Hello and thanks for everyone's advice in advance. I'm a small manufacturer of toy parts. We do allot of 2D plate parts out of 0.080 and 0.063 aluminum. We don't do anything out of steel or anything harder than steel. We would also like to prototype and do light production of 3d parts out of aluminum and polymers. Our maximum plate part size is 15" x 5".

I'd like to purchase my own machine to help lower our prototype costs and for light production (50 or less parts). High volume runs will still go to the machine shop we work with (100+ parts). So outright speed is not a priority. In addition, I'd like something that can go a little larger then the part described above.

What are your recommendations? And I'm not set on any specific style of machine (cnc router, cnc mill, etc). So anything goes. Thanks.

A tormach might be just what your looking for, we just got one at work and im cutting 3-d surfaces in steel and its working well. There are just a couple of bugs to work out.

I has something like 18" x 9" of travel, and it runs off a PC using Mach 3 for control software. Very easy to use compared to some CNC controllers. Plus you can get the base machine for only $6800, and nicely equiped for around $10000.

www.tormach.com

There is a tormach forum here on cnczone, take a look every one is pretty happy with them.

For what you are looking at it would be perfect, on the other hand a Haas TM1 would be the cats meow but cost at least double.

I've been looking at the K2 machines. I like the fact that it has a large bed. I also think it would be fine because I mostly work in plate parts (only 0.063 or 0.080 aluminum). I also like the fact that I can set my most common jobs up on half the table and leave them there. I do allot less 3D parts and would be fine with having to run the K2 at slow speeds if I did have to prototype a 3D part out of aluminum.

Your thoughts on this?