Why buy your SerrMac from Omni Machine
Buying a European machine tool into a U.S. shop goes wrong in predictable ways. Here is how we keep it from going wrong.
- We sort the power out before it ships. SerrMac's standard build is European 400V three phase. Tell us what service you actually have on the wall and we spec the electrical system to match, at the factory, before the crate leaves Italy. This is the single biggest thing people get burned on with imported machines.
- One point of contact, start to finish. We handle the order, the import, the freight and the customs paperwork. You get a machine on your floor, not a shipping problem.
- Warranty service here, factory support there. Twelve-month coverage handled through Omni Machine in Pomona, with direct engineering support from SerrMac in Polcenigo. You call a U.S. number.
- We spec the machine for the part you're making. Column or pedestal base. Tilting or cross table. Which chuck. Whether you need the rotary table for continuous cycles. These choices are made at order time and they're hard to change later — tell us the job and we'll get them right.
- Made in Italy, on paper. If your contract carries TAA or Buy American language, we'll state country of origin in writing on the quote.
What SerrMac builds
Automatic rigid tapping machines — MDR series
Four sizes covering M12 through M32. Every one uses a lead-screw chuck — SerrMac calls it the patrona — which drives the tap mechanically at the correct pitch instead of relying on a tension-compression head to fake it. That's what makes the thread repeatable on part number ten thousand.
The MDR12, MDR16 and MDR22 run a continuous mechanical variator, so you dial the speed to the tap and the material rather than picking the nearest pulley step. The MDR32 switches to a 12-speed gearbox, because M32 in steel needs torque, not finesse. All four come as column or pedestal base — your call at order — and include one chuck of your choice.
CNC tapping machines — MDE series
The MDE20 and its smaller sister the MDE14 run two brushless motors — one turning the spindle, one driving it down — interpolated against a recirculating ball screw. No mechanical backlash at all. Encoders watch position and speed through the whole cycle, so the machine knows where the tap is rather than assuming. Industry 4.0-ready, and they'll take a rotary table for continuous-cycle work.
Heavy drill-milling machines — R45 and TCS
The R45 is a genuine drill-mill, not a drill press with a cross table bolted on. The M60×2.5 screw-anchor spindle nose means you can hang a cutter on it and take a real side load. 1.77″ drilling, M26 tapping, 6.46″ column.
The TCS goes heavier: 1.97″ drilling, M26 tapping, and a prismatic column instead of a round one. That matters more than it sounds. A round column lets the head twist under a side load — you feel it as chatter and see it in the finish. Prismatic guideways and 1,720 lbs of iron don't move. The TCSE variant adds depth-controlled rigid tapping.
CNC drill-milling — Automax
The Automax CNC is the top of the line: three continuously interpolated axes on brushless servos, ball screws on X and Y, an optical scale on Z, and a 7″ touch screen with built-in cycles for drilling, tapping and milling. No G-code required, which means the machine isn't hostage to your one programmer — a good operator can run it the first week. Optional MD125 rotary table adds a 4th axis. 1.97″ drilling, M27 tapping, 1,786 lbs.
New for 2026: SerrMac has added the TCS PLUS and DIGIT PLUS, both positioned between the manual TCS and the fully CNC Automax. Call us for current specifications and availability.
Do you actually need a dedicated tapping machine?
Fair question, and the answer is genuinely no for a lot of shops. If you tap a few dozen holes a week, a tapping head in your existing drill press is fine and cheaper.
It changes when volume shows up. Tapping on a mill ties up a machine that should be cutting. Tapping by hand costs you broken taps, scrapped parts and a sore operator by Thursday. A dedicated tapping machine runs the cycle automatically, drives the tap at true pitch through a lead screw, and reverses out clean — every hole the same, at a rate a person can't hold.
The rough line: if tapping is a bottleneck, or you're breaking taps, or you're pulling a mill off other work to do threads, a dedicated machine pays back fast. If none of that is true, buy the drill-mill instead and put the money in tooling. We'll tell you which one you're in — call and describe the job.
Power, voltage and U.S. installation
SerrMac's standard electrical build is European — 400V three phase. That is not what's on the wall in an American shop, and it's where imported machines most often go sideways.
SerrMac offers an alternate-voltage electrical system as a factory option, and we specify it on every machine we bring in. Before we quote, we ask what service you have: 208V, 230V, 460V, three phase or single. If your building can't supply what the machine needs, we'll quote a rotary phase converter or transformer sized to it rather than letting you find out on install day. Ask us before you order, not after.
Warranty and support
Twelve months from delivery on structure, spindle and drive, and electrical and control components — replacement or repair of any part found defective in material or workmanship, labor excluded. Wear items such as bulbs, fuses, belts and consumables are not covered. Defects need to be reported within eight days of discovery.
Service runs through Omni Machine with direct factory support from SerrMac International in Polcenigo. Phone and email support on all machines; remote diagnostics on the CNC models.
Frequently asked questions
Will a SerrMac run on U.S. shop power?
Yes, when it's specified correctly. The standard factory build is European 400V three phase, and SerrMac offers an alternate-voltage electrical system as a factory option. Tell us the voltage and phase you actually have and we configure it before the machine ships. If your service won't support it, we'll quote a converter or transformer with the machine.
What is rigid tapping, and why the lead-screw chuck?
Rigid tapping drives the tap down at exactly the thread pitch, synchronized to spindle rotation, instead of letting a floating head absorb the difference. SerrMac's lead-screw chuck does this mechanically. The result is consistent thread depth and pitch, fewer broken taps, and threads that gauge the same on the first part and the ten-thousandth.
Should I buy the mechanical MDR or the CNC MDE?
If you run long batches of the same thread, the mechanical MDR is simpler, cheaper and there's less to go wrong. If you change parts often, need programmable depth control, or want the machine reporting into a connected shop system, the CNC MDE earns the difference. Call and describe your mix — we'll be straight with you about which one fits.
Where are SerrMac machines made?
Polcenigo, Italy, where SerrMac International has built machine tools since 1950. That's a useful answer to have on hand for aerospace, defense and government purchasing with TAA or Buy American requirements — we'll put country of origin in writing on your quote.
Column base or pedestal base?
Pedestal if the machine works one station and you want it planted. Column if you need to move the head over varied work or share the footprint. It's specified at order and it isn't a field change, so it's worth a phone call before you commit.
What's the lead time?
Depends on the model and the options you choose, since these are configured at the factory. Call with the model and the spec you want and we'll give you a real date before you cut a PO.
Talk to us about the job, not the machine
Tell us the part, the material, the thread and how many of them a week. That's enough for us to tell you which SerrMac fits — or to tell you honestly that you don't need one.
Omni Machine Inc.
3695 E. Pomona Blvd., Pomona, CA 91768
(626) 536-8052 ·
richard@omnimachineinc.com
Call (626) 536-8052 Request a Quote
Related: Drill Presses · Tapping Machines · Gear Head Drills · Milling Machines