As one of the newest members of Mazak’s additive machine family, the VARIAXIS j-600AM (Additive Manufacturing) Vertical Machining Center features an innovative Wire Arc-type metal deposition system. The technology takes the additive process to whole new levels in terms of speed, allowing shops to quickly and easily grow part features then employ the machine’s advanced 5-axis multi-surface subtractive capabilities to produce high-precision parts complete in single setups.

The VARIAXIS j-600AM’s Wire Arc system incorporates a standard wire arc-welding head mounted on the machine’s headstock to deposit material layer by layer and grow near-net-shape 3D forms. The system deposits material faster because it uses wire instead of metal power.

Machines capable of both additive and subtractive operations offer many advantages. Such machines significantly slash production time and conserve large amounts of expensive raw materials typically machined away when parts are completely produced using only subtractive operations. Plus, they reduce the number of machines required in a facility and save floor space.

The VARIAXIS j-600AM also features a 12,000-rpm B-axis tilt spindle and C-axis indexing table. The machine is well suited for a wide variety of applications, including the production and repair of aerospace parts, molds and dies and oil-drilling components so that these parts retain their original durability and wear resistant properties.

Based in Dettingen, not far from Stuttgart, Germany, DIETZ-motoren is a privately owned business that has spent almost 100 years perfecting electric motors and radial fans used in niche industry sectors, such as food production, textiles, specialist machinery, etc.

None of the company’s products are made in great volume; some of the manufacturing processes, such as winding, are in fact still done by hand. However, DIETZ manages to produce around 150,000 motors and fans of various sizes and power outputs every year, most of which are shipped to customers overseas.

The company’s finishing and assembly buildings are busy, but light and relatively quiet, and are dotted with small tress and plants, which give a peaceful, natural feel. The adjacent machine shop, on the other hand, is noisy and, by comparison, frenetic. On most days, it’s open and running round the clock.

This is just one of the company’s two factory sites. The other is in the Swabian Jura, the low, snowy mountain range of the state of Baden-Württemberg.

The Dettingen site, with the bigger of the two machine shops, is home to six of the company’s eight Haas CNC machine tools. As well as Haas SL-30 and ST-30 turning centres and a Haas Mini Mill, there’s a Haas VF-5 and two Haas VM-3s, which do most of the higher-volume machining.

“The VM-3 was our first Haas machine,” says Chief Engineer, Dieter Irsiegler. “We needed a flexible vertical machining centre with good power and high spindle speed.

“We have a large and varied product range, so we also needed the optional 40-station tool changer. The table on the VM-3 – which has T-slots in X and Y, allows us very quickly and easily to create fixtures for our parts.”

Between them, the VF-5 and the VM-3 can be called upon to machine any part from a database of 400 different programmes, to tolerances of 0.02 mm. All the Haas machines work between 16 and 24 hours a day, depending upon demand, and each of them is equipped with a Haas HRT310 CNC rotary table.

“They’re very reliable machines,” adds Chief Engineer Irsiegler. “It doesn’t matter how many hours they work, they always keep tolerance. The VF-5 is actually ten years old, so it has made a lot of parts in its life so far.”

After the company had bought its two Haas vertical machining centres, it also invested in a Haas SL-30 turning centre, which, like the other Haas workhorses, runs 24-hour shifts. It’s used to machine high-tolerance surfaces on flanges.

“The Haas CNC is another feature of all the Haas machines that gives us greater flexibility. The control is very easy to use, and it’s essentially the same on all Haas machines, so we’re able to move operators between machines – whether vertical mill or lathe – when we need to.”

Again, according to Eng. Irsiegler, the Haas SL-30 has proven to be 100-percent reliable.

“Reliability and service are very important,” he reiterates. “We have no back-up, so if a machine were to break down, we’d need it fixed and up-and-running straight away. The local Haas Factory Outlet is very efficient, and they give us good and prompt support.”

For engineers like Dieter Irsiegler, who run CNC machines round the clock, and who want to sleep soundly at night, reliability and dependable support are essential. Unlike finishing and assembly areas, machine shops are very noisy places. They need to stay that way.

Manufacturing companies and OEMs sometimes get to a point in their growth and development where it makes sense to opt for independence from subcontract machinists. There are many reasons why, but the most common, perhaps, is that local suppliers simply do not give an appropriate or reliable level of service – slow deliveries, poor part quality, lack of capacity, or technical ability, for example. This is precisely the case with Todo Impresión, a specialist printing company based near Bareclona. The company uses a Haas VF-3 vertical machining centre to make a patented robot-loaded system for printing brand names and logos on stainless-steel beer barrels.

Rubén Rueda Ruiz: We’ve designed and developed a large-scale printing machine for a particular client – a well-known German brewing company. It uses two ABB robots – one to load a beer barrel, the other to unload it. Once loaded, the barrel is held in a custom-made rotating fixture, allowing the screen-printing heads to quickly and accurately mark the barrels with brand logos and text. The machine is 100 percent our design, and we intend to market it around the world.

Up until recently, we relied on local subcontract companies to machine almost all of the main precision parts. We had a few manual mills, but until we bought the Haas VF-3, we didn’t have in-house CNC capability.

That wasn’t a good place to be. We needed flexibility, reliability, and good quality – which we couldn’t always count on. We were spending too much time resolving supplier problems. We ordered the Haas, and it was delivered in a week! The support from the Haas Factory Outlet in Spain has been incredible.

The Haas VF-3 is my very first CNC machine, although I’m an engineer with more than thirteen years of experience. We also invested in Mastercam^®, which works very well with the Haas. I’ve had to learn how to use both, and I’m happy to say, it’s been a painless experience.

We’re machining ST52 steel for the structural parts of the printing machine, and 6082 aluminium for many of the other parts, such as base plates to attach the barrel grippers to the robots. We also machine some PE and nylon parts, for the maintenance-free guide ways, for example.

We machine a wide range of different parts in different sizes, so the Haas Wireless Intuitive Probing System (WIPS) has been very useful. We can keep set-up times to a minimum, and since I’ve had to learn programming on the job, it’s been a huge help.

As a business, we have three priorities: service to customers, controlling part costs, and meeting delivery dates. Since we bought the Haas and brought the machining in-house, we feel confident we can consistently achieve all of them.

We now machine more than 90 percent of all our parts. Some of them only just fit the VF-3; perhaps we should have bought a bigger one! We probably will, but in the meantime, I’m working the machine 12 hours a day until, at some point, we employ an operator to take over.

Haas was recommended to us by several local companies who already use their machines. We took their advice, and I’m happy to say, we made the right decision. Things are moving fast for our company, but we now feel like we have the control, confidence, and independence we need.

Okuma’s “UNIVERSAL CENTER MU-4000V-L” 5-axis vertical machining center with turning function received one of the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun’s (Business & Technology Daily News) 2015 Best 10 New Product Awards. Best 10 New Product Awards are given to selected products for their contributions to the development of manufacturing and the strengthening of Japan’s international competitiveness. Winners are chosen from among all products developed and in practical use in a given year. This is Okuma’s twelfth product to receive a Best 10 New Product Award.

The MU-4000V-L completely integrates turning, grinding, and gear cutting in high-speed, high-accuracy 5-axis machining. It is a 5-axis machining center that leads the IoT age. High-dimensional process-intensive machining with a high-speed, high output spindle, turning capacity equivalent to that of a medium-sized lathe, grinding, gear skiving and more results in shorter lead times in the machining of complex shapes.

The MU-4000V-L is equipped with the OSP suite monozukuri controller that leads the IoT age. In addition to coordination with production control systems and CAM simulators, it records information including the load, vibration, and pressure on each axis with a “monitoring function” that visualizes and logs utilization status, as well as flow sensor signals and worker operation information. This makes it possible to track and analyze production processes.

The MU-4000V-L is a next-generation 5-axis machine developed by Okuma, Your Single Source for M-E-I-K (Mechanics – Electronics – IT – Knowledge).

Based in the south of Germany, Metallmanufaktur GmbH has come a long way in a short time. From a standing start in 2013, when the company found early business by simply cold-calling potential customers, Metallmanufaktur now serves a variety of different industries. Investing only in Haas CNC machine tools, including automated five-axis and high-speed models, the firm has thrived, and has recently entered an agreement with local Haas Factory Outlet (HFO) Katzenmeier to be a regional Haas showroom.

Small, lean, and very keen

In 2013, Jochen Schumacher’s dream of running his own business became reality with the establishment of Metallmanufaktur GmbH in Orsingen-Nenzingen, Germany, 130 kilometers south of Stuttgart, close to the Swiss border. Although not an obvious location for a machine shop, the company has been able to fill a small but lucrative niche for a reliable, fast, cost-effective subcontract machine shop that the area was lacking.

“We started in 2013 with a Haas VF-2SS Super-Speed CNC vertical machining centre, and a Haas UMC-750 five-axis universal machining centre,” explains Mr. Schumacher, who first heard about Haas in his previous role as head of the mechanical production department at medical technology specialists, Leica Biosystems, near Heidelberg.

“Although I never had the opportunity to buy Haas technology during my time at Leica, I always said that if I were to ever start my own business, I was going to do it with Haas machines.”

In the very beginning, Mr. Schumacher had to cold-call potential customers to secure business for Metallmanufaktur. He would use the Internet to research trade fair exhibitors whose products and parts might be a good match for his capabilities. Happily, cold-calling is no longer required – new customers now find him, typically through word-of-mouth recommendations. Fresh contacts are added almost every week, which has allowed Metallmanufaktur to expand into a neighbouring building.

In early 2015, Metallmanufaktur agreed to become a Haas Factory Outlet (HFO) showroom for regional Haas distributor, Katzenmeier.

“There was nowhere south of Stuttgart where it was possible to demonstrate the potential of Haas machines,” says Mr. Schumacher. “So, after discussions with Bernd Katzenmeier, CEO of Haas Factory Outlet Sueddeutschland, and Jens Thing, managing director of Haas Automation Europe, it was decided that here would be a good location. We had around 220 people attend the grand opening of the showroom earlier this year: a mixture of existing and potential Haas customers. Of course, having all of those engineering companies come and see the Haas machines on our premises is also good for us. It’s great networking!”

A short time before the grand opening, a second Haas UMC-750 five-axis universal machining centre was acquired by Metallmanufaktur in March 2015, this time fitted with an automated loading system.

“The idea was to purchase a machine that could run unsupervised the whole day, through the night or at weekends. It’s difficult to find fully trained and qualified personnel in this area,” explains Mr. Schumacher.

Parts produced on this machine include 200-off batches of industrial metrology components, and similar quantities of parts used on garbage collection trucks – all loaded automatically and completed on the Haas UMC five-axis machine in a single setup. When a part is finished, the door opens and a robot arm extends inside the working envelope before lifting the part from its fixture. The gripping device then rotates 180° and deposits a fresh blank in its place, before exiting. Chip-to-chip time is around 30 seconds.

As an HFO regional showroom, Metallmanufaktur keeps demonstration machines on-site, including a Haas Super Mini Mill and an ST-20Y CNC turning centre with Y-axis capability.

Although the company currently out-sources any turning operations, the plan is to bring turning in-house. For now, however, Metallmanufaktur is focussed on prismatic parts, machined from all types of metals and plastics. For instance, the company produces around 180 different components (from various materials) for special hospital beds designed for overweight patients.

The Haas VF-2SS Super-Speed CNC vertical machining centre owned by Metallmanufaktur also plays an important role. The machine’s 12,000-rpm spindle and rapid travels ensure Metallmanufaktur can be competitive on all job types. For example, in early 2015, the VF-2SS was used to successfully complete a series of 30,000 relatively simple parts featuring a large number of holes.

Anything complex is, of course, assigned to one of the UMC-750 five-axis machines. A case-in-point are batches of 60 aluminium chassis parts for a German manufacturer of workholding and gripping systems.  Machined from solid to tight tolerances, each component demands around 3½ hours of machining time.

To simplify job scheduling and programming, the Haas machining centres at Metallmanufaktur are configured identically, using zero-point workholding systems, and the same type of cutting tools in corresponding stations in the toolchanger. On average, changeover times at Metallmanufaktur are just 5 to 10 minutes, with parts fully interchangeable between machines.

“The moment I differentiate between machines, I lose flexibility,” concludes Mr. Schumacher. “From a process and technical perspective, our operation is nearly perfect now. This is important because, aside from price and delivery, we need to show customers that we have the best offer for all industries; an offer that is based on Haas technology. And just because we are relatively small, doesn’t mean we can’t compete. We’re as lean and competitive as any company.”

From its origins more than 30 years ago as a backyard business, Jim Stokes Workshops Ltd (JSW Group) has grown steadily over the years, and now easily fills five spacious units on an industrial estate in Waterlooville, Hampshire, UK. The company employs a team of 50, many of whom are specialist technicians in one of the most rarefied sectors of automotive engineering.

When he started the business, Jim was probably regarded as a little bit of an eccentric. This was in the years before classic cars had become collectibles for billionaires, and “safe” repositories for global capital, much like Old Masters have become, since.

Jim’s almost singular obsession at the time was the Alfa Romeo 8C, which the Milan-based company built from 1931 to 1939. The straight-eight engine and its chassis were configured in various guises for road and track over the years, by the likes of Enzo Ferrari’s fledgling scuderia, as well as the works Alfa team. They were driven by some of the most famous names in motor racing – including Tazio Nuvolari, at some of the best-known races, such as Le Mans.

What no one really knew when young Jim first began his fettling and restoration activities, was that the 8C’s scarcity and illustrious history would eventually make it one of the most sought after vintage cars in the world (auction houses love them for the 7- and 8-figure prices they command).

In the intervening years, JSW Group has built a reputation around the world for 8C expertise, as well as in-depth knowledge for similarly rare and exotic Aston Martins, Ferraris, Jaguars, Lancias, Mercedes, and Rolls-Royces, which pass through for repairs, pre- and post-race TLC and, occasionally, full restorations.

Famously, the company has also built six, painstaking recreations of Lancia D50s, and a diminutive yellow Ferrari 156 Sharknose: classic monoposto F1 cars from the 1950s and 60s, respectively. The detail and authenticity of the cars is such that they qualify for FIA passports, allowing them to compete in strictly controlled events reserved for thoroughbred classics.

Today, the JSW Group has four divisions: Triple M focuses on part manufacturing operations; South Shore specialises in bodywork and fabrication; Classics by JSW is more “everyday” vehicles; and Jim Stokes Workshops Ltd, which is the group’s best known business.

Triple M owns three Haas CNC vertical machining centres: a VF-2, a VF-5, and a VF-6.

The “V8s”, as Jim calls them, allow Triple M to produce one-offs or batches of better-than-new components, such as cylinder heads, cylinder blocks, valves, crankcases, carburettors, oil and water pumps, and plenty more besides.

“I like the American engineering, and I like the way Haas machines work,” he says “They’ve proven themselves as hard working, reliable machines, and they’ve allowed us to bring so much more of our part manufacturing back in-house.”

The story of how the company opted for Haas machines is interesting. Tony Fairbairn, one of the JSW Group’s long-serving machinists, had left the firm to pursue an opportunity at another local company – in a completely different industry sector, where he was running several Haas machines. JSW missed him, so a plan was hatched to lure him back.

“I knew I needed to upgrade the machines we had,” Jim recalls, “and I knew if I invested in Haas, Tony would consider coming back. I already knew a lot of people using Haas machines, so I had no reservations about buying them.” He had a long-term plan to do as much machining as possible within the business. “In the early days, my philosophy was to do everything myself,” he says. “But after five years of working 18 hours a day, seven days a week, I realised I couldn’t do it. However, you give it to subcontractors and quickly realise that they don’t do what you want.”

Recreated engines
On any particular weekday, The JSW Group garage may contain several Alfa 8Cs, usually owned by media-shy big name collectors or well-known, very successful business people. A frequent visitor to the shop is the 1932 Le Mans 24-hour race winner.

“The owner of that car, like many others, would not race it with the original engine; it’s too valuable from a historic point of view. Instead, we manufacture a replacement engine to his specification. We can do that with engines, gearboxes, and axles, whatever. So if you want to race these things hard, you can do it without damaging the original vehicle. All of the component machining is done on the Haas machines.”

Of the three Haas CNC machine tools on site, the VF-5 has a 10,000-rpm spindle, while the VF-2 and the VF-6 have a 7500-rpm spindle. Two of the machines have a fourth-axis Haas rotary table.

“We currently have most of the machine performance and capacity we need. We have to machine very large crankcases for AC engines, and so we need something with 1.6 m of travel, which means the VF-6 is perfect. It has plenty of tools [24 + 1], and we also have a fourth-axis on it, which we use when we run the machine overnight for making parts like stub axles. During the day, we use the rest of the bed for other jobs. For instance, at the moment we’re running cylinder blocks, which we make in two identical halves. We can produce 95 percent of our engine parts using four axes, as the port work is not particularly sophisticated.”

A very small part of the JSW Group business produces parts for film companies. For example, the company recently recreated the rear section of the Ford Mustang used in Fast & Furious 6, a film that took $788 million at the box office. “We were asked to make the tail in aluminium,” says Jim, “because the film company wanted it to crush on impact like a beer can. We ended up making five versions.

“We also get a lot of commissions and projects from high net worth individuals around the world. It’s not unusual for customers to ask if there’s anywhere nearby to land a helicopter. Sometimes we need to go to the car if the car cannot come to us; we’re happy to send employees all over the world if necessary.”

The Haas machines also produce parts for the group’s Classics by JSW division. This is where the company restores, repairs, and rebuilds more “affordable” classic cars, including Porsche 911s, MGs, and even humble Morris Minors. The Haas machines are used to make components that are simply no longer available.

Jim Stokes is unequivocal and outspoken about the usefulness and versatility of Haas machine tools. “I can take a job, put it on any of the Haas machines, and get the same result in terms of quality and repeatability,” he enthuses. “The CNC of each machine is exactly the same as the others. The added advantage is, if you can use one Haas, you can use them all.”

Tony Fairbairn’s insistence JSW invest in Haas machines was well founded. “He came back to the company and is now machine shop manager,” says Jim. “In the fullness of time, we intend to upgrade every machine in our workshop to Haas, including, perhaps, some 5-axis machines. Ultimately, the potential in our business is definitely in the machine shop. We have several projects lined up, and if they all come to fruition, the next two or three years could be mind blowing!”

This story also has a video to accompany it.  You can find it here

Doosan introduces the all-new DNM 200/5AX compact, reliable and affordable purpose built five-axis vertical machining center. This newest member of the wildly popular DNM Series is ideal for machining complex prismatic parts by reducing set-up time and ensuring consistent accuracy without taking up too much valuable space on the shop floor.

Integrated Trunnion 5-axis Table
The DNM 200/5AX is a purpose built 5-axis machining center, featuring a built in 4th and 5th axis trunnion table allowing for the machining of multiple faces on complex prismatic workpieces, without having to re-fixture. This unique design provides for more available z-axis clearance than a traditional VMC with a rotary system placed on the standard table. Precision and repeatability are superior as well, due to the reduction in stacked tolerances. The platter size is 7.87″ in diameter, allowing for a maximum work piece of 11.81″ in diameter and 7.87″ in height. The maximum table load is 88 lbs.

Roller Type LM Guideways
As with all Doosan DNM Series vertical machining centers, all linear guideways feature roller type bearings, delivering 3 times more rigidity and double the lifespan. Additional benefits include optimal weight and force distribution, superior stiffness, accuracy, and surface finish.

Direct-Coupled Spindle
The direct-coupled spindle drive system is a true cartridge type unit supported by high precision ceramic ball bearings that offer minimal noise, vibration and thermal growth due to the absence of gears or belts inside the spindle head body. The powerful 12,000 rpm, 15 / 25 hp motor has 86 ft-lbs of torque with a spindle accel\decel time of 0 – 12 k (2.16 sec )\ 12k – 0 (2.21 sec).

Bed, Column & Saddle Construction
The bed is a rigid, one piece casting made from fine grain Meehanite cast iron with heavy ribbing to help prevent vibration and deformation during heavy cutting. Extra wide spacing of the roller guideways provide for excellent support of the saddle, regardless of the load distribution on the table. The table is fully supported by the saddle in all positions with no overhang. The rigid box type column casting is heavily ribbed to help prevent twisting or distortion as well as helping to dampen vibration during high speed or heavy machining.

Doosan Infracore Machine Tools
Doosan Infracore Machine Tools designs, engineers and manufactures the industry’s widest breadth of CNC machine tools. The company, which is part of the larger Doosan Group, continues to increase its competitiveness in global machine tools while establishing a firm foundation to become the Global Leader in the machine tools industry, assisting its customers in performance under pressure.

Doosan Machine Tools has launched a new vertical machining center (product name: DNM 750 II series) that delivers improved machining performance due to its new high specification spindle.

The spindle is based on the direct drive(DNM 750 Ⅱ, DNM 750L Ⅱ) concept (motor is coupled in line directly to the spindle unit) and offers an increased level of reliability and performance. Its 12000rpm capability offers high speed, high precision machining for a wide range of materials. Heavy duty cutting(DNM 750/50 Ⅱ, DNM 750L/50 Ⅱ) is also enhanced by the face/taper spindle which is included as a standard feature.

The direct drive spindle design means that thermal displacement is drastically reduced, thereby improving workpiece accuracy. In addition, spindle acceleration / deceleration time is reduced to improve productivity.

The spindle design concept also minimises vibration during high rpm operation, thereby improving surface finish and precision of the workpiece.

Machine stability is optimized by adopting a highly rigid C frame structure, based on state-of-the-art CAD design technology and FEM analysis. The application of large size roller guideways provides optimum rigidity for heavy duty cutting.

Hision VMC is technologically advanced VMC with use of the latest innovations in machine tool design for higher rigidity, stability and precision. Hision’s VMC series generates traditional frame structure using the latest innovative ideas in machine design. Offering high marks in rigidity, stability and precision, the VMC series features single-column construction with a cross slide. Other features of the Vertical Machining Center Series include the bed, work table, spindle, cooling system, chip conveyor, control panel and electrical system.

Features of the Machine

• Horizontal Slide: the combination of well ribbed cross-section with a large span support structure design, greatly improves the rigidity of Horizontal saddle.
• Bed: the internal triangular ribbed design and optimized layout of foundation support, improved the stability of machine tool
• Guideway: Z axis guide adopts the overloaded roller guides with cage and four-direct equal load, effeciently improving the rigidity of Z axis. The dynamic load is improved by 18.5% and the static load is enhanced by 87%
• Column: Column introduces a reinforcement structure with internal three sides of asterisk (like UK’s flag) ribs to prevent deformation more than 20%.

About Company
Established in 2010 as a major business .associate of M/s. Ningbo Haitian Precision Machiery Co., Ltd., Ningbo,( HISION) a HAITIAN GROUP company. HAITIAN’s Injection Molding Company, has established their stake in Indian Market through 2000 + injection Molding Machines. Now HISION is introducing its CNC precision machines through MIPE.

Equipment, parts and engineering services will be available to all tiers of aerospace manufacturing for test cuts and productivity trials

Okuma announces that they have opened an Aerospace Center of Excellence at their facility in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Aerospace Center of Excellence is open to aerospace manufacturers for use as a testing and proving ground for advanced CNC machining technology to enhance productivity while solving the unique challenges faced by the industry. The nearly 10,000 square foot space currently houses nine CNC machines designed for the aerospace market, totaling more than $6.5 million in value. The space also includes a fully-operational metrology room including CMM equipment and other quality measurement devices, and a conference room. Additionally, visitors have access to the Partners in THINC facility, which currently houses an additional 16 machines, valued at $4.5 million and ranging from entry-level CNC lathes to machining centers and grinders.

In addition to Okuma equipment and dedicated engineering personnel, facility activities will incorporate resources from members of Partners in THINC, enabling access to an additional 50 suppliers of peripheral equipment and accessories. Tooling, workholding, gauging, software and other products necessary to optimize manufacturing processes will be easily available, as will the corresponding engineering experts.

“We envision that the facility will be used by various levels of aerospace suppliers, from Tier 3 to OEMs, to help them test new equipment, processes and materials. We have been working with our Partners to improve exotic metal cutting through the use of tool management software, cutting tool selection and other productivity enhancements, and now we want to help the actual manufacturers with these same challenges,” notes Jim Kosmala, Vice President of Technology.

The debut of the center will be December 9 and 10, 2014 when Okuma America Corporation hosts its annual open house. The theme of this year’s event is “Make the Leap” and will be showcasing technology and machines that enable manufacturers to move up the technology spectrum. Aerospace demonstrations taking place at this year’s event include:

• Titanium cutting on the new MA-12500H horizontal machining center
• A stator segment being cut on the MU-10000H 5-axis vertical machining center
• Gear cutting on the new MULTUS U4000 multitasking horizontal lathe
• Blade cutting on the new MULTUS U3000 multitasking horizontal lathe

Jim King, President and COO states, “While the Aerospace Center of Excellence is physically located in Charlotte, we are using our worldwide resources to support this effort. Okuma has a global team made up of people from Okuma Japan, Europe and America, who are working closely to identify new processes and technologies specifically to help this industry address their challenges. It’s an existing and ongoing mission and the Center establishes a centralized point of collaborative expertise for delivering innovation and productivity enhancements to aerospace manufacturers.”

The Okuma aerospace initiative has already resulted in a collaboration with The Boeing Company on the new ISO STEP-NC standard, originally presented at the recent International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) 2014. Additional technologies will be on display at the Paris Air Show in June, 2015 where Okuma Europe and America will be jointly exhibiting.