deal with trying to cast something that large using recycled metal of unknown properties.

Here's some advice, procure a Bridgeport style mill and convert it to CNC.

If fabrication is your only option, then you'd be far better off using common structural steel, like box tubing for the Z axis.


Thanks for your reply Rustyolddo !

Wow 2900 kilos, that's a heavy beast, i think it has the size of a small car.

Yes, fabrication is my only option.

No, i don't even dream of making one that big in my backyard, but a scaled VM1 of the size of an X3 mill should be great, the X3 has rigidity problems and VM1's frame looks very rigid and has plenty of room for maintenance.

So, an X3 sized VM1 with Hiwin linear rails and roller screws on each axis, with a frame made of thick aluminium (i'm thinking about doubling the thickness of the iron to get an equivalent strength & rigidity out of aluminium, i should be able to melt 10 liters of Al. max).

I'm open to any suggestion.

Thanks !

cnc2.

Can you imagine the nightmare an Aluminum casting would be? If a VM1 was casted with aluminum then for every few degrees of temperature change your casting would move by thousandth's.....Unusable.

Can you imagine the nightmare an Aluminum casting would be? If a VM1 was casted with aluminum then for every few degrees of temperature change your casting would move by thousandth's.....Unusable.
Outch !!! this can hurt & i didn't think about it !
Thanks man !
Now i'm thinking: What does it take to cast iron ?
What scares me in iron is its weight, aprox 200 Kg for an X3...handling issue !!!

Thanks !

cnc2.

At the risk of getting flamed I'll have to say this! Control, Yes no doubt!
Perfect solution for Job Shops. But the new Machines ??? What we have (VMX 64) sucks! Constant Problems! I'm gonna leave it at that.

Rally, what's up with the 64?

It's a Work Horse but the Company had looots of problems with that machine.
Bearings, Delts, Toolchanger ect.