Ownership map

Thirteen stages. One question each.

Buying, bringing in, owning and selling a machine in the order the work happens. Pick a stage to see the information to collect before anyone quotes you a figure, and the guides, records and directories for that step. The address bar keeps your place.

13 stages, 3 phases
Deep links: ?stage=
Keyboard: arrow keys move along the rail

The map

Where are you in the process?

Each stage opens its own checklist and resources. The rail is the home-page order: before you buy, bring it in, own it.

Phase 1 · Before you buy

Stage 1 of 13

Identify the machine

What exactly is it, and what can it do?

Information to collect

Make, model, generation and serial-number range
Control make and software version on the exact unit
Published specification sheet for that generation (not a newer one)
Machine type and the process it is built for

Resources

Stage 2 of 13

Research what it’s worth

What have comparable machines been offered for?

Information to collect

Published asking prices for the same model and year range
Condition, hours and options on each comparable
Date of each price and whether it is an ask or a sale
Currency and the region of each listing

Resources

Stage 3 of 13

Decide what to buy

Does it fit the work, the shop and the budget?

Information to collect

Part sizes, materials, tolerances and batch sizes the machine must handle
Minimum travels, spindle speed, tool capacity and power, with the source for each requirement
Which requirements are confirmed by the record and which still need evidence
Every way to get the work done: new, used, retrofit, automate, outsource, keep, wait

Resources

Stage 4 of 13

Know the standards

Which quality, safety and export rules apply?

Information to collect

Standards named in your customer contracts and quality system
Safety and electrical rules in your jurisdiction
Export-control or regulated-industry rules that apply to the parts
Which standards the machine documentation claims and the evidence behind each claim

Resources

Phase 2 · Bring it in

Stage 5 of 13

Prepare the floor and space

Will the slab, the doors and the layout take it?

Information to collect

Machine mass and footprint from the specification sheet
Slab thickness, floor loading and any engineer’s review
Door, aisle and ceiling clearances along the route to the pad
Service clearances the manufacturer requires around the machine

Resources

Stage 6 of 13

Power and utilities

Voltage, phase, load, air and coolant ready?

Information to collect

Voltage, phase and frequency the machine is built for
Full-load current or kVA, and what the panel can supply
Compressed-air pressure, flow and quality required
Coolant, extraction, chip handling and network needs

Resources

Stage 7 of 13

Pay for it

What will it really cost to own, and how is it financed?

Information to collect

Machine price and every add-on quoted separately
Freight, rigging, electrical, foundation, tooling and training figures
Yearly service, warranty, insurance, software and maintenance costs
Lender terms: rate, term, down payment and what is excluded

Resources

Stage 8 of 13

Move it

Who lifts it, hauls it and permits the load?

Information to collect

Shipping dimensions and mass, and whether the machine ships in one piece
Rigger and carrier quotes with insurance named
Permits for the route and the load
Who is responsible at each hand-over point

Resources

Stage 9 of 13

Install and accept

Level, running and proven before you sign off?

Information to collect

Levelling, geometry and test-cut results in writing
Which acceptance tests the contract names and who witnesses them
Tooling, workholding and probing included in the delivery
Training delivered and the people who received it

Resources

Phase 3 · Own it

Stage 10 of 13

Run and maintain it

Who supports it, and is its history on record?

Information to collect

Maintenance schedule from the manual and who performs each item
Service history, repairs and spindle history on file
Who supports the control, and until when
Spare-parts lead times for the items that stop production

Resources

Stage 11 of 13

Solve a problem

Something is wrong after the purchase. What now?

Information to collect

What was promised in writing, and what was delivered
Warranty and service terms, response time and exclusions
Evidence of the fault: logs, photos, measurements and dates
Who can repair this control and this mechanical system locally

Resources

Stage 12 of 13

Sell or liquidate

What will you actually keep after fees and removal?

Information to collect

Published asking prices for the same model and year
Hours, condition, options and service records a buyer will ask for
Removal, rigging and transport costs you will bear
Fees and commission under each sale route

Resources

Stage 13 of 13

Start a shop or get parts made

Building a shop, or need parts without a machine?

Information to collect

The parts, volumes and tolerances you need made
Total installed cost of the equipment a shop would need
Supplier quotes with lead time, quality terms and tooling ownership
The point at which owning beats buying the parts

Resources

Then

Carry the stage into the tools.

What you collect here feeds the decision workspace and the comparison; what you save lands in My research.

DecideDecision workspaceRequirements, options, every way to get the work done, financing.CompareCompare machinesSide by side with the evidence showing.KeepMy researchSaved pages, notes and the evidence checklist. This browser only.

The stages are a planning order, not a complete knowledge graph. Linked guides describe common cases; your rigger, electrician, engineer, lender and insurer decide the specifics. Evidence standard