Makino develops aluminum alloy “ATHIUM” with high rigidity and light weight

Makino Milling Machine, a leading Japanese machine tool manufacturer, announced on December 24, 2020, that it has developed a new aluminum alloy named “ATHIUM” in collaboration with several materials manufacturers. ATHIUM offers the same rigidity as gray cast iron—commonly used in machine tool structures—but is about 60% lighter. The company aims to adopt ATHIUM in its proprietary products by the end of 2021.

Shinichi Inoue, President of Makino Milling Machine, stated, “ATHIUM is a dream material. It will have a great impact on the entire Japanese manufacturing industry.”

Material innovation to reduce environmental impact

Makino worked with three other companies to develop ATHIUM as a potential alternative to gray cast iron, seeking fundamental innovation in machine tool materials. Inoue explained, “Machine tools need to improve performance and efficiency while reducing their environmental impact. That requires innovation from the material level.”

ATHIUM is characterized by its light weight and high rigidity. Despite being 60% lighter than gray cast iron, it provides equivalent structural strength.

However, the material has a higher procurement cost due to its expensive base components and specialized casting method. A Makino designer commented, “We plan to review the mechanical structure to reduce overall cost.”

ATHIUM enhances energy efficiency and productivity

Makino will first introduce ATHIUM in components such as machine columns and parts around the spindle. By reducing the weight of moving parts, inertia is decreased, which in turn reduces the load on the ball screw and servo motor. As a result, power consumption can be cut by up to 45% compared to conventional materials. Additionally, traverse speed improves, increasing productivity by 85%.

ATHIUM will be adopted in Makino’s concept machine “e・MACHINE,” announced in 2020. The company plans to expand the use of ATHIUM from existing models to new products, excluding large machining centers (MCs). Commercialization is targeted for the end of 2021.

Strategic development to sustain Japan’s machine tool industry

The development of ATHIUM was driven by a sense of urgency. Although Japan’s machine tool industry remains competitive, rising players such as China have intensified global competition. Inoue emphasized, “To maintain and grow our competitiveness, the Japanese machine tool industry needs new materials that integrate diverse Japanese technologies.”

Makino launched full-scale development of ATHIUM two years ago in collaboration with Tajima Light Metal (an aluminum casting specialist in Saitama Prefecture) and HINODE (a casting manufacturer based in Fukuoka).

ATHIUM is expected to have applications beyond machine tools. Gray cast iron is widely used in industrial components such as internal combustion engines, railway couplers, and gear parts. Inoue noted, “ATHIUM has the potential to be used in high-speed transport such as automobiles and bullet trains. We aim to prove its practical value starting with our own machine tools.”