If you’re in the automotive or electronics industry, chances are, you’ve stumbled upon the term Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) at one time or another. A CMM provides an accurate geometrical measurement of an object in X, Y, and Z axes scanned through a trigger probe.
These machines are handy, but they’re kinda expensive. If you’re eyeing to get one for your business, this article can help you out.
What’s the actual cost of a CMM? Are they worth buying brand new or is it wiser to buy a used CMM Machine instead? Keep reading below to know more.
The Overall Cost of a CMM
A new machine is generally expensive to begin with, but aside from that, there are also other costs you need to prepare for. CMMs are delicate and they require a particular setup to make them last longer. For one, you need to maintain a room temperature of 20 degrees Celsius all day. This may require you to create a CMM room to keep out humidity and contamination, both of which may harm the machine.
Labour is another factor to consider. To maximize the use of your CMM, you need to have a CMM programmer handle the machine. You could assign existing personnel to take care of the machine, but you still need to pay for training.
Finally, if you fail to conduct regular preventive maintenance, you will need to get a professional to deal with repairs that you can’t fix independently. Also worth noting is the need to invest in replacement probe tips if and when the existing one fails.
So Why Get a CMM?
In 2021, the worldwide sales of cars jumped to 66.7 million units, from 63.8 million in 2020. With the large number of units sold every year comes a significant demand for parts, both in pre-sale and in the aftermarket. These parts need to be measured accurately and quickly.
While measurements taken by human hands are good enough, the person doing the measuring will need a high level of skill and precision to get things right every single time. Human error is a significant factor that costs suppliers time and money. This is where CMMs come in.
Manufacturing parts is a process that requires precision and exact measurements play a vital role in this. For industries like the automotive industry, CMM is a device that’s crucial to preventing the recall of already-finished and delivered parts.
Owning a CMM may be expensive, but recalls due to measurement discrepancies can be more expensive.
Should You Buy a Used CMM Instead?
Used CMMs are a cheaper and more practical alternative to new ones. There are, however, a few l factors to consider beyond low-cost to ensure that you get a good quality used product
Factors to consider when buying a used CMM include:
- The functionality of the probe system and the CMM controller
- How updated the computer system is
- If there’s no damage to the machine’s scales and air lines
- The condition of the air lines and the air bearings
A few more factors to think about are age and the environment the machine was previously operated in. Finding out the condition of a used CMM and its parts before making a purchase is essential to make it worth your while.
Fortunately, some suppliers reconfigure second-hand CMMs before reselling them. They conduct computer updates and retesting of parts, so you get a quality product that performs as well as a new one, even though it’s a used CMM.
Are CMMs Worth The Time and Money?
CMMs are invaluable for many industries. Generally, they are expensive, but with the amount of help they provided, CMMs can actually save you money in the long run. They can easily prove they’re an excellent investment and a great addition to your business, as long as you know how to use them and how to take good care of them.
