PRODUCTS CUSTOMER SERVICE SOLUTIONS ABOUT FANUC CONTACT FANUC NOW UK The FANUC success story FANUC > Who we are > FANUC History FANUC Sustainability Human Resources FANUC History News and Events Why FANUC? FANUC History We’ve come a long way From its inception in 1956, when company founder Dr. Seiuemon Inaba first pioneered the concept of numerical control (NC), FANUC has been at the forefront of a worldwide manufacturing revolution. Evolving from the automation of a single piece of machinery in the late 1950s to the automation of entire production lines in the following decades, Dr. Inaba initiated this ground-breaking development when he invented the first electrical pulse motor, programmed a numerical control for it and put it into a machine tool. Always striving to push back the boundaries of automation, increase productivity, produce a better product and reduce costs, Dr. Inaba and his team followed this up with a robot that employed the same principles to load the machine tool. Dr. Inaba's work soon meant that other manufacturers and engineering companies around the world were also benefiting from this technology, lowering costs and increasing productivity. And with world-beating products like the ROBOCUT, ROBODRILL and ROBOSHOT hitting factory floors through the 70s and 80s, FANUC was able to provide optimised solutions for an increasingly wide range of industrial applications and customers. In Japan, FANUC had become the first company to build and operate an automated factory with NC machine tools and robots. Sixty years since its founding and, with more than 4,4 million CNC controls and 750,000 robots installed worldwide, FANUC is the leading global manufacturer of factory automation. Yet one thing remains the same: FANUC's deep commitment to pushing back the boundaries of automation and helping its customers to optimise their production processes. 1956 Dr. S. Inaba develops the first numerical control (NC) 1972 First computer numerical control (CNC). First FANUC ROBODRILL CNC machining centre 1975 First FANUC ROBOCUT First robot in Europe FANUC is the leading global manufacturer of factory automation FANUC opens Customisation and Distribution Center in Contern, Lxuembourg 1958 Shipment of first commercial FANUC NC First CNC and ROBODRILL installation in Europe FANUC starts to export industrial robots 1984 First FANUC ROBOSHOT installed in Japan All FANUC businesses in Europe are grouped under FANUC Europe Corporation 2018 FANUC introduces new SCARA robot series in Europe 1959 Dr. S. Inaba co-develops first industrial electrical pulse hydraulic motors 1974 Development and installation of the first industrial robots and DC servo motors in Japan and their implementation in FANUC factories FANUC establishes companies in Europe and Korea 2003 FANUC starts producing intelligent robots FANUC introduces the first industrial collaborative robot in Europe The success story continues! If this page looks broken please consider using another browser or updating your browser to benefit from the advanced functionality. Updating or changing your browser will improve your browsing experience and maximize your security. On this page you will find the instructions to upgrade your browser: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/internet-explorer.aspx Browser.UnsupportedBrowserInfo Products Robots CNC ROBODRILL ROBOSHOT ROBOCUT ROBONANO FIELD system Customer Services Lifetime Management Maintenance Services E-Store FANUC Academy Spare Parts Solutions Applications Customer Cases Industries About Fanuc Careers Country Page History News & Events Who we are Why Fanuc? Contact Get in touch Contact a FANUC center near you Register your product Terms & Conditions - Impressum - CONTACT US - Privacy and Cookie Policy - Tax Strategy - Print - Sitemap By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Accept All Cookies Cookies Settings