I've got an old (old body style and the old computer inside the control) TMX8MYS, I think it is a '2012' but like January of that year. It fought and fought us for quite a while on things such as turning between centers, and a couple other things. I am bad at keeping after them on fixing issues because of the nature of our business, we make 50-100 parts, and then onto the next thing, so by the time we 'got something fixed' I wasn't making the part that was giving us the troubles anymore.
Finally I threw a big enough fit that we did some major overhauling on the thing a month or so ago. New machine. The latest software update basically fixed the graphics problems we were getting, I found out there is a spindle sync calibration screen that was never used... things like that. Lately (barring the hiccups that we still have, possibly because I have never used a lathe before getting this y-axis 37 horse lathe with a sub) most all of the problems are gone. If there are lathes that index a turret faster... that would be scary. In general after talking to a neighboring shop that runs Mazaks, I think that the problems we have are normal turning-centers-can-be-a-pain problems. It makes money.
Would I get one again versus buying a 2-year old Mazak? Excellent question. Do I like it? I think I probably do.
No experience with the TM line, but the TMX's are at least tough, fast, and well... tough and fast.
We are holding +/- .0005 on production parts, and if I need to keep 15-20 parts to +/-.0002 I can do that too. I would get into the habit of writing something down to reference what tools you are using for programs, or saving the tool offset files, as the machine saves what it has been using, and not specifically what you used on that program that you all but forgot 6 months ago... Not the world's biggest deal because you can re-write most programs for new tools in like 15 minutes, but, still could save some frusteration.
Also, we almost always turn off 'gouge protection' If you understand how the whole lead angle with lathe tools thing works, it is probably just fine, but it is easier to lie to the control with it off... when you don't know crap about lathe tooling (and we sure don't yet around here...)
Also, we put a bigger worklight in it, as the bulbs they use from the factory are hard to replace, but it is just 110vac coming into the little housing on ours...
Hope you have fun with your lathe!
-Parker
