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Changes that address the leadtime required to make a mold tend to focus on the machining cycle. A faster machine following suitable tool paths can allow machining cycles for cores and cavities to proceed considerably faster. However, saving time from these cycles can only go so far; significant time is also lost elsewhere. Making a mold demands not just machining time, but also programming time-and much of that programming may not even involve the core and cavity.

Many CNC users have two or more highly similar CNC machines made by different machine tool builders. Depending on work load, most need to run the same jobs on any one of the similar machines at any given time. Say, for example, you have two 20-horsepower, eight-inch chuck, turning centers. One is made by brand X and the other by brand Y. As each job comes up you would probably like to run it on whichever turning center frees up first.