Hardinge’s new on-line interactive machine tool product selector helps precision manufacturers identify the optimum machine tool solution.

Machine tool manufacturer and workholding specialist Hardinge has recently launched a new global initiative aimed at precision manufacturers.

The initiative called – Hardinge Spectrum – makes it easier for manufacturers to identify and then select the optimum Hardinge machine tool solution based on machine tool capability, functionality and price.

 ‘Our research within the machine tool users revealed that manufacturers frequently find themselves between a rock and a hard place when in the market for a new machine tool', explains David Andrew, UK Sales & Marketing Director.

‘On one hand they are worried that they are being led, by some machine tool manufacturers, into buying high-specification machines that way exceed their manufacturing requirements. Whilst on the other hand they are equally anxious not to be directed to machines that will often struggle to meet the performance requirements they demand.

‘Our Hardinge Spectrum initiative puts the end-user back in control.’

The Hardinge Spectrum solution involves the use of a newly created, interactive website www.hardingespectrum.co.uk 

When manufacturers visit the website they can, by selecting specific technology and commercial parameters, narrow down the choice of Hardinge machine tools that are best-suited to meet their machining needs and requirements. These parameters, as well as identifying the required machine tool technology i.e.  Turning, milling or grinding – focus on the machine tool capabilities and functionalities as well as price, and include:

1. Type of material being machined
2. Type of component being machined – simple through to complex
3. Part accuracies required
4. Surface finish requirements
5. Batch quantities/size

Continues David Andrew:

‘The search criteria entered by the customer when they’re on the Hardinge Spectrum site enables the ‘best-fit’ Hardinge machine tools to be identified from across our Standard, Performance and High-Performance ranges. This means that the customer is controlling the machine tool selection and decision-making process…which is how it should be.’

The power of the product selector element of the website means that it’s not just standard specification machines that are highlighted from a customer search. Depending on the criteria selected - standard machines with optional extras will also be highlighted (where these options help to increase the machine’s capabilities and therefore match the customer’s requirements).