Developed by California-based South Western Industries, ProtoTRAK can be used on 2- or 3-axis mills, and 2-axis lathes and has been exclusive to XYZ Machine Tools across Europe since 1993. When it was launched it was seen as a breakthrough in easy to use control technology and as it has developed it has retained its easy-to-use, plain English programing technology that guides users through relatively complex programs, intuitively filling in any blanks along the way. In this way it offers a unique ability for users to quickly develop their manufacturing capability using existing labour, which may, or may not, be conversant with CNC technology. To enable potential customers to gain a better understanding of the power and capabilities of the ProtoTRAK control, XYZ makes use of a desktop unit that is identical in operation to the control fitted to a machine, but gives customers a valuable insight into its performance, without them having to leave their office.
“When we launched ProtoTRAK in the UK, I confidently set ourselves the target of selling 12 units in the first 12 months,” says Nigel Atherton, XYZ Machine Tools’ Managing Director. “After three months and zero sales that confidence was draining, but then we received our first desktop demonstration unit. This proved to be a revelation, as once customers saw the ease of use and potential of the ProtoTRAK control we were almost guaranteed a sale. In the next nine months we sold 400 units. The rest as they say is history.” The hit-rate for customers buying a ProtoTRAK controlled machine after a desktop demonstration continues to remain high, with XYZ estimating that 80% of demos result in a machine purchase.
The attraction of ProtoTRAK remains its ease of use and overall capability. These features are echoed in the desktop unit that only requires a mains plug to offer the ability to test out the functionality of the system in an office environment. The unit has all of the capacity of a control attached to a machine, and highlights the ease which features such as pockets, profiles and hole sequences for milling, as well as tapers, threads and grooves for turning applications can be created. The clear user interface eliminates many of the difficult aspects of conventional CNC controls, minimising the number of keys and buttons needed to create a program, removing any fears from operators that may not be familiar with CNC machine operation.
“The desktop demonstration of ProtoTRAK continues to be a major success for us and, while we have six XYZ showrooms and training centres across the UK, we realise that not everyone can spare the time to come out for a demonstration. With this desktop unit we can highlight all of the features and benefits of ProtoTRAK, without customers having to leave their business,” says Nigel Atherton.
A desktop demonstration of the control by a local XYZ area sales manager is available by contacting XYZ.
