Recommendation for HAAS

[jbo]

Hi all

We are looking into upgrading or machinery ( 2 mills and a lathe ).

I am looking for personnel expeirance from Haas owners on thier machines.
IE would you recomend them, have you found them to be reliable.

We have a reliabity issue with our current machines and need to find a solotion, one of which is to trade our current machines and start afresh.

Our business is toolmaking as well as production CNC machining.

Our machines have 8000K spindals, we would be looking to go faster on one of the machines.

I like the look of the HAAS machines hence my questions, we are looking at other machines also, so if you have any reccomendations please pass them on.

HAAS is not big in Australia although they are selling more machines each year.

I am looking for some indepenedant advice and hope that you would answer my questions.

Much thanks in advance

JBO

[wms]

JBO,

We have 4 Haas. One as old as 1990..which We have had since then..newest is a 2001. (VF1,VF2, VF3, and Mini Mill)

We have had very good luck with them all. The 1990 machine has been cutting almost everyday since it was installed..day in and day out..it only runs Steel parts..1117..has since day one..probably spent in the neighborhood of maybe 5000$ to 6000$ on repair parts..total for this machine..monitor, one spindle, a drive board or two, thrust pack for axis ball screw..

As for the others maybe spent 2000$ on the VF3, servo motor and trust pack. The VF2 (a 1998) nothing and the Mini Mill (a 2001) nothing.

Love the controls..very user friendly. Lots of nice features and very reliable.

Really very happy with the machines..that's why we buy more...dealer network excellent..also easy to work on if needed and part are fair priced..Factory guys very helpful if you call them..What more can I say..they work for us...and well.

HTH

[jbo]

Thanks WMS

The agent here seems to be a nice fellow,I have yet to find out about there support, but have have spoken to two owners here 1 very happy the other no complaints but not overly supportive.

We have ourselves in a bad position at the moment with a second blown spindal in two years in one machine, and inacuracy and poor feed control in the other.Both my machines are under three years old and while they are worked they are not abussed.

What sort of spindal speeds do you run, and what sort of continous run time

Do you find them to be a rigid machine?

Some of our programs can have long finishing times 8-12 hours some times, we do a fare bit of unattended machining, is your work like this?

I appreciate being able to ask these questions and think the forum is great

Thanks again

JBO

[wms]

JBO,

Well I really don't machine like the old days..IE: heavy slow cuts. I machine fast and light so the rigid part never payed much attention too. With todays new Inserts and grades and all this is in my opinion the way to work.

I don't really do what would be termed unattended in that I don't have pallet machines..I have set a part up and let it run into the night with no one here..but not my normal practice as most of my cycle times are not that long..under 1 hour normally.

As for running 8-10 hours we run that just not on one part..and not normally at top speed..we would run them at say 6500 to 7200 for an hour or so straight...sounds like you are doing molds or electrodes... one thing to note, Haas cool the spindles with the coolant used for the tools..althought I think you can get a spindle chiller too...so if you are running dry you would need to address this..you can plumb the coolant so it does not enter the enclosure and still use it to cool the spindle,,,

[miljnor]

I have 7 of these machines and I love them all have used fadal,mori,yang(gag),okuma,tree.

All machines have pluses and minuses, but sofare the haas has the easiest control. and as WMS says lots of features..

the only thing to look out for is if your buying used have it checked over realy well.

3 of mine i bought new and 4 used with one exception I have had excelent luck on the used market.

As far as runtimes go.. from my experience the on and off of the high production rates of short run parts are much tougher on a machines than moldmaking and whatnot.

as far as steel vs aluminum, if your like me i try to push everything as far as it can go(got to make those payments afterall). Aluminum is a smoother load but load is still load. if you run your parts at 150% spindle load its 150% machine dosnt care what its cuts. And Ive always found rigidity is effected more by tool choice, tool holder, fixturing more than by machine..

I have used a Yang for h13 diecast molds and they were fine if you set it up right, and anyone who knows Yang knows that they are bottom of the barrel (we had a brand new one break 4 times in 4 weeks brand new!)

but should you buy one? HELL Yah! best bang for the buck

Hope that helps.

[jbo]

Thanks for the information

Our problems here are getting bigger by the day.
I will look into the haas machines that are here talk with the agent.
Thganks again for your help

JBO

[gus]

there is a lot of competition in the segment, especially when you add options. Make sure to look at what you will actually spend on the haas when fully optioned, you may be able to get much more machine for the money

[Rekd]

We've got 5 HAAS. The machines themselves are great for the money. Have rotabs for all of them. They've made everything I've asked them to with very little complaints.

I've had some problems with the support side and warrenty though. (This shouldn't be an issue there, though)

I machine fast and light so the rigid part never payed much attention too.

x2

HTH

[jbo]

Thanks again for the information,

We have just taken delivery of our new spindle, three and a half weeks after it blew.
Not happy to say the least, we have work piled up all over the place!
I have taken on board your comments on the options thanks Gus, I have seen this happen here also.
Thanks again
JBO

[Drkk]

I've got a vf3 and vf4, seven and eight years old. Had a spindle motor drive fry from a shorted cable once, and a handful of minor problems in all that time. I ran a shop with Mori and Matsura machines also, and if I had unimited funds, I'd go with the Mori, but spending my own money, the Haas has been a great return on a dime.

[Kool Parts]

jbo,
I have 5 machines from '98 to Aug 3 2000 ( 14 days to payoff ) I have had great luck with all. The only parts so far (knock on wood) are the crapy encoders in the 4th axis.
The biggest problem most people seem to have is the dealer themselves. If they wont go to bat for you or have crappy service you are screwed if a problem comes up. Try to find (make the salesman take you) some Haas SHOP owners in the area.
Gary