Indian machine tools come with a set of standard accessories that varies by maker and model. A lathe often ships with a chuck, centres and basic tools. A milling machine may include a vice or arbor. Other items are optional and quoted separately.
Two quotes for the same model can look very different once you compare what is in the box. Ask for a full, itemised accessory list with every quote.
Typical accessories by machine
- Conventional lathes: three-jaw and four-jaw chucks, face plate, fixed and travelling steadies, dead and live centres, tool post, coolant system and work light.
- CNC lathes: hydraulic chuck, tool turret with tool holders, tailstock, coolant system, chip conveyor and a parameter backup.
- Milling machines: machine vice, arbors, collet chuck, dividing head and rotary table, some of which are optional.
- Machining centres: tool holders, pull studs, coolant system, chip conveyor, and sometimes a through-spindle coolant option.
- Drilling machines: drill chuck, sleeves, tapping attachment and a work table or box table.
- Presses: die cushion, feeders, straighteners and safety devices, which are usually optional and priced separately.
Accessories buyers often forget
Some items are easy to miss when you compare quotes but cost time and money later. Check each of these:
- Levelling pads and foundation bolts for installation.
- A voltage stabiliser or transformer, if your supply differs from the machine design.
- A set of first-fill lubricants and coolant concentrate, or a list of approved equivalents.
- Maintenance tools, such as special spanners and chuck keys.
- Spare fuses, belts and other fast-wearing parts. See spare parts for machine tools.
Check quality, not just presence
A chuck or vice can be cheap or precise, and it affects the accuracy of the whole machine. Ask for the make and size of chucks, tool holders and vices. Ask whether the chuck run-out is checked on the machine.
At inspection, count and check every accessory against the packing list, and photograph them before crating. Our article on packing machine tools explains how loose items should be packed so they arrive with the machine.
Write it into the order
Attach the accessory list to the purchase order as a schedule, with make, size and quantity for each item. Ask the maker to sign it. If an item is missing at inspection, you then have a clear basis to ask for it before dispatch.
Where an accessory is optional, ask for it to be quoted separately. This lets you compare quotes fairly and decide whether to buy the item locally instead.
Local purchase can make sense for items such as tool holders or vices that you already standardise on. It rarely makes sense for chucks and turrets matched to the machine spindle.
Next step
We compare accessory lists across quotes, so you compare like with like, and check every item before loading. To start, book a free sourcing review.