Dr. Robo explains the highlight of JIMTOF 2018 to Robo Jr.

AT-A-GLANCE

Using all the halls of Tokyo Big Sight

Robo Jr.

Hello, Dr. Robo! I went to “Tokyo Game Show”, the largest game show in Japan held in September at “Makuhari Messe” in Chiba Prefecture. I was able to see the latest works of a wide range of games and it was a lot of fun.

Dr. Robo

Hey Robo Jr.! The Tokyo Game Show seems to have been quite exciting as 298,690 people, the most frequented in attendance, came. However, an event that is as exciting as the Tokyo Game Show will be held in November.

Robo Jr.

Wow. What is being held?

Dr. Robo

It is the exhibition “The 29 th Japan International Machine Tool Fair, (JIMTOF 2018)”. It is the largest the machine tool exhibition in Japan. JIMTOF is the large-scale exhibition of machine tools and peripheral equipment will be held at “Tokyo Big Sight.”

Robo Jr.

Speaking of machine tools, the largest machine tool fair in the United States “IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show) 2018” was held in September.

Dr. Robo

As I said before, in the machine tool industry, EMO to be held in Europe, IMTS to be held in the US, JIMTOF to be held in Japan is called “the world’s three largest machine tool fairs”. Recently, CIMT (China International Machine Tool show) to be held in China is often called “the world’s four major machine tool fairs” in addition to these.

Robo Jr.

What kind of exhibition is JIMTOF?

Dr. Robo

It is an exhibition that uses all the halls of Tokyo Big Sight, which is also unusual in Japan. This time JIMTOF 2018 will be held for 6 days from November 1st to 6th. The previous JIMTOF 2016 was held from November 17th to 22nd, and 146,060 people visited in 6 days.

Robo Jr.

All the holes in Tokyo Big Sight are used. It is with the world’s largest “comic market” held twice a year! So, is there a difference from IMTS 2018 held in the US in September?

Dr. Robo

IMTS is said to be “business show”. And IMTS is also known for the fact that Japanese machine tool manufacturers have a big presence. In this IMTS2018, automation proposals were conspicuous, mainly from Japanese manufacturers. It seemed that there were many realistic proposals, suitable for the business show. Meanwhile, JIMTOF is only held in Japan, and there are quite a lot of machine tool manufacturers in Japan that are positioned as one of the most important exhibitions. Therefore, not only realistic proposals, but also each company will showcase many of secret weapons.

A wide variety of products can be seen

Robo Jr.

What kinds of machine tools are exhibited in JIMTOF 2018?

Dr. Robo

At JIMTOF, a wide variety of products including various machine tools such as NC lathes, machining centers, grinding machines, and various other peripheral products including cutting tools, ball screws and linear motion guide equipment are exhibited. There are so many highlights. I will divide the exhibits into five categories of “NC lathe”, “multi-axis machine” “machining center” “other machine” “peripheral equipment”, and introduce the main attractions from now.

Robo Jr.

Thank you very much.

Dr. Robo

YAMAZAKI MAZAK “INTEGREXi – 200S AG”

First of all, it is “NC lathe”. Citizen Machinery (E5018) will exhibit the headstock moving type NC automatic lathe “Cincom D25”. Low frequency vibration cutting (LFV) technology which is original control technology can be installed as option. By using LVF technology, you can cut chips finely. Therefore, stable processing can be performed for a long time. Next is “multi-tasking machine”. Yamazaki Mazak (E5001) will show off the hybrid multi-tasking machine “INTEGREX i – 200S AG” for the first time. It is a machine that combines gear processing function and gear measurement function with simultaneous 5 axis control combined processing machine. Up to now, it needed more than one machine for gear machining, but with INTEGREX i-200S AG all process can “done in one.”

Robo Jr.

The machine packed various processing functions on one unit, didn’t it? It sounds like a smartphone. In addition to phone and e-mail, it can also use the net, can watch animation, can listen to music, can also play games.

Dr. Robo

DMG MORI “DMU 340 Gantry”

You can say that again! Next is the “machining center”. DMG MORI (E8001) will exhibit the large 5-axis machining center “DMU 340 Gantry”. The table size is 4400 × 2700 mm, and the maximum loading is 10000 kg, it exerts its power in processing large work.
Next is “other machine”. Amada Holdings (E 1030) will exhibit the fiber laser processing machine “ENSIS-3015AJ (9 kW)”. The output of the oscillator was expanded to 9 kW. This enables stable processing of a wide range of plate from thin to thick high speed. In addition, Sodick (E 5004) will showcase the new product “AP 30 L” of the die sinking electric discharge machine for the first time. It adopted its own linear motor and motion controller, realizing high responsiveness and high speed machining.

Robo Jr.

There are machines that process metal using electricity. What will happen if I process the metal with 100,000 volts, the deathblow of Pokémon’s popular character Pikachu?

Dr. Robo

THK”SVR / SVS”

I am sorry to break your dream, but the voltage used for electric discharge machining is normally around 100 to 200 volts. At too high a voltage of 100,000 volts, the machine itself will fail.  Next is “peripheral equipment”. Nikken Kosakusho Works (W2021) will exhibit the holder “Zero Zero Holder” for NC lathe. It is suitable for ultra-deep hole long drilling and highly accurate reaming. THK (W2020) will exhibit the guide “SVR / SVS” for machine tool with ball retainer. It has high rigidity and load-bearing capacity among the company’s ball retainer-containing LM guide.

Robo Jr.

I can see lots of products with JIMTOF2018! I am looking forward to it. Dr. Robo, thank you!

Dr. Robo

Among the JIMTOF 2018 what I introduced to Robo Jr. is only a handful of information. In addition to that, you can see many exhibits with JIMTOF 2018. Have fun!