Mitsubishi Materials advances automation in carbide drill production lines

On November 26, Mitsubishi Materials hosted a press tour at its Gifu Plant in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, where the company manufactures carbide drills and other tools.  

The event showcased the company’s ongoing efforts to automate carbide drill production lines. Mitsubishi Materials has been applying automation to pressing and material handling after forming in the powder molding process; and to dimensional adjustment, workpiece transport, and tool setup changes in drill manufacturing. To ensure consistent quality, the company has also introduced collaborative robots and 3D vision sensors to fully automate the inspection of tool diameters and shank sizes. Automated systems for sintering furnaces, inspection and packaging processes were also presented to attendees. Together, these advances have increased production capacity by 25% compared to pre-automation levels. 

Mitsubishi Materials’ goal is to establish a production environment that is “not dependent on people or locations.” Through automation, the company aims to standardize quality while addressing labor shortages. 

Looking ahead, the Gifu plant plans to introduce a fully automated production line for its flagship product, small-diameter drill bits with coolant holes, by 2027. The new automated line is expected to achieve a monthly production capacity of 30,000 units, five times the current capacity. To achieve this ambitious goal, Mitsubishi Materials continues to expand its production facilities.