This article is reprinted from: Carving Machine Network http://www.gravograph.cn/
In 2003, the company cooperated with Zhongshan Jixin to develop the CNC tooth machine project. Afterwards, it successively collaborated with similar manufacturers to develop a series of dedicated CNC machines such as lock shell machining machine tools, lock core drilling machine tools, and computer key machining machine tools, thereby gaining a certain understanding of the lock hardware industry:
The vast majority of lock processing plants and their component factories in mainland China are basically labor-intensive enterprises. They mainly rely on one person per machine operating lathe, bench drill press or manual special machine, lacking highly automated dedicated lock-making equipment. And due to reasons such as outdated technology and shortage of talents, major old-established lock equipment factories in China, such as Yantai Lock Equipment Factory, have failed to develop highly automated lock-making equipment, resulting in generally backward production equipment in domestic lock enterprises, high labor intensity for workers, low processing accuracy, poor appearance and quality stability of products; some emerging lock equipment manufacturers like Rock Electric, Beijing Jingshuo, and Heyu Technology tend to focus on computer key engraving machines, which can only process one side at a time, requiring frequent manual clamping actions, leading to relatively low work efficiency. Moreover, in order to achieve the versatility of the equipment, they often use ordinary three-coordinate carving machine types, which have a relatively low product grade and use low price as a competitive advantage. At the same time, they sacrifice the economic competitiveness of special machines. Some install multiple spindle heads simultaneously according to spatial needs in order to improve utilization rate, completing the same process for multiple parts at once, thus improving work efficiency to a certain extent, but with significant limitations. In recent years, new companies like Hangzhou Zhiyuan have emerged, developing key tooth punching equipment based on general-purpose punching machines, equipped with single-chip microcontroller controllers featuring digital tube displays, stepping cross worktables, and cold punching molds. These have very high production efficiency, especially suitable for large-scale production of iron material keys, occupying a certain market share due to extremely low cost (less than 30,000 yuan). However, the processing accuracy is relatively low, burrs are larger, and program functions are limited. Yantai Sanxin Lock and Zhongshan Kang'er have strong mechanical capabilities and specialized product alignment. Due to the current support from Shenzhen Zowee CNC, their development and upgrades are faster, posing a certain threat to our future market expansion.
Meanwhile, some small CNC machine tool factories have also started producing low-priced lock-making equipment. For example, Yongsheng Machinery Factory in Shunde is also producing dedicated machine tools for lock shells and lock cores and has already begun mass production. Each unit costs more than 40,000 yuan, at a relatively low price. It uses Guangtai's system and stepping motors, suitable for lock shells, lock cores, etc. A Hong Kong-based company produces ordinary key processing special machines in Dongguan. Priced around 80,000 yuan, these machines are better than the ones we made for Jixin, with stronger functions. For example, while processing, it can also print the key number.
On the CNC manufacturer side, Shenzhen Zowee CNC has also developed a dedicated CNC system specifically for keys. Compared to ours, its system unit price is lower, and the system operation is also more concise. It currently occupies a certain market in Xiaolan, Zhongshan.
Huaxing, Renhe in Nanjing, and Guangtai in Chengdu utilize their low-cost stepping lathe systems (a set costs about 6,000 yuan) to extensively cooperate with machinery factories, producing equipment such as lock shells and lock cores.