[manuelc149]

why no mori seiki forum??????

[jp41558]

good question, what are the head to head opinion Mori vs others

[panaceabea]

same queation here, considering used sl1

[JROM]

Really good machines! BUT!!
don't buy one if it has anything but a Fanuc control.
They went nuts a few years ago and started to put Mitsu. controls on some of there machines. They went back to Fanuc and now the Mitsu machines are like "Red headed step childern". Don't go there!

[the thrill]

actually, jrom, the NL series - which is probably one of the most popular and technologically advanced lathes Mori Seiki has ever built is backed by a mitsubishi 720 control. however, because of the MAPPS III interface, you can't tell the difference between the mits and the fanuc.

[JROM]

The first 3 SL150Y Mori lathes that I bought had Fanuc controls.
When I bought the next two about 18 months later one had a Fanuc and the other one had a Mitsubishi control and was all different then the Fanuc. It would not even read the same code! I told the sales manager to take it back because I did not want to write different programs for one of five SL150Y machines that are all supposed to be the same. This was one of the first machines with a Mitsu control to hit the beach in the USA. They brought in a guy from Mori and two guys from Mitsu and they spent 3 days scratching there heads untill they got the Mitsu machine to look and act just like the Fanuc machines. I finaly ended up keeping the machine but It had to look and act just like the other 4. Then I didn't have to retrain my people or change the code. I don't know what it's like now this all took place around 2002 ???

[the thrill]

yea, those machines are a world of difference because they don't have the MAPPS interface on them. The entire controller is different compared to the SL150Y which is just a fanuc controller with no front end interface (MSC518 or MSC501 if i'm not mistaken). Nowadays Mori puts the MAPPS III interface on every machine so no matter which machine you're using, be it an NL2500, SL403, NT4250 or ZT1500YB the interfacing is pretty much the same (aside from screen size). off the top of my head I think the single major difference in a mits based NL series lathe and fanuc based SL or DuraTurn is the format of a threading canned cycle. Aside from that, there are no differences that are worth worrying about - unless you need to change a parameter or a keeper relay because those are all still controlled on the NC system side of the controller... programming and setup wise, the screens are identical and programs will read into both controls with no problem.

Just be glad you never had a CL with a touch screen control!!! lol

[jp41558]

Amen to that, the GV had the same touch panel. it's bad enough trying to figure out where they keep moving the common buttons from model to model, but the touch was a complete new animal. not to mention the GV's side to side tool change design. that was a "dream"

[the thrill]

now when you say "common" buttons what do you mean? the buttons on the keypad are designed to assist the user by grouping all of the important buttons in a general area. for example, if you look at the keyboard on a lathe you'll see that X Z C and Y and just above U W H and V whereas X Y and Z on a machining center keyboard are above I J and K... there's little differences in each keyboard layout in order to try and help out.

as far as the operator panels are concerned, the new machines are coming out with a revised panel to make finding everything much easier. all of the memory functions are under the "function" section, handle and jog are in the same basic area and the rapid button is placed in the middle of the axis buttons much like a hitachi seiki. only thing i dont like is that one touch zero return button... on a machining center its not so bad (mazak has had the home key for years) but on a lathe it can be dangerous.

[jp41558]

my referance to common buttons is in regards to things like the door unlock, the light on, simple things like that that kept getting moved from one corner of the panel to another. Each time you went to a different model, you had to take a couple of minutes to refresh yourself on the panel layout. Then you go to the touch screen and everything is different. And yes, the new panels are much better. At least there is some consistancy to them.

I also agree that on the lathe, the one touch could be dangerous if you have a tool in a part. but as long as you a paying attention, I like it for the conveniance factor. Having seen several close calls, anything you do on one of these machines could be a danger if you are not paying attention.

[the thrill]

yea... they went through some transitional times over the years just like every other builder (and you cant say they havent all had their quirks) but in the past few years they have really come into their own for machine technology and control design... they are machines you can be proud of because people look at them like "wow... you have a mori?!".