Japanese Cutting-Edge
Solutions for Metalworking
Japanese Cutting-Edge
Solutions for Metalworking
Exhibition
October 29, 2024
The automotive industry is undergoing a once-in-a-century transformation, and manufacturers of machine tools and cutting tools for automotive parts are facing significant challenges. Electric vehicles (EVs) require lightweighting to extend their range, which has led to increasing demand for machining large workpieces cast in a single aluminum mold, known as “gigacasting.” In this article, SEISANZAI Japan introduces two companies that are preparing for the EV shift through new product development and strategic collaborations. SEISANZAI Japan also highlights the key exhibits and enthusiasm they bring to the upcoming 32nd Japan International Machine Tool Fair (JIMTOF 2024), set to take place at Tokyo Big Sight from November 5.
President and COO Atsushi Suzuki says, “We will approach JIMTOF 2024 with the intention of changing the past trends”.
ENSHU (booth E3040) has been expanding its product range through a series of partnerships with overseas manufacturers over the past year. President and COO Atsushi Suzuki explains, “The needs of the automotive industry are diversifying, including automation and digitalization of manufacturing sites. To meet these needs, a diverse product line is essential.”
Last year, ENSHU forged a partnership with Schwäbische Werkzeugmaschinen (SW), a German machine tool manufacturer, to strengthen its product lineup for EV components, including large machining centers (MCs) aimed at gigacasting EV components. In April this year, ENSHU also announced a collaboration with US-based welding equipment manufacturer Lincoln Electric. This partnership anticipates the growing demand for aluminum welding, such as for battery housings in EVs. “We have been hearing that auto parts manufacturers are investing in mass-production prototypes for EV components. We expect to see the results of our collaborations to materialize next year,” says Suzuki with anticipation.
ENSHU’s horizontal MC “GE480H Upgrade” with improved table indexing speed.
ENSHU’s exhibition theme for JIMTOF 2024 is “Diverse Technology Enshu”. Suzuki is eager to showcase the company’s full range of technologies. “We want to show as much of our technologies as possible at this exhibition,” he says.
One of the company’s strengths is its ability to offer comprehensive solutions, not just machine tools, but also automation equipment and IoT solutions. At the exhibition, the company will showcase a production line simulation for small to medium-sized workpieces using computer graphics (CG) on monitors.
ENSHU will also introduce the horizontal MC “GE480H Upgrade”. This is the first update in 11 years for the “GE480H” model, which is popular mainly in Europe and the United States. The new model improves productivity by increasing table indexing speeds. In addition, ENSHU will exhibit SW’s horizontal MC “BA W02-22” for the first time in Japan and introduce Lincoln Electric’s aluminum joining technology “Precision Power Laser” to demonstrate its collaborative capabilities.
Looking ahead, Suzuki comments, “While we are firmly establishing our foundation in the automotive industry, we also want to capture growth markets beyond EVs and automobiles, such as the medical and semiconductor sectors.”
For manufacturers involved in the production of automotive parts, meeting the needs of gigacasting is a major challenge. DIJET INDUSTRIAL (booth W1043) has long developed and manufactured a wide range of cutting tools for die and mold machining. At JIMTOF 2024, the company will promote cutting tools designed for gigacasting mold machining.
“Ganko-Ittetsu” carbide shank arbor.
DIJET has found that the key requirement for these gigacast-specific tools is their ability to handle “depth”. Gigacasting molds are not only large, but also deep, requiring cutting tools capable of deep excavation and drilling. DIJET’s carbide shank arbor “Ganko-Ittetsu” was developed in response to these requirements.
Featuring a carbide shank, it reduces cutting resistance and enables high-speed, high-quality machining even with long overhangs. A Section Chief of the Technical Support Section of the Cutting Technology Department proudly notes, “There has been a perception that machining with long overhangs is slow because high cutting depths and feed rates cannot be achieved. Our carbide shank arbor overturns that perception.” A new drill modular designed for the carbide shank arbor, specifically for deep hole drilling with minimal deflection and vibration, will be on display as a reference exhibit at the booth.
DIJET INDUSTRIAL’s “QM Max” modular cutter with three blades and low cutting resistance.
Satoru Kimura, head of the Sales Planning Office, comments, “The market situation in the automotive industry isn’t ideal at the moment. While it remains stable in China, there is a movement away from molds in Western markets. While gigacasting offers a glimmer of hope, it requires tools capable of long and deep machining paths, which requires a range of tools suited to these processes. “Although the actual demand has yet to become significant, it is our responsibility as a manufacturer to be ready to offer solutions at any time,” Kimura adds.
Preparing for this involves not only developing new products, but also evaluating how existing products can be adapted to meet the requirements of gigacasting molds. At JIMTOF 2024, DIJET will also present test machining results using existing products on gigacasting molds. A section manager says, “It was a valuable opportunity to re-evaluate the capabilities of our existing products. Based on the test results, we intend to propose the optimal tools for each machining application.” Presentations of the test machining results will be held every hour at the DIJET booth.
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