Interview on Manufacturing

EV Transition of the XT Series

XTL-�:The Answer to the Future of Shaft Work
WORK & SOUL

Kayanuma Ironworks Corporation
information

Company Initiation Ceremony FY ����／Strolling Through TAKAMAZ
Traveling the Hokuriku Area to Experience Craftsmanship

Each craftsperson has a unique style.
Visit Kutani pottery studios to tour craftsmanship.

［ Cover photo ］
Location: CERABO KUTANIThe cover photo was taken at Kutani
Ceramic Laboratory, commonly known
as CERABO KUTANI, designed by
Kengo Kuma. The building exhibits
harmony of the exterior walls madeof clay used for making Kutani wareand the wood texture typical of
Kuma s architecture.

［Model］Anna Tauchi

TAKAMATSU MACHINERYPR Magazine Spring 2024

Interview on Manufacturing
Stories of TAKAMAZ Members

EV Transition of the XT Series

XTL-�:The Answer to the Future of Shaft Work

While other machine tool
manufacturers are also coming up
with machines for longer shafts,
what are TAKAMAZ’s competitive
advantages?

General Manager
Nagoya Oﬃce
Domestic Sales Dept.

Ta d a a ki Aoji

Manager of Research and Development Division
Technical Development Dept.

Hiromits u WadaM E X K a na z a w a � � �� (t h e � � t h
Machinery & Electronics Exhibitionin Kanazawa) “Rise to the Next Stageof New Technologies!” will be held at
the Ishikawa Industrial Exhibition
Hall from May �� to ��, ����. At thistrade show, our new XTL-� will be
put on exhibit. As the trade show
approaches, we’d like to delve into thecharacteristics and features of thisnew product by interviewing two
members who were deeply involved inits development.

To begin with, please tell us about
the background that led to thedevelopment of the new X TL- �which is to be exhibited at ME X
Kanazawa ����.
Manager of Research andDevelopment Division
Technical Development Dept.

Wada
Looking at market trends, it’s clearthat companies are working on
responding to the transition toelectric vehicles (EVs). Companies
thinking of adopting new equipment
are focusing on equipment related
to EVs. This means that needs forconventional machines dedicated toparts for combustion engine cars are

declining while investment needs forequipment that can also be used tomachine EV parts are increasing.
Our customers want equipment thatare not only capable of machining
conventional parts but also haveadditional features. Large companies
are especially interested in machinesthat contribute to achieving SDGs
and carbon neutrality.
Until now, many of our machines
were delivered to customers who
manufacture engine-related parts,
but when we look at the market
with these trends in mind, it seems
that customers are waiting for thebest timing to make new equipment
investments. I believe that thisindicates that demands directed
toward us are for drive system parts,
par ts required for replacing anengine with a motor, and suspension
and steering system parts.

General Manager
Nagoya Oﬃce
Domestic Sales Dept.

Aoji
The engine produces power, thetransmission transmits that power,
and that’s how a car works. We’re
currently highly dependent on thetransmission ﬁeld. Being that theshould be user-friendly and that itshould be reliable. So the units of ourpopular XT-�, as well as its basic
structure, were adopted for XTL-�.
The precision of this new machineis assured by these reliable units
and its speciﬁcations were upgradedb y a d o p t i n g t h e l a t e s t co n t r o lequipment and motors.

transmission ﬁeld consists of many
parts, our machines are being usedby many customers for machining
transmission parts. The transition
from gas cars to EVs also means areduc tion in the number of car
parts, creating a situation wherecompetitive companies have no
choice but to take on shafts. This
is why the sales division requested
the development of machines witha competitive edge.

Wada
Some EV parts have been integrated
to reduce weight, resulting in longers h a f t w o r k p i e ce s . T h i s i n t u r n
results in some parts being too longfor our conventional machine sizes.
Machining of slightly long shafts isdiﬃcult on our standard machines.
But then again a machine that is one
step larger is too big and too costly as
well. To solve this issue, we came up
with the idea to create a machinewith a size in between those sizes,
and make it simple so that it can beoﬀered at a reasonable price zone,
and this is how the development of
XTL-� started. In the discussions on
the direction of development, there
were opinions that the new machine

Wada
Its price is competitive of course
but I want to stress that the newmachine’s machining ability andversatility are high too. Also, it’seasy to use, has high workability, andfeatures a wide range of automation
possibilities.
Aoji
This machine is deﬁnitely highly
reliable since it’s based on the XT-�.

Wada
The XTL-� has a simple structure.
Yet it has been creatively designed
and has many advantages, such as
design that does not compromise
the machining range. Aside fromstructure, it also has features that
diﬀerentiate it from competitor
machines, with many ideas foru s e r- f r i e n d l i n e s s , s u c h a s t h e
tailstock. For example, the tailstock

can be easily slid by turning a handle.
Also, a sliding cover is adopted forthe machine’s front cover to makemaintenance work easy. And theoperation panel can be turned tofacilitate use during setup changes.
The control system also has functions
that make the machine user-friendly.
In addition, we oﬀer varied
speciﬁcations for the spindle sothat cus tomer s can choose theoptimum speciﬁcations. A s forenergy-saving features, the XTL-� has
a function similar to eco mode inwhich power consumption is reducedby suppressing the output of thespindle motor during acceleration.
There is also an idle stop function
for reducing power consumption bystopping the power supply to thehydraulic pump while the machineis stopped. For better usability, an
optional chuck stroke check function
is provided, allowing position
adjustment of the chuck clamping
conﬁrmation device from the NC
screen. This and other features makethe machine convenient for high-mix
low-volume production as well.
And this awaited X TL- � will belaunched at MEX Kanazawa ����.

Aoji
The prototype was exhibited atlast year’s Mechatronics Technology
Japan (MECT) ���� held from October�� to ��. Customers handling shaft
work expressed strong interest in
the machine and also noticed that

CNC 1 Spindle 1 Turret CNC Precision Lathe

the machine is carefully designed
for user-friendliness. We improved
the machine by reﬂecting all therequests we received at MECT ����,leading to the mas s-produc tionversion that will be exhibited at MEX
Kanazawa ����.

Wada
We’re now in the midst of preparingf o r t h e m a r ke t l a u n c h b y M E X
Kanazawa ����. We need to prepare
the instruc tion manuals, sales
promotion tools for enhancing thesales staﬀ’s understanding of themachine, and the list of maintenanceparts. We also have to prepare �Ddata used in creating designs tailoredto customer requests. Completingthe prototype was not the goal. Our
busy days will continue as we prepare
for the market launch. In addition
to the XTL-�, we’re actually preparing
to launch another XTL series machine
capable of compound machining
around the same time and hope it willcatch your attention as well.
The XTL-� is the answer for machining
longer motor shafts. We are proud tointroduce this machine with TAKAMAZ
style features that meet customer
needs concerning SDGs, carbon
neutrality, and EV transition. We hope
you visit our booth at the Ishikawa
Industrial Exhibition Hall during May
�� to ��, ���� and see our machineﬁrst hand.

The machine has a maximum turning length of 600 mm. It combines a highly rigid
square box-way slide construction with a φ100-mm spindle, and features a tailstock
as standard. It can share chucks and toolholders with the current XT Series machines.
The machine construction allows machining over the full Z-axis stroke
even with special high chuck speciﬁcations.

The energy-saving level selection function and idle stop function canbe used to reduce the environmental load and running costs.
With the automation speciﬁcations, the FANUC control loader improves working convenienceduring setup by the loader teaching function and tool oﬀset support function, data of themachine status can be saved per workpiece, and traceability of workpieces can be achieved.
■ Machine Speciﬁcations

Chuck size
Spindle bearing I.D.
Spindle speed
TypeMax. stroke
Rapid traverse rate
Spindle motor
L×W×H
Controller Speciﬁcations

Collet,8（10）inch
φ100(120) mm
Max.4,000 (5,000) (3,000) min -1
8-station turret（12-station turret）
X:190 Z:600 mm
X:18 Z:24 m/min
AC 15/11kW：Ø100 4,000min -1
AC 15/11kW：Ø100 5,000min -1
AC 15/11kW：Ø120 3,000min -1
1,840×1,860×1,880(2,400※) mm
0i-TF Plus※： F loader speciﬁcation（ ）：OptionVisiting Our Customers（Middle）
President / Kazuki Kayanuma（Left）
Executive Director / Hirokazu Kayanuma（Right）
Manager of Manufacturing Dept. / Taihei Ando

Kayanuma Ironworks Corporation
-Transformation From a Small Factory-

Operating a machine that has been supporting the company

for nearly �� years alongside the latest multi-tasking machinethat operates �� hours a day.

While retaining the aspects of a small factory,

the management vision for surviving the future is taking form.

Within the factory, multiple machines are operating,including a TAKAMAZ machine that has been in operation for nearly half a century and the latest multi-tasking machine.

F ac t or y r eforma tio n sta rting f rom org a n i z i n g a n d t i dy i n g u p
V i suali ze how a uto ma tio n wil l ch a n g e w ork !
As a partner company of the largeb e a r ing ma n u f a c t ur e r Nip p o n
Thompson Co., Ltd., Kayanuma
Ironworks Corporation manufactures
rod ends and needle bearings forcar s, motorc ycles, and generalindustrial machines. The business wasfounded by the current president’s
grandfather in ����, star ting out
w i t h manufac turing and selling
pirn winders. This business transformed
into a joint-stock company in ����,changing its name to Kayanuma
Ironworks Corporation. Since then,the company has grown and now
operates three factories. The current
president, Mr. Kayanuma, has beenin his position for �� years. We asked
Mr. Kayanuma about the present
and future of his company which
continues manufacturing in the foothillsof Mt. Fuji.
I heard you assumed your current
position around ����. How did you
feel at the time?
Honestly speaking , more thananything, I was anxious whether I
could do the job or not. Our equipment
was old and I didn’t have much
experience at the time so I felt that
our future wasn’t bright. For � years

or so until my brother, currently the
M a n a g i n g D i r e c to r, j o i n e d t h e
co m p a ny, I w a s m a n a g i n g t h ebusiness while battling the fear that
our company may not survive. Oncehe joined, his support in the technicaland many other areas allowed me tofocus more on management. This
made a big diﬀerence.
I hardly have anything to worr y
about now as a manager, but weneed to think about new equipment
investments, and we have to acquire
and train workers.
How are you addressing thosechallenges?
One of the very speciﬁc examples isthat we’ve been working on tidying
up the factories. People have theimpression that factories are dirty
and messy, and often that’s really thecase. But I’m convinced that it’s
important to intentionally focus onorganizing and tidying up yourfactory. It wasn’t my priority in thepast but once I began focusing onorganizing and tidying up, we wereable to recognize items that werenecessary and those that weren’t,
and this began to free up space.

Those regained work spaces lead tonew productivity, and it helps to havea clean appearance when recruiting
young workers.
While working on acquiring andtraining workers, it’s essential forf u t u r e f a c to r y m a n a ge m e n t toaccelerate the eﬀorts to reduce thetype of traditional tasks that can be
per formed only by experienced,
skilled workers. For example, we’replanning to reduce our defect rateand improve productivity by promoting
automation and process integration,
like reducing the number of processes
from � to �. This is why we justrecently prepared a ��-year equipment
investment plan. It’s extremely diﬃcult
for a company of our size to continue
making equipment investments for�� years but I’m determined to makeit happen with some help from ourpartner companies.
What are your company’s strengths
and competitive advantages thathave made it possible for you tosteadily grow so far and enable
continued equipment investments?
Since the time of the previous
president, we’ve been accepting allorders regardless of their content.

Our stance has been to never turndown any order. We hear from ourpar tner companies that they see
us as a place that can take on themost diﬃcult works. I feel that
this recognition has led to building
customer trust, enabling our company
to survive this far.
The technical side of the business is
now mostly handled by the Managing
Director and the Production Section
Chief. We need to further share
responsibilities, transforming into
an organization that handles thetechnical area by the entire company.
We’ve drastically changed in the past� years, making the transformationfrom the conventional small-scale
Japanese factory. Instead of relying
on one person, the company as awhole has to be able to manage thebusiness. People seem to look at
only the good sides of automation
with robots but another side ofautomation is that it displaces jobs.
This is why we must become able to
do work that can’t be done by robots,work that requires the human brain.
I’ve been talking about this often
lately in our morning meetings.

As you further develop your plan forequipment investments, we hope topropose optimal machines thatmeet your needs. What do you like
about TAK AMAZ products andservices?
The ﬁrst machine we bought from
TAKAMAZ was Meriter. It was in ����,and we’re still using the machine. It’s
been nearly half a century but we’vemanaged to maintain it on our own
and it’s still working ﬁne.
We actually bought machines from all
sorts of manufacturers at one point
when the previous president was
promoting equipment investment.
Looking back, I’m amazed at how
well we did in operating machinesof multiple manufacturers without
getting confused but this allowed
us to understand the characteristics
and features of each manufacturer.
So from now on, we’ll be able tochoose the optimal manufacturer foreach purpose. In terms of TAKAMAZ
products, would that mean oursmall- and medium-size machines?
When making equipment investments,
what we need is a manufacturer
that makes proposals from ourperspective. In that sense, TAKAMAZ
is perfect because your staﬀ takes

our perspective and they’re very
helpful. When we adopted two ofyour machines before, your response
was so swift despite our sudden
request, we were really thankful. In
addition, what we’d like to expectfrom lathe manufacturers is technicaladvice on cutting, and in that aspect
as well you have been very helpful.
A s K a y a n uma Ir o nw o r k s t a c k l e schanges for future growth, TAKAMAZ
will carefully listen to their needs andstrive to do our best to provide thebest support we can.

【Kayanuma Ironworks Corporation】
2809-4 Shimoya, Tsuru-city, Yamanashi
TEL.+81-(0)554-43-1166
FAX.+81-(0)554-43-1168
President : Kazuki Kayanuma
Capital : 15 million yen
Employees : 45
Establishment : 1927
Business activities : Manufacturing of rod ends
and needle bearings for cars, motorcycles, andgeneral industrial machines

To Kanazawa
pres
swa
y

Kinzangama &Gallery MUTAN

Hok
urik

u Ex

Takando IC

Company Entrance Ceremony of ����

Dance
and
acrobatics!

Growing
tropical ﬁsh andwater plants is fun.

I like Kiyo,
a gamecommentator!

Outdoor activities
like ﬁshing andmotorcycling!

Each craftsperson has a unique style.
Visit Kutani pottery studios to tour craftsmanship.

JR Komatsu station

Kutani ware is one of the signature traditional crafts of Ishikawa Prefecture.
Highly recognized worldwide, Kutani ware features picturesque designs and stunning colors called Kutani Gosai.
Kutani ware has ﬂourished in the Kaga area of Ishikawa,Roadside station
Komatsu Kibagata Rendaiji IC
home to two craftspeople designated as Living National Treasures, Yasokichi Tokuda III and Minori Yoshita,
and a great number of studios where craftspeople tirelessly reﬁne their skills. Visit the Kaga area to experience craftsmanship!
Kibagata Park
AEON MALL
New Komatsu

To Kaga

What are your interests?
Hockey,golf,
and gym!

CRAFT CONSCIOUS

Komatsu IC

The company entrance ceremony for FY���� was held at our headquarters on April �.
Seventeen new employees have joined us this year. The ceremony opened with therecitation of our slogan, and new employees received warm words from the Chairman
and President through their speeches. “Cherish your friends, remember how you feel
now, and do your best! I’m looking forward to seeing you grow in our company!”(excerpt from the Chairman’s speech) “As a fresh new employee, I hope you don’t
hesitate to ask any questions you may have. Your questions lead to the growth of yourseniors and superiors. Boldly asking questions will result in a win-win situation for thegrowth of you and the company.” (excerpt from the President’s speech)
The ceremony was perfect for celebrating the new beginning of our new employees,
and it was refreshing to see their earnest attitude.

Traveling the Hokuriku Area
to Experience Craftsmanship

Yahata IC

CERABO KUTANIKinzangama & Gallery MUTAN

A cultural complex focused on Kutani ware with a clay
factory, shop, workshop studios, and terrace. While enjoying
the fascinating architecture designed by Kengo Kuma, you
can get a close look at the process of preparing ceramicclay, starting from grinding Hanasaka pottery stone.

MUTAN is a gallery of the Kutani ware studio Kinzangama.
Craftspeople directly convey the values of Kutani ware tousers at this gallery, and craftspeople and users shareideas of how to enjoy Kutani ware in everyday life.

I LOVE
Mrs. GREEN APPLE!
I likewatching sports.

I enjoy reading
because books introduce
me to new knowledge
and ideas.

I enjoy
watching sports.

Kibagata Park

Computer games!
My current favorite is
Monster Hunter.

Baseballgames!

Tennis!

Basketball!

Strolling Through TAKAMAZ

Iʼm a fan of
my family!

Nagoya Oﬃce

I like the gamer
videos of Raibarori
and Kuroko.

Computergames andbaseball!

Baseballandsoftball!

Kai Nakayama

This April marked the 10th anniversary of Mr. Nakayama becoming a TAKAMAZ member. After working for sevenyears at the Electrical Wiring Section of the Manufacturing Department, he worked at the Assembly Section prior to
becoming the member of the After-Sales Service Section of our Nagoya Branch starting in April 2023. His life iscentered on work at the moment as he s still getting used to his new position but he takes good care of himself bygoing to a sauna from time to time, enabling him toenjoy work with a positive attitude.

1

2

3
6

It has long been said that Kutani ware can t be talked about without talking
about its overglaze paintings. With each studio having a unique style,
Kutani ware features a wide range of designs.
If you were to go on a Kutani ware tour, we recommend CERABO KUTANI
as your ﬁrst destination. The process of producing Kutani ware is divided
into many specialties like the production of bisque pieces and overglaze
painting. At this facility, you can see how the clay is prepared. It s also agreat place to ﬁnd your favorite craftsperson as its gallery features theworks of a variety of studios.

TAKAMATSU MACHINERY CO., LTD.
■HEAD OFFICE & PLANT

Although his duties have completely changed, it’s been very
rewarding to be able to make customers happy, like when heresponds to urgent repair needs.

1-8 ASAHIGAOKA HAKUSAN-CITY ISHIKAWA JAPAN. 924-8558
TEL +81-(0)76-207-6155 FAX +81-(0)76-274-1418■ASAHI PLANT
4-13 ASAHIGAOKA HAKUSAN-CITY ISHIKAWA JAPAN. 924-0004
TEL +81-(0)76-274-0123 FAX +81-(0)76-274-8530

Scan this QR Codefor more details. ▶

The Nagoya Branch is a large branch with �� members, who all
get along well. Experienced coworkers have been very helpful
and supportive by giving advice on tasks and sharing information
with Mr. Nakayama who has just begun his second year in the
After-Sales Service Section.
He mainly visits customers within Aichi and the two neighboring
prefectures, but he sometimes travels far including Hokkaido,
Fukushima, Fukuoka, and Miyazaki. He enjoys his business trips.

Once you ve enjoyed all that CERABO KUTANI has to oﬀer, it s time tovisit individual studios. In this article, we d like to introduce Kinzangama& Gallery MUTAN. It s the studio of Minori Yoshita, a Living National
Treasure. An appointment is required but you ll be sure to enjoy the rich,fascinating experience at this gallery.
You will no doubt discover the amazing world of Kutani ware.
If you visit the area in spring, make sure to stop by Kibagata Park! You ll
be delighted with a spectacular view of vibrant cherry blossoms against
the majestic Mt. Hakusan.

TAKAMATSU MACHINERY U.S.A., INC.
■CHICAGO HEAD OFFICE

1280 LANDMEIER ROAD ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL 60007 USA
TEL +1-(0)847-981-8577 FAX +1-(0)847-981-8599

TAKAMAZ MACHINERY EUROPE GmbH

PT. TAKAMAZ INDONESIA

JL. FESTIVAL BOULEVARD BLOK AA 11 NO.30,31 GRAND WISATATAMBUN, BEKASI 17510
TEL +62-(0)21-8261-6431 FAX +62-(0)21-8261-6430

TAKAMAZ MACHINERY MEXICO, S.A.DE C.V.

AVENIDA DE LOS INDUSTRIALES 522, LOCAL 4, INDUSTRIAL JULIANDE OBREGON, 37290 LEON, GUANAJUATO MEXICOTEL +52-477-784-0468

TAKAMATSU MACHINERY VIETNAM CO., LTD

NO.76 M HOANG QUOC VIET, PHU MY WARD, DISTRICT 7, HO CHIMINH CITY, VIETNAM
TEL +84-(0)28-3620-5671 FAX +84-(0)28-3620-5673

IM HÜLSENFELD 19, 40721 HILDEN, GERMANY
TEL +49-(0)2103-789-4882 FAX +49-(0)2103-789-4883

TAKAMAZ MACHINERY（HANGZHOU）CO., LTD.
■HANGZHOU HEAD OFFICE

NO.6800, JIANGDONG 3RD ROAD, JIANGDONG INDUSTRIAL PARK,XIAOSHAN, HANGZHOU, ZHEJIANG, CHINATEL +86-（ 0）571-8287-9709 FAX +86-（ 0）571-8215-3732

The spicy miso chashu pork ramen of Poppoya located in Tomakomai, Hokkaido

TAKAMATSU MACHINERY（THAILAND）CO., LTD.
■BANGKOK HEAD OFFICE

888/59 MOO 9, TAMBOL BANGPLA, AMPHUR BANGPLEE,SAMUTPRAKARN PROVINCE, THAILAND
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