Are you a buyer of large CNC machining capacity in the state of Michigan? Do you need to know the quantity and size of large CNC machines that are available for outsourcing in the state of Michigan? Research on the top companies in Michigan as ranked by a Google search for Large Machining Michigan and Large CNC Machining Michigan on February 10, 2015 was completed. The results are presented in this report.
Summary:
- Large is a relative term. Companies classified horizontal machines with a size capacity ranging from 0.7 cubic meters to 312 cubic meters of capacity as large.
- Only two companies in Michigan advertise large horizontal machines with over 60 cubic meters of capacity. Of the 6 machines that are advertised in Michigan over 60 cubic meters in capacity, 5 of the 6 are at one company.
- Only four companies in Michigan advertise large vertical machines with 80 cubic meters or larger capacity. Three of these companies have only one machine each in this size category. One company has 6 of the 10 machines that are advertised in this size category.
- The company that has the largest number of the largest size horizontal machines in Michigan is the same company that has the largest number of the largest size vertical machines in Michigan. This company is K&M Machine-Fabricating Inc., located in south-west Michigan.
Survey method:
A Google search on Large Machining Michigan and Large CNC Machining Michigan was done on February 10, 2015. The fourteen top ranked companies that offered large machining capacity and that listed the size and number of machines on their website were included in this survey. If the company website offered large machining or large CNC machining but did not list the machine sizes they were not included in the survey. If the company website listed only their largest machine they were included in the survey, but only as one machine of this size. This is not an all-encompassing survey of large machining in Michigan, but it is the best that could be done using information published on company websites. Companies that have large machining capacity but use this capacity for their own internal work were not included in the survey. This survey is focused on large machining capacity in the state of Michigan that is available for subcontract work.
The cubic meters of size capacity of each machine reported on a company website was calculated. Formula # 1 shows the formula that was used to calculate the size capacity of each machine in cubic meters. For purposes of this survey machines were placed into groups by size. The smallest machines are in the 10 cubic meter size capacity group. All machines described on a company website that had a size capacity less than or equal to 10 cubic meters were put into this group. The next size group is 20 cubic meters. All machines that have a capacity greater than 10 cubic meters but less than or equal to 20 cubic meters were put into the 20 cubic meter group. Size groups were incremented by 10 cubic meters.
Cubic Meters Capacity = (X axis travel meters) X ( Y axis travel meters) X (Z axis travel + W axis travel meters)
Formula #1 – Cubic Meters Machine Capacity
The survey breaks the available machines into two types; horizontal machines and vertical machines. The horizontal machine type includes horizontal machining centers, horizontal boring mills and horizontal jig mills. The vertical machine type includes vertical machining centers and vertical gantry mills.
Large Horizontal CNC Machines:
Thirteen companies in the survey reported a total of 87 large horizontal CNC machines on their websites. The machine size capacity ranged from a low 0.7 cubic meters to a high of 312 cubic meters. There is a wide range of what is considered large. Chart #1 is a histogram of the size capacity for the 87 large horizontal CNC machines reported by thirteen Michigan companies in the survey.
Chart #1 – Histogram of Large CNC Horizontal Machines
45 of the 87 large horizontal CNC machines in the survey, or 52%, have a size capacity of 10 cubic meters or less. 90 percent of the large horizontal CNCs in the survey have a size capacity of 40 cubic meters or less. Chart # 2 shows the distribution of large horizontal CNC machines in the survey by company. There are several companies that have machines on the smaller side of the large machine classification. Only two companies of the thirteen have machines with capacity of 60 cubic meters or larger. Of the two companies, one company has one machine with capacity of 60 cubic meters or larger. One company has 5 machines that range in capacity from 70 cubic meters to 320 cubic meters.
Chart #2 – Distribution of Large Horizontal Machines by Company
Picture # 1 shows a CNC horizontal machining center with a size capacity of 1.8 cubic meters. This machine is in the smallest size group in the survey, the 10 cubic meter machine size. Picture #2 shows a CNC horizontal boring machine with a size capacity of 312 cubic meters. This machine is in the largest size group in the survey, the 320 cubic meter size.
 Picture #1 – 1.8 Cubic Meter Size Capacity Horizontal |
 Picture #2 – 312 Cubic Meter Size Capacity Horizontal |
Large Vertical CNC Machines:
Fourteen companies in the survey reported a total of 71 large vertical CNC machines on their websites. The machine size capacity ranged from a low of 0.1 cubic meters to a high of 192 cubic meters. There is a wide range of what is considered large in the vertical CNC machine classification, just like in the horizontal machine classification. Chart # 3 is a histogram of the size capacity for the 71 large vertical CNC machines reported by fourteen Michigan companies in the survey.
Chart #3 – Histogram of Large CNC Vertical Machines
44 of the 71 large vertical CNC machines in the survey, or 62%, have a size capacity of 10 cubic meters or less. 80 percent of the large vertical CNCs in the survey have a capacity of 40 cubic meters or less. Chart # 4 shows the distribution of large vertical CNC machines in the survey by company. There are several companies that have machines on the smaller side of the large machine classification. Only four companies of the fourteen have machines with capacity of 80 cubic meters or larger. Of the four companies, three companies have one machine each with over 80 cubic meters capacity. One company has 6 machines that range in size capacity from 110 cubic meters to 178 cubic meters.
Chart #4 – Distribution of Large Vertical Machines by Company
Picture # 3 shows a CNC vertical machining center with a size capacity of 0.8 cubic meters. This machine is in the smallest size group in the survey, the 10 cubic meter machine size. Picture #4 shows a CNC vertical gantry machine with a size capacity of 178 cubic meters. This machine is in 180 cubic meter size group.
 Picture #3 – 0.8 Cubic Meter Size Capacity Vertical |
 Picture #4 – 178 Cubic Meter Size Capacity Vertical |
This survey shows that as the size of the machining to be outsourced increases, the number of available machines in Michigan is reduced and the number of companies that can handle the work is reduced as well. There is one company with multiple machines in the larger sizes of both the horizontal type and vertical type. This company has machines across the entire range of sizes that are considered large. This company is K&M Machine-Fabricating Inc. located in south-west Michigan.
A survey of large machining capacity across the United States will be conducted and reported in the near future.