Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Technical Review Vol. 57 No.3 (September 2020)

FOREWORD

Technical Review Special Edition:Machine Tools
Ke nic hi Waka ba yas hi
Pres id en t a nd C EO ,M i ts ub ish i H e a v y Ind us tr ies
M ac h in e Too l C o . , L td .

Welcome to this special edition of our technical review featuring machine tools.
It was in 1939 that we started producing lathes in Hiroshima, and last year saw us reach themilestone of 80 years in the machine tool business. In the intervening years, the merger betweenRitto and Hiroshima districts took place, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Machine Tool Co., Ltd. wasfounded in October 2015, and now we are here in 2020. We have always offered innovative
products and solutions to a variety of customers and industries. With our 100th anniversary coming
in 20 years’ time, we look to further develop our businesses. Under the corporate philosophy of“We will create the future of ‘Monozukuri,’” our extensive dedication is underpinned by the desireto provide attractive products and service solutions that can satisfy customers.
The machine tool market has been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 infection pandemic –suffering from its worst decline since the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, resulting in the sudden
reduction or suspension of production activities across the world. However, if we try to see the bigpicture, we can perceive a trend of increasing demand for machine tools in the long run despite
having ups and downs. Further growth is therefore expected once the COVID-19 pandemic settles
down.
The requirements for production facilities have changed considerably, as exemplified
by making factories smart using IoT and AI technologies whose applications have been
introduced widely and rapidly along with Industry 4.0 and by undertaking
environmental conservation efforts to realize a sustainable society. It is a must to
provide solutions that enable us to solve the issues related to production activities
together with customers (that is, co-creation).
To help customers find solutions to their problems, we not only refine the precisionand efficiency of machine tools, but also take on the challenges to sophisticate
production processes using IoT and AI technologies, strengthen the additive
manufacturing (AM) business, whose market is expected to grow, and realize digitaltransformation (DX) to cope with the change in trading focus from “products” to“services.”
Being compiled on the theme of “technologies that contribute to Monozukuri in the future,” thisspecial edition mainly introduces the latest machine tools and their machining technologies as wellas IoT and AI applications.

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Presented in relation to gears are the “GE15FR Plus,” which realizes the high-precisionmachining of small module gears incorporated in precision reduction gears that are used as joints
of industrial robots, the latest gear grinder model “ZE16C/26C,” which realizes the highly accurate
and efficient grinding of automobile transmission gears, and the rotational axis characteristics
evaluation technology to improve machining accuracy.
Total solutions include the “three-dimensional spatial error correction system” enabling
long-term maintenance of spatial accuracy in the processing area of vertical precision millingmachines, vibration suppression technology using simulation to improve the surface quality ofdie/mold machining processes, and the “μV5” high-precision milling machine with workpiecesizes and rough-machining performance both of which were improved from the earlier μV1 model,
which has a proven track record.
When it comes to microfabrication, this special edition deals in the metal-based additive
manufacturing machine “LAMDA” using the powder DED method that enables long-term stable
additive manufacturing by employing the original AI-based monitoring feedback system,
cutting-edge microfabrication technology using the “ABLASER” laser micromachining systemwith a short-pulse laser, and “room-temperature wafer bonders” with their applications extending
to various semiconductor devices such as SAW devices and light-emitting devices.
Lastly, others include our approaches to manufacturing solutions through DX as the tide turns“from tangibles to intangibles,” the state-of-the-art material “GRANMAT” for precision cutting
tools, which are the linchpin of high-speed gear processing, and the cutting-edge coating “MightyShield,” and “MPFA scale,” which is most suitable for linear motor position detection in which thehighly accurate position detection technology refined through our work on machine tools isutilized.
Focusing on providing sophisticated total solutions that assist our clients in improving
productivity and machine utilization, MHI continues to engage in the development of highly
precise and efficient machine tools with better usability, easier set-up and maintenance, andsuperior reliability to meet our clients’ unique needs. We deeply appreciate your ongoing supportand understanding in our quest.