Home Blogs Haas CNC machines VS Other Major Brands: Which is Best?

Haas CNC machines VS Other Major Brands: Which is Best?

When you start planning to buy a CNC machine, you are destined to get bombarded with different CNC brand names, and a lot of them are really good brands like Haas, Mazak, DMG Mori, Okuma, and Doosan. But if you are not planning to buy one machine from all, then what should you do? Then you will have to analyse and find out which brand is the best choice for you. All the brands come with their strengths and weaknesses, so it becomes our responsibility to help you understand which brand can be best suited for your machining shop or manufacturing business. In this blog, we will discuss the advantages that Haas has over its competitors and which group of customers should go with a Haas CNC machine over the other.

All about Haas:

Before we analyze the differences between Haas and other major CNC brands, we need to understand Haas in depth. Firstly, you will have to understand that Gene Haas founded Haas with the intention of creating a reliable CNC brand, which is also easy to use and affordable for the majority of machinists who don’t run large factories. The philosophy is clearly visible in their most modern machines, too, as they are more affordable than the CNC machines of most brands out there. This brand has mastered the “art of value” and you can definitely one of the most well running CNC machines in the world in a particular price range but these “art of value” comes for an exchange, which is you will not be able to get the most powerful features like ultra high speed spindles, heavy weight machining capabilities, and extremely tight tolerances. So, let’s understand the strengths and weaknesses of Haas CNC machines in detail.

Strength of Haas CNC machines:

Here is a detailed list of the major strengths of the CNC machines of Haas:

Affordability: One of the major advantages that Haas has as a brand over its competitors is the price range at which they sell their CNC machines. Haas has a wide lineup of CNC machines, which includes vertical/horizontal machining centers, lathes, turning centers, and grinders, and most of their base models or advanced models are cheaper than the same range models of other top brands. For example, a Haas VF-2SS, a popular 3-axis VMC, can cost around $70,000–$120,000 depending on options like through-spindle coolant or 5-axis rotary tables. In contrast, a comparable Mazak or DMG Mori machine often starts at $120,000 or more for a base model.
User friendly controls: The Haas control system is known for its intuitive interface and user friendly controls, which have clear labelling, dedicated keypads, and also supports both G-code and conversational programming. This feature makes Haas an easy choice for shops with inexperienced operators or newbies. Also, they have their online training programs, which will help you to get your operators trained with these machines easily.
Made in the USA: If you are in the USA and running your shop here, then Haas can be one of your best choices because the brand is founded here and has its strongest support network around the whole nation. Not only that, but if you try to buy a used CNC machine, then Haas will also be a great option, as you will be able to get the highest number of used machines of that brand in the USA.

Weaknesses of Haas CNC machines:

Now that we have discussed the strengths of Haas CNC machines, let’s dive deep and find out some weaknesses of the Haas CNC machines:

Less robust build quality: Haas CNC machines are great for machining, but their build quality is not as superior as some other brands like Mazak or Okuma. Robust build quality is very important, especially for machining heavy products or large sized products, otherwise vibration may destroy the precision of the product being machined. They provide decent stability with cast iron construction, but cannot match the quality of competitors with Meehanite castings or box way designs.
Limited high end capabilities: If you are extremely tight tolerance machining or work with extremely heavy duty workpieces, then Haas may not be the right choice. Also, it lacks high end innovations like DMG Mori. Also, for complex geometric products for aerospace and defence, some high end brands, such as DMG Mori or Okuma, are more preferred.

Major competitors- A detailed analysis:

Here are some of the top competitors of Haas and their strengths and weaknesses that you need to know about:

Mazak: One of the most well known CNC brands in the world that is celebrated for high end and high precision CNC machines.

Strength of Mazak:

The proprietary control system called MAZATROL helps with conversational programming.
Their machines provide high speed and high accuracy machining.
They provide strong automation integration options.
They have some excellent multitasking CNC machines in their machine lineup.
They have superior robust build quality.

Weakness of Mazak:

Their machines are significantly costlier than the CNC machines of Haas.
If you are simply machining or working with lighter materials, then most of Mazak’s advanced features might just be unnecessary.
The control system of Mazak is great and powerful, but also has a steep learning curve, making it difficult for newbie operators.

DMG Mori: This brand is often regarded as the leader of innovation in the market of CNC machines, and this brand was formed after the merger of the German company DMG and the Japanese brand Mori Seiki.

Strength of DMG Mori:

They are known for their market leading technology and innovation.
A lot of their machines have simultaneous 5-axis machining capabilities.
Their machines feature advanced control systems from Siemens or Fanuc.
They provide hybrid manufacturing solutions.

Weakness of DMG Mori:

DMG Mori CNC machines are the costliest machines in the market in most cases, as their base models also cost very high.
Their machines are not that beginner friendly and can feel complex for newbie operators.
The maintenance cost of these machines is high, with parts costing higher than those of other brands.

Okuma: This is another great CNC, with its headquarters in Japan. Okuma is popular for its single source philosophy, as per that philosophy, they make every part of their CNC machines in house, giving them superior control over the quality of the machine.

Strength of Okuma:

They have advanced control systems that can also provide AI-based tool wear protection.
Their thermal stabilization system ensures consistent precision during long hours of machining.
Most of the Okuma machines feature high torque spindles.
Their machines are well known for their durability, as they run for many years even with heavy machining work.

Weakness of Okuma:

Okuma’s CNC machines are higher priced compared to Haas CNC machines.
Their OSP control system is hard to learn, and you will invest heavily in training.
They have a larger footprint, so they will need more shop space.

Doosan: Doosan is a South Korean CNC manufacturing company that is now known as DN solutions, and this brand is recognized for its heavy-duty, durable CNC machines.

Strength of Doosan:

Their machines have multi axis capabilities.
Most of their machines have Meehanite cast iron frames, which makes their machines rigid and suitable for heavy duty machining.
Their machines are known to be reliable and durable.

Weakness of Doosan:

Their average pricing is higher than the price of Haas CNC machines.
The quality of service can vary depending on your country and location.

When should or should not you choose Haas?

Here are some of the scenarios where you should choose Haas over the other competitor brands:

You run a small to mid sized machining or manufacturing shop.
The price of the CNC machine is your primary concern.
You need reliable and simplistic CNC machines.
You work with softer materials.
You have operators with varying skill levels.
You need a strong customer service network.

Scenarios where you should look for machines of other top brands:

You need tight tolerances for machining.
You want high repeatability as you do high volume production.
You want better rigidity of the CNC machine.
You want advanced technology and automation features.

Conclusion:

Haas is a good CNC brand, which also produces one of the most affordable and easy to use CNC machines in the world. So if you are a small to medium sized machining shop, and want the best deal within a tight budget, then you should go with Haas. If you have a really tight budget, then you can check the used Haas CNC collection of ours.