Achieving a 100% on-time delivery rate and a defect rate of just 0.2%

We strongly emphasis QCD and pursue continuous improvement. When processes were divided across multiple machines, the machining sequence depended on whether the next machine was available for machining, making it challenging to meet customer-specified delivery dates precisely.
Installing the MULTUS made process integration possible, allowing us to accurately estimate machining time and achieve an on-time delivery rate of nearly 100%. In terms of quality, we have maintained a defect rate of 0.2% based on material cost. Supporting this achievement is our company-wide quality control system and well-organized plant environment, as well as the elimination of machining accuracy variation and excellent dimensional stability against thermal displacement made possible by the MULTUS series.

Rapid increase in inquiries for seismic isolation devices and jack-up systems for bridge piers

A notable change after installing the MULTUS B750 has been the rapid increase in inquiries for large ball screws used in seismic isolation systems installed beneath building foundations and in jack-up systems for Shinkansen bridge piers.
In Japan, few companies are capable of machining large components for seismic isolation systems, allowing us to leverage our technological strengths in large-component machining that we developed over many years, along with having the equipment capable of handling such sizes. In particular, demand for seismic isolation systems has been rising for buildings, apartments, and public facilities in response to frequent large earthquakes, and we expect new inquiries will continue to increase.

Zero collisions thanks to the Collision Avoidance System

The most critical risk on the machining floor is collision between tools, workpieces, and machine structures. In the past, collisions sometimes occurred even when we believed we had carefully checked movements and interference. This resulted in machine stoppages, repairs, and delivery delays. However, with the standard-equipped Collision Avoidance System, we can run machining simulations in advance, and the axes automatically stop before a collision occurs—even if there is a program input error. This provides exceptional peace of mind and greatly reduces the psychological burden on operators. Even for first-article machining, preparation time has been significantly reduced. As a result, collision incidents with multitasking machines equipped with this function are virtually zero.

Outstanding dimensional stability of the MULTUS—even when starting up machine on a winter morning after the holidays

Our plant is located in Tsuru City, Yamanashi Prefecture, a basin with large temperature differences between morning and night. Winter mornings can be particularly cold. Even during such periods, when we start up the machine early in the morning after a holiday, the dimensional accuracy of the first product and that of a product machined more than 10 hours later show almost no variation, allowing us to perform continuous machining with confidence. Although thermal displacement control in large machines is often said to be difficult, the dimensional stability of the MULTUS B750 is superb even when machining large shafts that are 3,000 to 4,000 mm in length, and corrective machining in subsequent processes is rarely required.

High machine rigidity, Okuma's trademark, can clearly be felt even in multitasking machines

During my time as a sales representative for a major mechanical component manufacturer, I had visited many different factories. I also experienced doing hands-on machining at my father’s plant. Even back then, the rigidity of Okuma machines stood out as exceptional. This remains unchanged with their current multitasking machines. We have machined high-hardness materials such as die steel (HRC60), and the machines cut through them effortlessly, sending chips flying in a way that is truly satisfying to watch. I believe this reflects Okuma’s unwavering commitment as a machine tool manufacturer: only with outstanding rigidity can true machining accuracy be pursued.

Automating small workpiece loading and unloading with the mobile collaborative robot OMR20
Simple tasks such as workpiece loading and unloading can be entrusted to a robot, allowing operators to focus on higher value-added work

As our first step toward promoting automation and labor savings, we introduced the mobile collaborative robot OMR20. Although we are still in the trial phase, we currenty have the robot handle the loading and unloading of around 10 to 20 small workpieces. This allows operators to use the freed-up time for more value-added tasks, such as preparing for the next machining process or studying new machining methods, thereby utilizing their time more effectively. What we found particularly convenient is the robot’s mobility. Because it can be freely moved, we can flexibly change the machine the robot is connected to depending on the situation—for example, connect it to Machining Center A in the morning and Machining Center B in the afternoon. Currently, we only have one OMR20, but we are considering to install additional units as we continue to verify its effectiveness.
In our third plant, now under preparation for construction, we aim to further maximize the performance of our machine tools and respond to growing demand for seismic isolation devices, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and infrastructure- and medical-related applications. (Yoshikazu Shirakawa)