These fully automated plants enable start-to-finish production of the company’s lathes, machining centres and double-column machines.
The Taiwan move (pictured) is in response to global demand for Okuma’s Genos CNC lathe and vertical machining centre ranges, as well as the positive economic development of emerging markets in Asia.
Using experienced gained from its successful smart factories, Dream Site 1 and Dream Site 2, Okuma has applied the same high level of automation and IIoT-connectivity to this state-of-the-art plant. To achieve a production capacity of 300 units per month, the 14,300 m³ facility utilises Okuma’s smart manufacturing solution ‘Connect Plan’ to link smart machines, monitor operation and machine progress and to provide accurate work instructions through the IIoT. Real-time data analysis and advanced visualisation of everything from machine utilisation to assembly work serve to maximise productivity and to improve production on a daily basis.
In Japan, production capacity will be increased by 30% at the Kani plant at the company’s headquarters’ location. This plant has been essential to the production of Okuma’s vertical and horizontal machining centres, as well as its double-column machines. The ever-increasing need for high-mix, low-volume production has led Okuma to add a new smart factory at this location.
Like the new factory in Taiwan and Okuma’s Dream Site 2 opened in 2017, this new, so-called K6 factory will combine Connect Plan, smart machines, robots and flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) to enable unattended 24/7 production of machine components. By synchronising the automated parts production with the assembly process, Okuma aims to increase the overall production capacity for its machining centres by 30%. Construction of K6 will commence this month and it is expected to be in operation in May 2019.
