DMG Mori repair · Chicago and Illinois
DMG Mori and Mori Seiki repair in Illinois
DMG Mori is two machine traditions in one name: Mori Seiki from Japan and DMG from Germany. Illinois has plenty of both, and older Mori Seikis that are still earning. We repair them on your floor.
- Fastest response available
- Chicago-based
- Stocked repair vans
- Fanuc & Siemens
Fastest response available
DMG Mori machine down?
Tell us the DMG Mori model, the control and the alarm. The nearest tech with a stocked van takes the call.
- Talk straight to a tech, not a call center
- The nearest stocked van gets the job
- Fanuc and Siemens controls, and most of the shop floor
Quick answerLocalSpindle repairs DMG Mori, Mori Seiki, Gildemeister and Deckel Maho machines on site across Chicago and Illinois: NLX and NL lathes, NHX and NH horizontals, NVX and NV verticals, DMU and DMC machining centers, and CTX lathes, on MAPPS, Celos, Siemens, Heidenhain and Fanuc controls. Call 773-962-0269.
DMG Mori repair in Illinois
German and Japanese machines under one name
DMG Mori brought together two of the most respected names in machine tools: Germany’s Gildemeister and Deckel Maho on one side, and Japan’s Mori Seiki on the other. The result is a very wide product range, and Illinois shops own machines from every part of it: DMU and DMC five-axis and vertical machining centers, CTX and NLX lathes, NHX and NH horizontals, NVX verticals, Mori Seiki SL and NL lathes, and many older Mori Seiki and Gildemeister machines.
Because the two families came from different traditions, DMG Mori machines use several different control systems: Siemens, Heidenhain, Fanuc and Mitsubishi, often with DMG Mori’s CELOS or Mori Seiki’s MAPPS interface on top. LocalSpindle techs work on all of them.
European and Japanese machines need different approaches
German-built DMG machines tend to use Siemens or Heidenhain controls, high-speed motor spindles, linear scales and complex five-axis kinematics. Japanese-built Mori Seiki machines tend to use Fanuc or Mitsubishi-based controls with MAPPS, built-in spindles or belt-driven spindles depending on the model, and very rigid mechanics.
That difference affects how a repair goes. On a Siemens or Heidenhain DMG machine, we focus on drive configuration, DRIVE-CLiQ or encoder connections, scale signals and spindle cooling. On a Fanuc or Mitsubishi-based Mori Seiki, we work with the amplifiers, absolute encoders and the MAPPS interface and its PLC logic.
Five-axis machines and kinematics
DMU five-axis machines are common in precision and aerospace shops. Their rotary tables, swivel heads and trunnions need correct backlash, clamping and kinematic calibration, and the control depends on accurate kinematic data to put the tool in the right place. After a crash or a rotary axis repair, that data can be off enough to scrap parts. We check and correct rotary axis alignment, clamping and the control’s kinematic settings, and we can work with your calibration provider when needed.
Motor spindles
Many DMG Mori machines use high-speed motor spindles, with the motor built into the spindle itself. They’re precise and fast, but they’re sensitive to cooling, lubrication, air supply and crashes. Spindle temperature alarms, vibration, noise and runout point to bearing wear, cooling problems or crash damage. We diagnose motor spindle problems on site, check the cooling and lube systems, and help you decide whether a rebuild or replacement is needed.
Two families
Which DMG Mori do you have?
The control behind the Celos screen decides a lot about the repair.
| Family | Controls | What we see |
|---|---|---|
| Mori Seiki (SL, ZL, NL, NLX, NV, NH, NHX) | Fanuc-based MAPPS, later Mitsubishi or Fanuc behind Celos | Turret and spindle issues, MAPPS data, hydraulic chucks, pallet changers on horizontals |
| DMG / Deckel Maho / Gildemeister (DMU, DMC, CTX) | Siemens 840D, Heidenhain TNC, Celos on Siemens | Siemens drive faults, Heidenhain encoder alarms, motor spindles, 5-axis tables |
| Duravertical, CMX, CLX | Siemens, Fanuc or Mitsubishi depending on year | ATC, spindle, way lube, entry-level control setups |
What makes them different
Motor spindles, 5-axis tables and big data
A lot of DMG machines use motor spindles, where the motor is built into the spindle. They’re fast and accurate, and they hate crashes, coolant leaks into the bearings and missed lubrication. A motor spindle that starts running warm or noisy needs attention right away, because the repair only gets bigger.
DMU 5-axis machines have direct-drive or geared rotary tables with their own encoders, clamps and cooling. When a 5-axis part starts showing steps or mismatch, we check the rotary axes before blaming the program.
Both families store a lot of configuration data. Before any control work, we make a full backup, and on Celos machines we confirm what’s running underneath it.
On site
What we do on a DMG Mori call
- Identify the control behind Celos or MAPPS and back it up
- Check motor spindle temperature, vibration and runout
- Inspect rotary table clamps, encoders and cooling on 5-axis machines
- Troubleshoot Siemens and Heidenhain encoder and drive alarms
- Service turret and chuck hydraulics on NL and NLX lathes
- Adjust pallet changers and tool magazines on horizontals
Example service call
DMU 5-axis leaving a step on blended surfaces
The call
A mold shop in Wood Dale saw a small step where 5-axis toolpaths blended across the B and C axes on a DMU machine.
What we did
- Phone. A step only on simultaneous moves pointed at a rotary axis, its clamp or its encoder.
- On site. The C-axis clamp was releasing slowly, so the axis was still partly clamped as it started moving.
- Fix. Serviced the clamp’s hydraulic circuit and replaced a sticking valve, then checked the clamp timing.
- Check. Cut a test part and measured the blend. Clean.
The result. The shop went back to finishing molds the same week.
A typical example of how these calls go, written to show our process. It isn’t a specific customer.
Fastest response available
Same trouble with your DMG Mori?
Call with the DMG Mori model and the alarm, and a tech will tell you what we’d check first.
- Talk straight to a tech, not a call center
- The nearest stocked van gets the job
- Fanuc and Siemens controls, and most of the shop floor
Motor spindles
Motor spindle warning signs
Motor spindles give warnings before they fail. Catching them early is the difference between a bearing job and a full spindle replacement.
| What you notice | What it often means |
|---|---|
| Spindle runs warmer than it used to | Lubrication, cooling or early bearing wear |
| New noise at certain speeds | Bearing damage, imbalance in the tool or holder |
| Finish getting worse on the same job | Runout, bearing wear, or a damaged taper |
| Coolant in the spindle area | A seal or air purge problem that will wreck bearings if ignored |
| Drawbar or tool clamp alarms | Clamp force, the clamp sensor, or the drawbar spring stack |
From the field
Habits for DMG Mori owners
Keep spindle air purge on
Motor spindles rely on clean, dry purge air to keep coolant out of the bearings.
Warm the spindle up
A short warm-up program before high-speed work is cheap insurance.
Archive the control after any change
Siemens and Heidenhain machines are much easier to recover with a current archive.
Yes, including SL and ZL lathes and older MV and MH machining centers, on Fanuc and MAPPS controls.
Yes. We troubleshoot Siemens 840D and Heidenhain TNC controls and drives.
We diagnose them on site and handle removal and installation. Rebuilds are done by a spindle shop, and we coordinate it with you.
We work on the control underneath Celos, which is where most real faults are.
No. We’re an independent Chicago-based repair company.
Yes. Older Gildemeister lathes and Deckel Maho machining centers are part of the same family, and we service them.
Yes. We check rotary axis clamps, encoders and kinematic setup and tell you what’s off.
Keep reading
Services for DMG Mori equipment
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Machine down?
Get your DMG Mori back to cutting
Call with the DMG Mori model, the alarm and what it was doing. The nearest tech with a stocked van takes it from there.
CNC machine repair, preventive maintenance and machine sales for machine shops and manufacturers across Illinois. Based in Chicago, with techs and stocked repair vans around the state.
Call: 773-962-0269
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Chicago, Illinois · 773-962-0269