Tsugami SS20MH-III-5AX
Image: tsugamiamerica.com, Tsugami
Key Specifications
max bar capacity
number of axes
guide bushing
chucker mode
max machining length
tool stations
How much does the Tsugami SS20MH-III-5AX cost?
Estimated price range
Our best estimate for a swiss-type lathe in this class — not a quote from Tsugami. Configuration moves it a long way.
Overview
The Tsugami SS20MH-III-5AX is a 20 mm (0.79 in) sliding-headstock lathe built around a tool spindle: Tsugami America lists it with eight axes, a FANUC 31i-B5 Plus control and a tool spindle that runs to 25,000 rpm. The main spindle reaches 10,000 rpm on 3.7 / 5.5 kW (5/7.4 hp), and the sub spindle goes higher, to 12,000 rpm.
A 25,000 rpm tool spindle changes the kind of milling a Swiss-type can do. Small end mills, engraving tools and fine drills can run at speeds close to what they are designed for, so detailed milled features that would be slow at the 5,000 rpm of an SS20 become practical. Back-end work is handled by six modular tools on the sub side, driven at up to 10,000 rpm. The 36 tool stations are given as both the standard and the maximum figure, so the tool layout is fixed rather than expandable.
The trade-off is part length and size. Machining length is 170 mm (6.69 in), shorter than the 210 mm of the SS207-II-5AX, and the machine is much larger: 5,300 kg (11,660 lb) and 2,500 × 1,905 × 1,920 mm, against 3,745 kg (8,267 lb) for the SS207-II-5AX. It also has the heavier spindle, 3.7 / 5.5 kW (5/7.4 hp) against 2.2 / 3.7 kW (3/5 hp) on the SS207-II-5AX, which helps on harder materials at the full 20 mm bar.
Both guide-bushing and chucker operation are listed. Check the floor loading for a 5,300 kg machine on a 1,905 mm-deep base, and ask Tsugami for rapid traverse and the working range of the tool spindle, which the table does not give.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Bar Capacity | 20 mm (0.79 in) |
| Number of Axes | 8 |
| Guide Bushing | Yes |
| Chucker Mode | Yes |
| Max Machining Length | 170 mm (6.69 in) |
| Tool Stations | 36 std/max |
| Live Tool Stations | 6 modular tools (on sub side) |
| CNC Control | FANUC 31i-B5 Plus |
| Main Spindle Speed | 10,000 rpm |
| Sub Spindle Speed | 12,000 rpm |
| Live Tool Speed | 10,000 rpm on backworking, 25,000 rpm on tool spindle |
| Main Spindle Power | 3.7 / 5.5 kW (5/7.4 hp) |
| Machine Weight | 5,300 kg (11,660 lb) |
| Floor Space Required | 2,500 × 1,905 × 1,920 mm |
Specifications sourced from tsugamiamerica.com — verified 2026-10-03
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Tool spindle listed at 25,000 rpm for small-tool milling
- Eight axes under a FANUC 31i-B5 Plus control
- Sub spindle runs to 12,000 rpm, above the 10,000 rpm main spindle
- Main spindle rated 3.7 / 5.5 kW (5/7.4 hp), heavier than the 2.2 / 3.7 kW (3/5 hp) of the SS207-II-5AX
- Six modular live tools on the sub side at up to 10,000 rpm for back-end work
Limitations
- Machining length of 170 mm (6.69 in) is shorter than the 210 mm of the SS207-II-5AX
- Weighs 5,300 kg (11,660 lb), far more than the 3,400 kg (7,495 lb) SS20
- 36 tool stations is both the standard and the maximum, so there is no room to expand
- No rapid traverse or tool-spindle working range in Tsugami America's table
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
High tool speed for small cutters. End mills and drills of small diameter need high rpm to reach their cutting speed, so the tool spindle allows fine milled and drilled detail that would run slowly on driven tools limited to lower speeds. Back-end tools on the sub side are a separate group, listed at 10,000 rpm.
02
Both are 20 mm (0.79 in) five-axis Swiss-types. The SS20MH-III-5AX has eight axes to seven, a FANUC 31i-B5 Plus rather than a 31i-B5, a 3.7 / 5.5 kW (5/7.4 hp) main spindle against 2.2 / 3.7 kW (3/5 hp) on the SS207-II-5AX, and a 25,000 rpm tool spindle. It weighs 5,300 kg (11,660 lb) against 3,745 kg (8,267 lb) for the SS207-II-5AX, and machines 170 mm (6.69 in) per chucking against that model's 210 mm.
03
Tsugami America lists a maximum machining length of 170 mm (6.69 in). Guide-bushing and chucker modes are both available, so short parts can be run without the bushing and its remnant.
04
Weight and space. The machine weighs 5,300 kg (11,660 lb) and measures 2,500 × 1,905 × 1,920 mm, larger and heavier than the 3,400 kg (7,495 lb) SS20. Confirm floor loading, rigging access and room for the bar feeder before delivery.
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