Multicam Router

[two words]

My company is looking at getting a cnc router and we are going for a demo tomorrow to see a multicam router. Does anybody have any experience with them.

 

Thanks,

Steve.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

We have one and with some minor post mods MC runs it flawlessly (is that a word?). We use it mostly for drilling speaker griles and trimming stuff.

 

Depending on what you want to do with it they are nice. A little strange as far as offsets go but once you get the post dialed you don't even have to think about it.

 

HTH

[ScottyB]

I'm not sure about the new machines but one of my employers has a Pro120 and it is a bit primative compared to our Heian or anything else with a Fanuc controller. The Multicams are popular and work well for medium duty work, but if I were you I would compare controllers just to see which is more user friendly.

My biggest pet peave is that you can't edit the program at the machine and you don't have hands on control of some functions (compared to others)

 

That's my 2 cents.

[two words]

Thanks for the input so far.

 

It will mainly be used for cutting MDF and Foam Core sheets that will be used making airplane mock ups.

[Trevor Bailey]

Steve, have you looked at the HAAS Router?

[George_Gerhard]

I have seen and know people with this machine. It is not the quality of a Northwood or a Heian. If you want to cut hardwoods and achieve a nice finish this is not the machine for you. Could you elaborate more on what your expectations are?

Do you want to do nested manufacturing at 1300 ipm

then you will want to look at the Northwood

rgds

George

[two words]

Hey Trevor,

 

How's things. Thanks for the link I will take a look at them.

 

It is not my department that is looking into the machine. The other group that builds full scale mock ups of aircraft interiors is looking to get one. And since nobody has used any kind of CNC there, they have asked me to go along to the Demo tomorrow.

[Trevor Bailey]

Things are pretty good Steve. Hope things are going well in your new place.

 

The reason I mentioned the HAAS, it is fairly priced when going against the "brand" router companies and should work well for cutting the material for the interiors. One of my customers at Delta Design, makes interiors also, was thinking at one time about the HAAS router. Very easy control and comes with a great vaccum system.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Yeah, Multi-CAM is a "Light Duty" machine for sure. That's why I said what we did with it. For it's intended task here it's perfect. As one member said the control is severly lacking in user friendliness. Basically it's on the order os an old Fanuc 2000g. But, the post is dialed in so there is very little interaction with it other than Cycle Start.

 

If it were my money, I'd seriously look into a Haas Router, CMS, Shoda, or possible a Heian.

 

HTH

[Rick Damiani]

I'd suggust taking a look at Techno-ISEL routers, myself. They are all servo-driven and have ball screws on all the axises. The control is a PC, so program size is limited only by the size of the hard drive. Tool changers are an option (both rotary and liniar). A decent amount of Z-axis clearance, too.

[Ripper3785]

quote:

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If it were my money, I'd seriously look into a Haas Router, CMS, Shoda, or possible a Heian.

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*GASP* at CMS being #2

 

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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*GASP* at CMS being #2

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Just a random order in the list.

[Tom in PA]

As an owner of a MultiCam Pro Series 102 I would have to disagree on the the comment of 'Light Duty' when referring to the the MultiCam line in general. Yes some of the machines are for the sign industry and may not hold up well to the rigors of a production shop. My Pro Series 102 is a beast weighing in at over 10,000 lbs., definitely no light weight. I just got through machining some 2 1/2" solid white oak pew legs at 400 ipm with a clean up pass that needed no further work other than a light sanding. I can rip thru plywoods and sheet goods at 800 ipm or faster depending on the material. Granted the Heian's and Shodas of the world are meant for 24/7 abuse but please compare the pricing and compare apples to apples. Why spend 300K on a Heian when a 50K machine will do the same or outperform in certain areas. Yeah I guess if you are spending someone elses money, who cares. But you have to shell the money out of your own pocket, it's a different story.

 

Tom in PA

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Our "MT22" is a light duty router.

[two words]

Well,

 

I went to the demo last week and we looked at the MG series. The machine worked fine cutting some ¾” ply and I was quite impressed. But when it came to cutting some 15lb foam with some 3D detail it had some trouble. Firstly there seemed to be stepping when it came too moving in Z and it wasn’t very smooth. Then the Y-axis locked up and that was the end of the demo. So we are looking into a FlexiCAM machine next, there isn’t much of a budget so this is why we are looking at the lower end machines.

 

Thanks for the input so far.

 

Steve.