Yeong Chin Unveils Cutting Edge Machining Center

On Dec. 17, Yeong Chin Machinery Co., Ltd., Taiwan's largest manufacturer of computerized numerically controlled (CNC) machining centers, debuted its MT200S high-precision multi-spindle complex machining center, which can handle both cutting and milling jobs.

The new machine was developed over the last two years with the help of funding from the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). The company also received technical support from the Mechanical Industry Research Laboratories (MIRL) under the government-backed Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the Precision Machinery Research & Development Center (PMC), jointly set up be the government and the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI), and the Institute of Manufacturing Engineering at National Cheng Kung University.

Management at Yeong Chin, founded 49 years ago in Taichung County, central Taiwan, says it has received many inquiries from domestic firms regarding the new product, which will enter mass-production in mid-2004. The company plans to begin exporting the new machines by the end of 2004.

Yeong Chin president Chen Chung-kuang says the advanced model can reduce processing times by over 70% and is suitable for high-precision machining of small-batch, large-variety items used in the automobile and industries.

According to Chen, the focus of the global machine-tool industry has been shifting to complex machines that combine both cutting and milling functions. Generally, such machine centers are equipped with high-speed cutting/milling spindles, tool magazines, and automatic tool-change systems.

The MT200S, he states, paves the way for other domestic machine-tool makers to develop complex and high-precision machine tools. It features integrated X/Y/Z/W/B/C-axis control, enabling it to cut, mill, drill, and taper workpieces with slanted and complicated surfaces. Management says it will be priced 20% to 40% less than similar models offered by Japanese rivals.

Yeong Chin posted revenues of NT$2.1 billion (US$62 million at US$1:NT$34) in 2002, and NT$2.5 billion (US$74 million) in the first 11 months of 2003. Management projects sales will hit NT$2.8 billion (US$82 million) for the year, up 33% from last year.