NEWS 2023-Ⅲ
CONTENTSTOPICS－ EMO 2023
－ Four Seasons of FANUC－ Introduction of New Products and New Functions[ FA ] [ ROBOT ] [ ROBOMACHINE ]－ FANUC Factory Introduction［ Increasing the Capacitiesof the Tsukuba ROBOT Factories ］－ Digital Twin of FANUC CNC Won the “Japan Society
for Precision Engineering Technology Award 2023”－ The 19th All Japan Student’s Indoor Flying Robot Contest－ 2023 FANUC Global Service Conference

Photo taken October 2023

EMO2023
EMO Hannover 2023 was held in Hannover, Germany, for six days from September 18 (Mon.) to September 23 (Sat.), 2023.
Approximately 92,000 people from all over the world attended the exhibition.
At the FANUC booth, new products and new functions along with solutions that can be provided as “one FANUC” in manufacturing sites were introduced. Many live demonstrations were performed, including automation by combining machine tools
with robots.

In the FA (Factory Automation) area, new products, such as the
FANUC Series 500i-A and the α i-D series SERVO, were displayed,
stimulating much interest among visitors. The various Digital Twin
applications and FANUC’s IoT product, FIELD system Basic Package,were well received, being in line with the recent trend toward digitaltransformation.
In the Robot area, machining, assembly, handling and other applications were exhibited, proposing the diverse automation methods using FANUC robots. The exhibits consisted of milling by an
R-2000iC/190S, a CRX-20iA/L collaborative robot screwing withhigh-torque, and heavy cast handling by an M-2000iA/2300. Such
exhibits attracted much attention.
In the Robomachine area, the high machining and molding performances of Robodrill, Roboshot, and Robocut were highlighted,
earning high praise. In addition, a FANUC robot, a measuring instrument and an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) were integrated intoa system which automated machining, unloading, transporting, andmeasuring of workpieces. This exhibit also captivated visitors.
In the Service area, the manner in which lifetime maintenanceensures safe and reliable use of FANUC products worldwide was
explained, and a video of customers’ feedback regarding FANUC’s
services was shown.

2

FANUC NEWSThe shares of machines and robots exhibited at EMO are shown below. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to ourcustomers who exhibited our products in their booths.

Company C
63
7.2%

Company G
10
4.0%

Others
138
15.7%
FANUC
315
35.8%

Company B
103
11.7%
Company A
261
29.7%

Others30
12.0%Company F
10
4.0%
Company E
14
5.6%

Company D
35
13.9%

Total number of units: 880

CNC shares

FANUC
152
60.6%

Total number of units: 251
Robot shares (excluding robots at FANUC’s booth)Shares of FANUC CNCs and FANUC robots at EMO [based on FANUC’s data]
On the evening of Monday, September 18, FANUC
hosted an event for customers, who came not only
from Europe, but also from the U.S., Japan, and other
Asian countries. Speeches by President Yamaguchi of
FANUC CORPORATION in Japan and President Ghirardello of FANUC Europe were followed by at toast by
Chairman Dr. Y. Inaba. Guests enjoyed food and wine
while pleasantly chatting with one another.

Four Seasons of FANUC
Inula britannica

When mornings and evenings start to becomechilly, autumn flowers bloom one after another,inviting insects tocompete and gather
in the forests surrounding FANUC.

Lychnis miqueliana Rohrb

Cimicifuga simplex

3

Introduction of New Products and New Functions
FA New Product

FANUC Series 500i–A

In recent years, the business environment of machine tools has beenchanging more than ever before. Examples can be seen in labor shortages in the manufacturing industry, the old generation of skilled engineers being replaced by a new generation, changes in machine tools
and machining technology to adapt to the transformation of the industry structure, and strong demands to reduce energy costs.
The FANUC Series 500i-A is the latest CNC developed with a completely
redesigned platform to address such changes. To cope with the ongoinglabor shortage problem and generational changes of skilled engineers,
implementing functions required for machine tools and using a new
IDE (Integrated Development Environment) to design original operation
screens has been made extremely easy and also in a natural form. Various challenges can be overcome by integrating CNC technology withdigital technology to expand the platform to include machine tools indigital space (digital machines), and using this platform in combination
with the entire factory system, including a networked group of machine
tools (edge) and use of a cloud.
In addition, by combining this CNC with theαi-D series SERVO, enhancements of the high-speed and high-precision of servo control aswell as energy cost reduction can be accelerated in machine tools.
ㅡ New Hardware
The control engine of the FANUC Series 500i-A uses parallel processing for all CNC software, resulting in 2.7 times higher performance compared to conventional models. This is the first case of
adopting a dual-engine architecture consisting of a control engine
and a UI engine. This configuration maximizes the performanceof the engine dedicated to control, a key feature of FANUC CNCs.
The structure of the control unit has been totally redesigned todecrease the size and enable even better maintainability. The latest
battery-less memory technology is also adopted, greatly reducing
the risk of unexpected CNC data loss. A battery-less CNC system
can be configured by combining this memory technology with thebattery-less pulsecoder. Moreover, the reliability that FANUC hascontinuously been refining has been further improved.
ㅡ Advanced 5-Axis Machining Function
Simultaneous 5-axis control technology will become increasingly
important in the future not only for machining complex shapes
such as impellers and blades, but also for process integration andproductivity improvement. Examples are multi-face machining
without requiring setup changes, and highly efficient tool side milling. The software for 5-axis control of the FANUC Series 500i-A has
been completely redesigned to make 5-axis milling machines easier
to use. There is more freedom in program command description,and setup for manual operation has become easier. Also, a wide
variety of machine configurations can easily be adapted to.

FANUC Series 500i-A

CPU board with improved
processing performance

Smaller control unit

Machine configuration setup tool
Manual interruptof the rotary axis

Coordinate systemselection during
TCP mode

4

FANUC NEWS

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Redesigned CNC Operation Screen
A new operation screen designed to improve usability in machining
sites is included as a standard feature. The screens for setup andmachining have been unified to greatly improve workability. Also,
intuitive touch operation makes the screen easy to use by improving the display procedure and operating methods of the operation
screen.

CNC operation screen

Brand New Development Environment
The environment for developing the functions and screens required for each machine has been renewed. FANUC’s custom CNC
screen design software, FANUC PICTURE2, facilitates the development of customized operator screens or HMI screens that caneasily be imported and exported in a format directly executable by
the CNC. The HMI is easy-to-understand and a rich variety of tools
is available. FANUC PMC Programmer streamlines machine logic
design with the easy-to-use ST (Structured Text) programming language. In addition, CNC Design Studio centralizes data necessaryfor electrical design by cooperating and integrating with several
setting tools and simulation software such as CNC GUIDE 2.
Security and Safety
The concept of networking machine tools to optimize the entire
factory in order to increase productivity is rapidly becoming
widespread alongside digital and IoT technologies. This makes
security measures to prevent unauthorized access and informationfrom leaking extremely important. For this reason, the FANUC
Series 500i-A encrypts Ethernet communication, implements
user authentication and means for protecting access to data. To
achieve a higher level of machine safety, the international safety
standard IEC61508/ISO13849-1 safety category 4, SIL3, and PLe
certifications have been obtained.

CNC Design Studio

FANUC PMC Programmer

Ethernet
Encrypted communication
Worker A

Worker B

Unauthorized user

Security

FA New Product αi-D series SERVO
To respond to changes in the business environment of machine tools, the

α i-D series SERVO, which features completely new motors, amplifiers,

and servo control software, has been released. In addition to higher

performance as a servo system that can respond to changes in machining
technology, the FANUC α i-D series SERVO is a new generation of servo
systems that is easier to use with its compact size and less wiring, as well asㅡEnergy Efficiency of the Entire System
The αi-D series SERVO system reduces overall losses by approximately 10% compared to our conventional systems. This is madepossible through its highly efficient motors and current control,state-of-the-art power devices, and unique low-loss AC reactor. As
for large servo motors, which are used in servo presses among
others, motor power loss is approximately 30% less than before.

Servo system loss

saving machine energy by reducing loss.

10% loss reduction

αi-B series SERVO αi-D series SERVO
Note: The loss reduction rate depends on the motor’s operating conditions
and the amplifier configuration.

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Servo Motor
The αi-D series SERVO motor has better maximum torque features and maximum rotational speed which reduce the machine’s
cycle time. A battery-less pulsecoder can be selected for allmodels, and the standard protection rating has been upgraded to IP67. Thus, maintainability and reliability are enhanced.
Cogging torque (uneven torque created by the magnetic attractive
IP67 standard servo motor
Battery-less Pulsecoder
force between magnets on the rotor and the iron core) has beenfurther reduced, resulting in smoother feeding. In addition, the fastercommunication speed of the pulsecoder (motor
0.5㎛
0.2㎛
0.9㎛
0.5㎛
0.3㎛
speed detector) allows for higher gain control (control with high responsiveness). In the example on
the right, by using the αi-D series SERVO motor,
αi-D SERVO
αi-D SERVO
αi-B SERVO
500i-A
HigherHigherthe velocity gain has gone up, and shape errors
velocity gain
position gain
and position deviation when the motor’s direction
1㎛/div.
1㎛/div.
1㎛/div.
Radius: 10 mm
Feed speed: 2 m/min
is reversed have decreased by about half. Precisionand machining quality is even higher when used in
combination with the FANUC Series 500i-A.
Spindle Motor
The improved acceleration/deceleration output
features shorten the cycle time, and enhancements in the continuous output feature and higher maximum rotation speed boosts machining
performance. The vibration level of the standard
model has been improved, making machining
more accurate.
Servo Amplifier
The width of the servo amplifiers has been decreased by a maximum of 30%, allowing control
cabinets to become smaller. The all-in-one typeamplifier lineup has been expanded to include
a 26kW model in order to support a variety ofconfigurations. Besides the brake control circuit being embedded, the STO (Safe Torque Off)function, which requires no external wiring,is available when used in combination with the
FANUC Series 500i-A. This reduces the amount of
wiring and improves ease of use. For failure prediction, all models, including all-in-one type amplifiers, have an insulation deterioration detection
function which enables preventative maintenance.
For maintainability, the configuration has been
designed to allow the fan motor to be replaced
without removing the DC link short bars, while theamplifier is kept mounted on the control panel,thus reducing replacement time.
AC Reactor
The AC reactor’s unique new hexagonal structure
reduces losses due to leakage flux across the coil,
thereby saving energy.

α3I 8/8000-B

kW

25
20

20

15

15

10

10

5

Spindle motor

α 3SP
26-B

Acceleration/
Deceleration 5
time:
min
0
8000 approx. -15% 0

min-1

-1

0
0

α 3PS
30-B

α3I 12/10000-D

kW

25

2000

4000

6000

α 3SV
α 3SV α 3SV
80/160-B 80/80-B 40/80-B

Integrated
26-kW model

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

α 3PSVPS
α 3SV
80/80/160-26-D 80/80/80-D

Number of
amplifiers: 5

Number of
amplifiers: 2

Number ofcables between
amplifiers: 8

150

150

90

60 60

240

▲ 180mm

510mm

90

Number ofcables between
amplifiers: 2

330mm

No external
circuit required

No magnetic
contactor required

Integrated brake control circuit

Integrated STO (Safe Torque Off) function

Magnetic
gap
LossesAC Reactor

Conventional structure

WindingwireCore

New hexagonal structure

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FANUC NEWSROBOT New Product

FANUC Robot CR-35iB and CRX-25iA with High Payload Capacities

FANUC has introduced two new high payload models to its much praised CR and
CRX series collaborative robots.
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With no changes in the mechanical unit, the high payload type CR-35iB is
capable of handling 50 kg, which is 1.4 times more than the former 35 kg.
The wrist inertia has been increased by about three times. The reach is 1,643
mm, while the wrist can freely move in any direction without restriction,such as being limited to a downward position.
Though no safety fences are required when using a collaborative robot, its
high payload capacity and high inertia makes it capable of being used inhandling and assembly applications of large workpieces, such as automobile windshields.
The high payload type CRX-25iA has also been enhanced without changing
the mechanical unit. Payload has been increased by 1.2 times from 25 kg to
30 kg. The reach is 1,756 mm, and the posture of the wrist can be adjusted
freely without limitation, such as only being downward.
In addition, the CRX series can now be used for palletizing large workpieces, handling heavy workpieces, and double-handed gripper, none of whichwere possible with the previous CRX series.
Both models can be converted to the high payload type by updating thesoftware. Therefore, robots currently in use can also be turned into a highpayload type without changing the mechanical unit.

The introduction of the high payload type expands the application range ofcollaborative robots and contributes to further improvements in productivity.

CR-35iBwith 50 kg payload

CRX-25iA
with 30 kg payload

Transporting a high inertia workpiece (windshield)

ROBOT New Function Palletizing Mode
FANUC has launched a robot palletizing mode function to promote automationof logistics systems.
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When palletizing and depalletizing cardboard boxes using a robot, therobot is often moved from a high position to a low position. In conventional
systems, attention had to be paid in programming to avoid passing througha point in which the robot’s wrist was fully extended and prohibited linear
motion (singular point).
With the new palletizing mode function, control can be switched by eachprogram in order to keep the robot’s wrist facing up or down at all times.
This allows for linear motion while maintaining the box posture even whenthe motion passes through a singular point as mentioned above.
This eliminates the burden of inclining the hand mounting posture to avoid
the singular point. With the hand mounted straight on the wrist and witha natural linear motion, palletizing and depalletizing systems can be built
more easily.
This function is a standard feature of the CRX series and is also available
as an option on other models such as the M-710iD/50M.

FANUC promotes robotization of palletizing to support improvements incustomers’ productivity.

Palletizing by a CRX-25iA(The photo shows the area around the singular point
when the wrist is fully extended.)

Palletizing by a M-710iD/50M(The photo shows the area around the singular point
when the wrist is fully extended.)7

ROBOMACHINE New Product

ROBODRILL α-D28LiB5ADV Plus Y500

The α-D28LiB5ADV Plus Y500 with a Y-axis stroke of 500 mm and a tool storage capacity of 28 tools has been added to thecompact machining center ROBODRILL α-DiB Plus series.
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The Y-axis stroke has been extended by 100 mm from previous specifications toaccommodate large workpieces such as EV components, which has been increasing in volume in recent years. The work space of the table has also been extended to a depth of 500 mm to enable mounting of larger fixtures. Also, in response
to demands to merge processes, a larger turret with a tool storage capacity of 28
tools has been newly developed.
By enhancing the rapid traverse rate and acceleration of the Z-axis as well as applying automatic table loading capacity setting function and the latest FA functions, the cycle time has been further reduced compared to previous models.
Also, to facilitate the replacement of existing equipment, the depth of themachine has only been increased by 65mm compared to previous specifications.
The front of the machine is closer to the table, thus reducing the operator’sburden during setup.
The DDR-T, a trunnion unit with an additional 1-axis rotary table dedicated to
ROBODRILL, is also available with a 540 mm diameter turning plate for optimaluse of the Y-axis stroke.

The expansion of the scope of applications of the α-DiB Plus series will contribute toimproving the productivity of our customers.

ROBOMACHINE New Function

ROBODRILL α-DiB Plus series

FANUC ROBODRILL α -D28L3B5ADV Plus Y500

Turret with a tool storage capacity of 28 tools

Machining Mode Setting Function 2

The machining mode setting function enables users to select the machine’s operating parameters according to the purpose,such as cycle time reduction, high-precision machining, or fine surface machining. The Machining Mode Setting Function 2,
which offers improved performance and ease of use, has now been released.
ㅡㅡㅡThe number of parameters that can be adjusted in machining mode has
been greatly expanded, and many new machining modes (parametersets) that incorporate the latest FA functions are available. This further
reduces the cycle time, and improves the performance of high-precision
machining and fine surface machining, compared to conventional machining modes.
The newly developed intuitive and easy-to-use screen simplifies andaccurately selects the most suitable machining mode for the machining
purpose.
An adjustment screen is also available for users who want to fine-tune
the machining mode based on the machining results. Adjustment ismade easy by a guidance menu that eliminates concerns about making
operational mistakes, along with a radar chart that shows the effects ofadjustment at a glance.

Machining Mode Setting Function 2 facilitates cycle time reduction, highprecision machining, and fine surface machining, thereby contributing to theimprovement in productivity of our customers.

Machining mode selection screen

Machining mode adjustment screen

8

FANUC Factory Introduction

FANUC NEWS

Increasing the Capacities of the Tsukuba ROBOT Factories
The Tsukuba Robot Factory #1 began operation in August
2018 and has significantly increased its production capacity in order to meet strong demands for robots. FANUC has
succeeded in increasing the number of units that can be produced by approximately 50% compared to what was initiallyplanned, by making a series of revisions in the manufacturing
process. This has resulted in a production capacity of morethan 15,000 robots per month when combined with the production in the Headquarters’ Factories.
At Tsukuba Robot Factory #1, the automated warehouse andtransport lines have been expanded, assembly cells automatedby robots have been set up, and the collaborative robot CRX
has been introduced to the manual assembly process to improve the quality of bolt tightening and reduce the number ofworkers required. To ensure high reliability, assembled robots
undergo rigorous testing, including continuous operation tests
at a test site. By analyzing data on quality collected from thepast, the operating conditions for the continuous operation
tests have been revised, which has enabled the operating time
to be shortened. This has significantly reduced test lead time

Automated assembly cells

Tsukuba Robot Factory #1/Finished products warehouseand has improved the turnover rate. In recent years, demandhas been rapidly growing for robots with high payloads, suchas those for transferring battery units of electric vehicles. To
meet this demand, FANUC has more than doubled the production capacity of the M-1000iA and M-2000iA robots with
payloads exceeding 1-ton.
In November 2022, the finished products warehouse was
expanded. Prior to this, robots to be shipped overseas weretransported by truck to a logistics company near the port,
where export packaging and vanning into containers were
performed. With the new finished products warehouse, export
packaging and vanning of small robots can be handled inhouse, and truck transport has been replaced by transport ofcontainers by trailers which has improved loading efficiency.
The reduction in the number of trucks helps to promote carbon neutrality and solve the “2024 driver problem” where
there will be a shortage of truck drivers.
The Tsukuba ROBOT Factories will continue to improve their
supply capacities by increasing efficiency, and will stably supply the high quality robots that customers desire.

Collaborative robot in a manual process

M-1000iA and M-2000iA production line

9

Digital Twin of FANUC CNC Won the “Japan Society for
Precision Engineering Technology Award 2023”
Digital Twin of FANUC CNC was highly appraised and received the “Japan Society for Precision Engineering Technology
Award 2023” for its “highly accurate simulation technology that takes into consideration the dynamics of machine tools.”
Machining simulation quality improved dramatically by using Servo Model that simulates servo control and machine characteristics in CNC GUIDE 2, a CNC simulator. This has brought about higher productivity in machining sites and reduces thenumber of test cuts, resulting in lesser materials, tools, oil, and electricity that are used, contributing to reducing the environmental footprint.

“High-Speed Simulator of a Numerical Controller Considering Axis Dynamics for
Realizing High Precision Digital Twin of Machine Tools”
Estimated surface by CNC GUIDE 2 with SERVO MODEL
Surface Estimation

Actual machined workpiece

4mmStreaks

Streaks

CNC GUIDE 2

Digital Twin of FANUC CNC

CNC Reflection
StudioEstimating accurate machining results by simulation* The Japan Society for Precision Engineering Technology
Award is presented to researchers and engineers from companies who have made innovative achievements in the fieldof precision engineering to honor their dedication and efforts, along with expectations for future developments related to precision devices and research and development on
production and processing technologies.

The 19th All Japan Student’s Indoor Flying Robot Contest
The 19th All Japan Student’s Indoor Flying Robot Contest was held at Katayanagi Arena on the Kamata Campus of Nihon Kogakuin College from September 22 (Fri.)to September 24 (Sun.), 2023.
The contest instills manufacturing spirit among studentsof universities, colleges of technology, high schools andothers, and serves as a good occasion for developing
their manufacturing skills, especially in the areas of aircraft design and control.
It is also a valuable opportunity for students to think
about their own careers and make contact with companies which are sponsors. This year’s event was a huge
Scene from the contest
success, with a record-breaking 76 teams from 35
schools participating.
Participants competed in the categories of flight performance, flight control, and autopiloting of aircrafts bycompleting missions such as transporting goods and automated flights.
FANUC has been a special sponsor for this contest, whichAwards ceremony
Robot on display
brings together skilled students who can immediately takeon professional work. This year, the FANUC Award was presented to the Kanazawa Institute of Technology, the winner in the
autopilot category.
10

2023 FANUC Global Service Conference

FANUC NEWSThe 10th FANUC Global Service Conference (FS Conference) was held for the first time in four years for three days from July
19 (Wed.) to July 21 (Fri.) at FANUC Headquarters. More than 450 employees, including 127 from overseas group companies,
gathered to exchange many ideas and enthusiastically discuss how to improve services.

After the opening speech by President Yamaguchi, the award
for the top service person of the year was presented. This wasfollowed by discussions on keyword topics, such as “design
considering maintainability,” “knowledge,” “preventative maintenance,” “traceability,” “remote maintenance,” and “sustainability.”On the first day of the Conference, each of the three businessdivisions consisting of FA, Robot, and Robomachine held theirown discussions. A lively exchange of opinions took place
during product explanations while viewing the actual latest
models.
On the second day, after reviewing the service direction andkeywords in the service business session, participants wereseparated into working groups to actively discuss topics suchas digital transformation in service, maintenance parts, training, safety, maintenance tools, maintenance parts repair, after
sales, and global maintenance performance.
On the final day, a plenary session was held with all participants in attendance, including Dr. Y. Inaba, President Yamaguchi,
and relevant executives. Here, the service status and improvement activities of each company along with the results of themeetings of the previous two days were reported.
FANUC will keep on challenging without fear of change, based on the company’s fundamental policy of “Strict Precisenessand Transparency,” and by promoting the key slogans of “one FANUC,” “Reliable, Predictable, and Easy to Repair,” and “Service
First.” FANUC further aims to deliver a sense of security to customers worldwide that their factories will not stop.

Conforming to the spirit of “Service First,” FANUC
provides lifetime maintenance for its products
through more than 270 service locations in over 100
countries throughout the world.

The three businesses of FA, ROBOT and ROBOMACHINE are unified with SERVICE as “one FANUC,” toprovide innovation and reassurance to manufacturing sites around the world.

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FANUC’s History Series 10
FANUC SYSTEM 5

Developed in 1976, the FANUC SYSTEM 5 was the first general-purpose CNC to use a microprocessor.

This CNC was made smaller by using a single-chip CPU and integrating components to a great extent.

EPROM, with which the memory data can be erased and rewritten,
was adopted to store the control program. Conventionally, machine
manufacturers used relays for sequential circuits on the machineside. By incorporating a sequential circuit as part of a CNC function,
the FANUC SYSTEM 5 increased the reliability of the machine tool in
addition to reducing costs.

3580, Shibokusa, Oshino-mura, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi 401-0597 Japanwww.fanuc.co.jp

No part of this publication may be reproduced or duplicated without permission.
©FANUC CORPORATION February. 2023