I'd better start one then.....

so....umm.....star-micronics or citizen machines, which make do you's prefer, or maybe another make all together.

Damn.... you beat me to the first post.

I just noticed that there were none a few minutes ago, and figured I'd be the first but you beat me to it.

Is this a new forum or did we all just miss it?

I've got a Tsugami /Fanuc 0T that I'm fighting with now.

John

We have a project at work that will involve several Swiss type machines. It's been kicked out until 2008 but I think it will be fun. The only debate is whether to use Tsuagami or Citizen.

The shop I work in has both citizens and stars in it. I personally prefer the citizen, but there is nothing that I do that the stars cant. If you prefer a fanuc control go with the star, but if you like mitsubishi controls go with the citezen. Both are great machines and both are VERY expensive. You might want to contact whoever you plan on going with for a cam package. As far as I know only esprit and partsmaker have swiss-style capabilities but neither have a bullit-proof post-processor for the stars or citizens. Just something to think about.

Joel

We have a citizen. We had a Star in the factory on a trial basis. It did not perform up to a specific part production rate that the sales rep stated it could, so it was tossed out.. :) It was slower than the rates of a different process we use.

nah, i've always worked out the programs in my head, but i wouldn't mind having a go with a cam package, to see what there like.

i've used stars (SE12, SE16, SR20, SA16) and citizens (B12, L20, L32, K12, M12, M32, R07) myself, just seeing what people like.

I`ve got a Tsugami and a Citizen.The Tsugami is half installed and the Citizen has been in store for about six years.
Mark

I have 9 citizens, l20, l16, e32...they are great, fast, easy to set up.
on small stainless parts we are close to the cycle times we had on brown & sharpes.
the set up times are around 15-30 min. compared to the 2 to 5 hrs for the brownies.
tony

We have about 50 Brown and Sharps.
But the company is starting to buy "Decos" these are amazing machines.
Hopefully I can get my hands in one of them.

Cheers

Finally a forum I can relate too. We have 7 Tsugamies in the company and they are great machines. very tough and can rip-off material with no problem.

Does any one know of good freeware Swiss or Gang style CAM packages?
What do most people use to program their machines. Does each tool have a tool offset and the g-code co-ordinates stay the same as an ordinary cnc lathe?
OR
is the g-code compiled to simply moove to the next tool via an axis moove? For instance if tool 1 and tool 2 are 50mm apart and tool 1 took a Z pass allong X10...... Then does tool 2 travel allong X60 to follow the same path?????

Thanks
Chich

If each tool has an X and Z offset relative to 0,0 of the job then 0,0 for any tool is the same place.
0,0 being X,Z for the lathe.

Thanks neilw20,
So it's all done off tool offset's then. Thanks for the info. That should make programming easy.

Chich

STAR ALL THE WAY. I have programed and ran both. CITIZEN (E32,L-25,FL-42).STAR (SR-20R,SR-32,SV-32,ECAS-20,ECAS-32T) I love the STAR machines espically the ECAS machines they are really nice. We have partmaker cam system but I still write most of my programes at the machine or on a computer long handed. The software is nice for some things , but the posts are not completly worked out.

Citizen and Star are teh big two. Everything else is second tier, not to ruffle any feathers, but Star and Citizen combined are about 60%-70% of the market. Both are good machines, and will do what you need. There are some build differences and contorl differences, but both are capable well-built machines. One thing is that Star service HAS to come from Star. Citizen has an excellent dealer network that provides the servie and has to be trained and authorized to do the service work.