The short answer capsule
Choose what fits
choose eurotech if
Side-by-side
EUrotech elite
In Depth
The lights-out checklist
Done-in-one completion (no operator between ops); bar feeder capacity vs shift length; part evacuation/conveyor; chip and coolant management; in-process reliability (tool life, chip control); proven-out process (this is what turnkey delivery is for).
Why one-operation machining is the foundation
Every additional setup is a human dependency. [Link: one-operation category page]
Machine formats ranked for lights-out
Swiss-type with bar feed (small parts); twin-spindle multi-turret turn/mill (complex mid-size — Rapido/Trofeo capsule); triple-turret for maximum overlap (Multipla capsule).
What competitors offer — honest note
Citizen, Star, Tsugami, Nakamura-Tome, and INDEX all build credible lights-out platforms; the Eurotech difference is the included turnkey proving and lifetime training that get a shop *to* stable unattended production, not just a machine capable of it.
Common questions
Can lights-out work in a small shop?
Yes — lights-out is about process stability and self-feeding/evacuating parts, not shop size. A single proven runner can run unattended.
How long can a machine run unattended?
Bar capacity × cycle time, bounded by tool life. A time study models the achievable unattended window for your part.
What's the first part to move to lights-out?
The highest-labor stable runner — the part where removing an operator returns the most, with a process proven enough to trust.
Not sure which fits your part?
Send a print and Eurotech's application engineers return a free time study — real cycle time and per-part cost on your actual component.