used machine advice: mori seiki al-2 1990, or cl-20b 1994??

[pld0vr]

Alright.. I have decided to buy a CNC lathe to compliment my mill...

I've been looking at used machines and these are the two that I have come up with...

MANUFACTURED IN 1990
MODEL: AL-2
SERIAL NUMBER:

MAX. SWING OVER BED / CARRIAGE..............18.9" / 12.2"
MAX. TURNING DIAMETER.......................9.8"
MAX. MACHINING LENGTH.......................19.7"
X-AXIS TRAVEL...............................5.9"
Z-AXIS TRAVEL...............................19.7"
SPINDLE SPEED...............................40 TO 3500 RPM
SPINDLE BORE................................2.2"
MAX. DIAMETER BAR CAPACITY..................1.8"
TOOLS.......................................8
MAIN MOTOR..................................10 / 7.5 HP A.C.
SPINDLE NOSE................................A2-6
RAPID TRAVERSE RATES(X/Z)...................394 / 590 IPM
TURRET INDEX................................0.6 SECONDS
TAILSTOCK TAPER.............................#4 MT
MACHINE DIMENSIONS (APPROXIMATE)............93" x 50"
MACHINE WEIGHT (APPROXIMATE)................6200 POUNDS


EQUIPPED WITH:
FANUC 10T CNC CONTROL W/FAPT
8" 3-JAW CHUCK
TOOL-EYE
CHIP CONVEYOR
TAILSTOCK

Price with chip conveyor is $11,500


One(1) Used 1994 Mori-Seiki CL-20B Yasnac LX-3
LATHE, 2-AXIS CNC, CHUCKER

Specifications:
Chuck Size 8" Hydr. Chuck
Maximum Swing Over Bed 20.3"
Maximum Cutting Diameter 16.14"
Maximum Cutting Length 13"
Maximum Bar Capacity 2.55"
X-Axis Travel 9.25"
Z-Axis Travel 12.2"
Spindle Nose / Spindle Bore A2-6" / 2.8"
Spindle Speeds 30 - 3,500 RPM
Spindle Motor 30 minutes/continuous 15 HP / 10 HP
Turret Type 10 Pos Turret
Rapid Traverse Rates X / Z 787 IPM / 945 IPM
Electrics 220V/3 Phase
Machine Dimensions 61" x 63"
Machine Weight 5,390 Lbs

Condition: Good
Serial#:


Equipped With:
Parts Catcher
Collet Chuck
8" Chuck
Leveling Pads
All Available Manuals
Boxed Way Design
30 Degree Slant Bed Design
Coolant System
Door Interlock System
Miscellaneous Tooling



soo... the kicker here is that the cl-20b is a bank seizure and I might be able to get it for only 7k if the bank accepts... however no chip conveyor... it also does not quote a tool measuring system, and I am unsure if this is something that came standard or not.

The major difference is the Z travel, and I will be honest I could end up using the extra travel... I would really be cutting it close with that smaller unit but... I would probably make due with the lesser travel with that much of a savings. I noticed on the videos that these lathes tend to move on the Z past the chuck... so I assume that when it says travel is 12.2", the usable travel is actually less than this... ??

AL-2 comes with a tail stock... but does not mention coolant system... i would find it odd that there is no coolant system, anyone know if that is standard?

I have not used a lathe before... so I am a little confused with the designs for the chip conveyor... it looks like chips just fall out the bottom of the machine... so how is the coolant re-captured? and what happens to your part after you part it off... does it go into the conveyor and disappear?

Open to suggestions.... these seem like good prices to me. Both machines seem to be in good shape.

[pld0vr]

Max practical machining length without a tailstock?

[pld0vr]

Alright, went with the AL-2... now to find a suitable rotary power inverter...

[B Godard]

Good choice. I love the AL-2. They are good compact machines. Plus the Fanuc control is much better to learn on than the Yasnac. Be sure you back up everything though. Sometimes those old Fanuc 10T controls will give you parity alarms which is either a battery going dead or the bubble memory acting up.
On axis travel, sometimes you can open that up just a little by modifying the stoke limit parameters but you have to be careful not to get to close to the hard overtravel switch. I've also known owners to move the hard overtravel switch (or dog) as far as possible so that it just does catch just before you reach the end of the ballscrew stroke. Much care has to be taken in doing this. I don't recommend it but it is possible.

[pld0vr]

Good choice. I love the AL-2. They are good compact machines. Plus the Fanuc control is much better to learn on than the Yasnac. Be sure you back up everything though. Sometimes those old Fanuc 10T controls will give you parity alarms which is either a battery going dead or the bubble memory acting up.
On axis travel, sometimes you can open that up just a little by modifying the stoke limit parameters but you have to be careful not to get to close to the hard overtravel switch. I've also known owners to move the hard overtravel switch (or dog) as far as possible so that it just does catch just before you reach the end of the ballscrew stroke. Much care has to be taken in doing this. I don't recommend it but it is possible.

When you say backup, do you mean the control software... or?

Interesting details on moving the limit switches. Since I got the AL-2 which has 20" of travel... it should be enough for me... but good to know all the same.

[B Godard]

Save everything. Nc parameters, PC parameters, programs. I am not sure how to save the control software (pmc ladder program) on a 10Tcontrol but I know it is stored on the yellow cartridge in the cabinet that has a number written on it. That number is the ladder version

Thinking back, I'm not sure if its even possible to save the ladder program on a 10T control unless you have the right equipment from the MTB. I believe Mori will just mail you another cartridge.

Anyway hopefully you shouldn't have to worry too much about this.

[underthetire]

PMC parameters have to be written down by hand. The yellow module would be for software and ladder. PMC parameters are stored in bubble.

I've only seen two of those go in person. The memory boards do fail, and motherboards as well. We had a string of three of them all in one year on different machines.