OKUMA TO PRESENT SUPER MULTITASKING MACHINES AND SMART FACTORY SOLUTIONS

Okuma Europe will display its latest machining solutions to provide supreme connectivity and productivity at this year’s EMO Hannover (18-23 September, Hall 27, booth D20). Okuma’s smart machines as well as the LASER EX series of super multitasking machines capable of turning, milling, laser hardening and additive manufacturing will make their European debut at the fair. In addition, Okuma will introduce their latest Smart Factory Solutions and present new ways to integrate robotics to take productivity in an IoT-environment to the next level.

In accordance with this year’s EMO-theme “Connecting systems for intelligent production”, Okuma’s innovations are dedicated to facilitating smart manufacturing by promoting automation and increasing connectivity in state-of-the-art production facilities. Okuma will present eight European premieres and a total of 16 machines at their 1500 m² booth.

Smart line machining with minimal footprint

Okuma’s latest 5-axis vertical machining centre MU-S600V enables 5-face machining with unparalleled floor space productivity. With a width of 1,400 mm the machine handles workpieces 600 mm in diameter. For high levels of automation, several machine tools of this type can be connected to form a compact smart production line. This allows for a fully automated transfer of the workpiece from one machine to the next, thus eliminating downtime between different processing stages. Production line layouts are easily adjusted to accommodate changes in volume or lead times. Okuma will present two connected MU-S600V in a fully automated cell featuring a vision system and robot-assisted loading and unloading.

Laser-infused super multitasking machining

Okuma’s LASER EX line includes the world’s first “done-on-one”-machines. The 5-axis vertical machining centre MU-6300V LASER EX is capable of milling, turning, grinding, Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) and heat treatment for a wide range of workpiece sizes and shapes. On-machine hardening is faster and causes less distortion than conventional heat treatment, resulting in dramatically increased accuracy and throughput. The high-quality TRUMPF laser beam source enables stable laser processing over long runs and both large-capacity and high definition additive manufacturing.

The MULTUS series, known for its precision and accuracy, has been a staple in Okuma’s line of multitasking machines for quite some time. The MULTUS U5000 is designed for stable heavy-duty cutting with low spindle speeds. Its unrivalled high-torque spindle serves to maximise efficiency. The MULTUS U5000 handles medium and large parts as well as difficult-to-cut materials, such as Titanium and Inconel. Finish grinding is also among the new arrival’s many features. With the addition of the laser-equipped variant, Okuma is taking multitasking machining to new heights. The MULTUS U5000 LASER EX enables laser processing from coating to Laser Metal Deposition (LMD). Okuma will demonstrate the machine’s laser hardening capabilities in a dedicated stage-presentation.

In-depth smart factory know-how

Smart Machines are part of the IoT-equation for the single-source provider. Having recently opened the second start-to-finish smart factory at its Japanese headquarters, Okuma is ready to pass on its smart factory expertise at EMO. The learnings from the company’s “Dream Site” factories resulted in its Smart Factory Solutions as a means of making Industry 4.0 a reality for customers. Driven by Okuma’s latest AI-imbued CNC control, these applications allow for total control of the entire scheduling and manufacturing process to support high product mixes and shorter delivery times, ensuring flexibility even with fluctuating demands.

Okuma’s Machine Status Monitor connects not only machines but also production plants around the world, displaying their availability at any given time. It visualises the machine status and accumulates, stores and processes big data, including machining and operating reports and the alarm history. Based on this, continuous improvements can be made to make each run better than the one before. The web-based interface can be viewed from anywhere and on any device – even smartphones. By connecting the machines on display at EMO, Okuma will simulate a smart factory and demonstrate the possibilities afforded by their Smart Factory Solutions live on site.