Purchasing A CNC Retrofit Kit—Make Sure You Don’t Ignore These Important Factors

What makes a CNC machine such a useful addition to your factory or shop floor? Most people are likely to talk about the machine’s absolute precision while others will focus on the fact that the machine facilitates high volumes without any performance issues. What people really mean when describing the benefits of the CNC machine is the fact the blade or saw’s motion is controlled by the computer.

Think about it. Without the CNC motion controller, the machine would be nothing more than a fancy mechanical device. It is the computerized motion controller that facilitates high-volume and efficient cutting with no compromises on precision or safety. You can expand your range of services by going in for a brand new CNC machine and opting for a water jet kit to refurbish an existing mechanical device that has become obsolete.

The cost of retrofitting an existing machine will be significantly lower than buying a brand new water-jet cutting machine. Yet, installing a kit containing the CNC motion controller and other requires parts like motors and drives will ensure you don’t compromise on quality of the finished product. Just make sure the kit you choose offers the following options so that you get maximum value from your investment.

The kit you choose must offer all options and parts needed for the retrofitting process. It is important to understand that there is no universal standard for retrofitting a machine. You can customize the kit and choose the option that suits your requirements best. The type of control required for the products you offer, the number of motors and drives, the capacity of the motors, and other features—all these points must be considered and analyzed before proceeding ahead with the kit purchase.

Considering these factors is very important because the retrofitting process cannot be repeated again and again at short intervals. With kits costing many thousands of dollars and a certain amount of unavoidable idle time involved in the retrofitting process, you cannot adopt a trial and error method when comparing kits and analyzing options. Instead, it makes sense to choose motors and drives that will help you expand scale of your operations without any hassles whatsoever.

Next, you should make sure the kit you purchase includes all accessories required to operate the modified machine. A kit that converts your machine into a CNC device without including a mounting arm and screen will require additional investment and work before you can commence operations.

The process of buying additional accessories separately will be an inconvenient affair. The additional cost can complicate the process of completing the project within your budget. Instead, it makes sense to simply buy a kit that comes with all required parts and accessories.

A mechanical device can be maintained in dirty or wet work environments without any difficulty. However, you cannot expose delicate computer chips and circuits to high-stress environments, can you? Hence, the kit should incorporate sealed cables and other protective features that will keep your equipment in working condition even in rough working conditions.

Finally, the kit you purchase should give you the option of taking advantage of the latest technologies. You will agree that a touch screen is the easiest way to operate the console of a CNC machine. Using a keyboard or a mouse will not be as simple and inconvenient as the touch screen. You can always continue using conventional options but working with a seller that offers these additional options is always preferable.

Consider the above-mentioned points along with standard factors like cost and quality of the product before proceeding ahead with the retrofitting process.