Charlotte, NC (December 14, 2011) – In a three-day event December 6-8, Okuma America Corporation and their distributors hosted over 200 manufacturing professionals at the Okuma and Partners in THINC facilities in Charlotte, NC. With 24 machines on display and 29 Partner representatives on hand to address questions, attendees had the opportunity to truly explore potential manufacturing solutions and discover ways to improve their productivity.
Tim Thornton, Controls Product Specialist, provided information about Okuma’s Intelligent Technologies and helped attendees understand how the THINC®-OSP control monitors and analyzes information from machine performance to improve productivity by reducing chatter, managing thermal deformation and helping to prevent catastrophic machine crashes.
Larry Schwartz, Chief Strategy Officer, challenged manufacturers to question the status quo and utilize existing technology to reduce costs, improve quality and increase productivity. He shared insights from his 43 years of experience in manufacturing to illustrate how easy it is to become complacent by doing what we’ve always done. His viewpoints and insights inspired event participants to seek out the Partners and explore ways to improve their processes.
Partner equipment on display included the Iscar Matrix tool management system, MacMan-Net from dataZen, TMAC auto-compensation software from Caron Engineering, workholding solutions from Busche, Kitagawa, Koma Precision, SMW Autoblock, Schunk, Riten and WTO, automation equipment from KUKA Robotics, LNS, Edge Technologies, Gosiger Automation and IEMCA, tooling from Sandvik, Command Tool and Kennametal, gauging from Renishaw, Zoller, Marposs, Blum, Edmunds Gages and Hexagon Metrology, coolant solutions from MP Systems, Chipblaster and Qualichem, CAD/CAM systems from Esprit and Mastercam.
As a showcase for Partners in THINC, the event provided an education for many attendees as they discovered the depth and breadth of companies represented. One participant commented, “I wasn’t aware of all of the different companies operating as one in the same building. The fact that you can bring together so many suppliers that are competitors and have them working together is a great resource for the end customers such as myself.”
Featured equipment included an MCR-A5C double-column machining center, Multus B-750 horizontal lathe, a GA-26T grinder and the new Okuma AMPS flexible manufacturing system which is connected to 3 MB-4000H horizontal machining centers. Applications engineers and product specialists were on hand to personally discuss manufacturing problems and work with customers and partners to solve specific operating and processing issues.
In addition to the equipment and Partners, attendees were treated to a full tour of the Okuma facility, including stops at the service areas – spindle and board repair and the call center. Technicians explained how Okuma’s spindle exchange and board repair programs are designed to keep manufacturers operating, even when their spindles or boards go down. If a spindle or board fails, Okuma overnights a replacement even before the customer returns the failed unit – getting the customer up and operational as soon as possible.
Attendees were excited and energized by the event and left with a good understanding of Okuma’s wide product range, strength of technology and commitment to partnership and service. One visitor commented, “I’m 50 years old and have been in manufacturing my whole life and attended many shows. I have never been more impressed or inspired after meeting and speaking with the groups there (at Okuma).”
Okuma will host more learning events in 2012, including a series of Lunch & Learn events at the Partners in THINC facility and at the Okuma Tech Centers in Chicago and Houston.
About Okuma America Corporation:
Okuma America Corporation is the US based affiliate of Okuma Corporation, a world leader in the development of computer numeric controls (CNC) and machining technology, founded in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan. Known for its technology leadership and world-class manufacturing, product quality and dedication to customer service, Okuma strives to be the machine tool solution provider to manufacturers worldwide. For more information, visit www.okuma.com
About Partners in THINC:
Partners in THINC is a unique facility and concept offering integrated solutions and a one-stop-shop designed to streamline current manufacturing processes, improve capabilities, or for exploring advanced manufacturing options. Each member of Partners in THINC brings specialized equipment, expertise and a commitment to provide the best possible integrated solutions to the end-user. For more information, visit www.partnersinthinc.com.
