The philosophy of Burlescombe-based XYZ Machine Tools (www.xyzmachinetools.com) to provide ‘what the customer needs’ has led to its heavy-duty (HD) range of vertical machining centres being offered with the Heidenhain TNC 620
control.

Managing director Nigel Atherton said: “We offered Heidenhain as a control option many years ago but found it a slow seller, due in part to the additional cost and complexity of the system.

“However, with recent changes to the Heidenhain control — such as the addition of touch-screen technology, as well as a more modern and compact user interface — we can now justify adding it to our HD series of machines.

“Our independence as a machine tool supplier means that we are free to adapt our machine range to suit changes in customer demand, such as giving them a choice of control.

“In our view, we must ensure that our customers have the right machine for their business.”

The Heidenhain option will initially be available on the 660HD, 800HD and 1100HD vertical machining centres, thereby allowing XYZ to access business that it was previously excluded from, where Heidenhain controls are popular
— such as the mould and die, aerospace and education markets.

A further opportunity was highlighted by XYZ’s market feedback, which indicates that a high number of older Heidenhain controlled machines are coming to the end of their lifespan and will need replacing.

Mr Atherton said: “We recognise that control choice is important to customers, and that they tend to be loyal to a particular control.

“We already offer Heidenhain on our flagship UMC-5X five-axis machining centre, so extending our use of Heidenhain controls to our HD series of machines was a logical step — and one that is already proving popular.

“It was encouraging that before the latest HD machines arrived at our factory, we had already received orders for ones with Heidenhain controls fitted — fully justifying our decision to pre-order 50 machines for stock.”