Is the cost of CNC systems justifiable?
CNC cutting systems can be extremely expensive, and with sign-making such a competitive industry, many will look at the cost of a machine before the benefits of having a system installed. Calla King, design and marketing executive and the team at Radecal weigh up the benefits of investing in CNC systems.
Wednesday, 04 Jul 2018 12:46 GMT
The Spartan CNC 1325 is a more affordable router for sign-makers that might be on a budget
King explains: “Businesses generally purchase new equipment as an improved method for reaching high capacity production. It should be taken into account that such machines will pay for themselves over time, so price isn’t the most important factor as many who have invested in CNC machinery have seen a return in just a few years.
“Most manufacturers only focus on equipment price and neglect to evaluate the total life-cycle cost of the equipment. Investing in machinery for your business is a big deal and it’s important to weigh the pro’s as well as the con’s when purchasing new equipment.”
Price is often examined to determine return on investment, but it can often be a challenging process to calculate a true ROI”
Unfortunately, when many sign-makers think about the return on investment when installing new machinery, they forget to incorporate other factors into calculating the true ROI. King explains that some omit aspects such as maintenance costs. She continues: “Price is often examined to determine return on investment, but it can often be a challenging process to calculate a true ROI. Acquisition, operation, and maintenance costs all contribute to a CNC machine’s true calculation and the long-term costs should be critically considered when purchasing.”
Radecal makes this process easier for sign-makers that purchase from the company, because they include delivery and training when a business invests in a CNC router. This reduces potential extra costs that could confuse the ROI.
“Here at Radecal we include delivery, installation and training as standard with our CNC routers with a competitive industry warranty of up to three years as well as free technical support for the life of your machine, so you can be confident in your machine’s operation from the start,” says King.
Maintenance and downtime are also factors that should be taken into account, unscheduled downtime will quickly eat into any costs lost from an inability to produce”
This may be an obvious statement, but the objective behind investing new equipment is to improve productivity. When making a decision, sign-makers need to determine how well it would benefit from installing a CNC router. King adds: “When it comes to operating costs, manufacturers must determine the impact that new equipment can have on productivity. A high-performance machine typically has a design and construction that improves key aspects of operation as they tend to deliver improved tool life and performance allowing fewer passes and reduced processing times.”
King concludes: “Producing a higher volume of parts and minimising labour time in return lowers the cost per part, overcoming the original purchase price of the machinery. Maintenance and downtime are also factors that should be taken into account, unscheduled downtime will quickly eat into any costs lost from an inability to produce. It’s important the machinery you purchase is backed by reputable, reliable service and support and a respectable warranty.”
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