Justification of Multitasking

How do you justify multitasking? There are so many variables to help with your unique ROI (return on investment).

Nakamura-Tome is credited with the innovation of multitasking since introducing live tooling on their lathes in the 1980s. From there, Nakamura has continued to push the envelope with twin opposing spindles (not sub spindles), multiple independent turrets, automatic tool changers on a true milling head, and any combination of the mentioned.

I remember asking a Nakamura user how he justified the expense. He reasoned it is like buying (2) CNC lathes and (1) CNC mill, all in one. He took it a step further, he said while finding a machinist that can handle this technology is more expensive but his labor rates went down. One premium machinist took the place of three "average" machinists. Then he brought up floor space and how much less floor space one multitasking cell took compared to three traditional CNC machines. No longer were there pallets of work in progress, partially completed parts strategically placed thru out the shop. Lastly, he reminded me how much more accurate a multitasking center can be. I believe he just laid out to me his blue print.

Nakamura continues to offer technology to help multitasking such as NT Work Navigator, Overload detection and NT Nurse.

Koch Machine Tool would be happy to help justify a multitasking cell using your numbers to help determine your ROI or simply discuss all the benefits to multitasking.