Improving Customer Productivity
FANUC pursues the automation and robotization of our customers‘ factories as well as their high efficiency. FANUC has realized a high operating rates by analyzing failure information regarding our products, and conducting ongoing research and development to enhance reliability.
FA Business
FANUC provides highly reliable CNCs and servos, which are used in a wide range of machinery, including machine tools. In addition to improving ease of use for machinery manufacturers, we have also achieved increased productivity through the integration of CNC and digital technologies, and space-saving through miniaturization.
In addition, we aim to improving the quality of end users' products by utilizing a wealth of control technology for high-quality machining. The manufacturing of a variety of industrial products using machine tools equipped with FANUC's CNCs and servos contributes to an efficient society.
| Developing a simulation function | The development of CNC simulators and CNC GUIDE has made it possible to provide education on machining programming, among other topics, even in the absence of actual machine tools. This leads to the improvement of educational efficiency at training sites in the manufacturing industry, as well as a reduction in the required number of units of training machinery and equipment, thereby helping to reduce resources. In addition, predicting the machining results before the actual machining through the Digital Twin of CNC enables the detection of errors in machining programs and the optimization of machining conditions, which leads to the reduction of defects caused by machining errors in the actual machining. This reduction enables cost cutting as a result of curbed power consumption at the time of performance of relevant tasks (such as regular disposal of cutting chips) and machining, because it reduces the amount of cutting chips and coolant discharged. |
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| Developing customizable functions | Since the structures and functions of the machine tools provided by machine tool builders, who are our customers, differ, the required operating screens and control functions also vary. The development of functions allowing customers to easily customize tasks, such as designing displays and controlling signals, enables each customer to provide operators with operability suited to their own machines. |
| Servo Learning Oscillation | The biggest obstacle to automating metal processing is that long chips become entangled in the workpiece or tools during turning or drilling. In addition, such long chips are difficult to discard and easily damage tools and worked surfaces. This function solves those issues by shredding chips during turning, drilling, or threading. |
| Fast Cycle-time Technology | This is a group of functions that reduce machining time. Through optimization of the actual machining operations of the machines as well as a reduction in non-machining time, the overall machining time is shortened and the operating rates of the machine productivity is improved. |
| SERVO GUIDE, AI Servo Tuning |
We provide our customers, manufacturers of machinery, with support tools to easily realize high-level tuning of parameters to control the servo motor. The inclusion of an AI-based tuning support function improves the machining performance of machine tools. |
| AI Servo Monitor | By using FANUC CNC and servo data, signs of malfunctioning spindle axes and feed axes of machine tools can be detected without a separately installed sensor. The AI servo monitor detects changes such as damage to spindle axes and feed shafts as anomalies, preventing sudden malfunctioning of machine tools and contributing to stabilization of production and maintenance plans. |
| iHMI / iHMI2 | iHMI provides a user interface that simplifies the operations of the operator who is the actual user of the machine tool. |
| Identification and improvement of operation in a whole factory | With the FIELD system Basic Package , it is possible to identify machining processes that may constitute bottlenecks in the production line, by knowing the operational status of the machine tools installed in the factory. This facilitates process improvement. |
| Fine Surface Technology | This CNC and servo control technology realizes high-quality machining. This technology can reduce the quantity of work in subsequent processes, such as polishing the machined surface, and enables reduced friction in components used in the manufacturing of automobile parts. This results in enhanced automobile quietness, and solves problems such as noise. |
| Failure diagnosis function Preventive maintenance function |
The failure diagnosis function provides guidance when warnings and alarms are issued, which indicates the cause along with countermeasures, thereby shortening recovery time, as well as a preventive maintenance function that detects signs of failure, thus reducing machine downtime. |
| Improving spindle motor output | By molding the stator with highly thermal conductive resin to improve cooling performance, the output of the spindle motor can be increased without changing its size, thus contributing to the improvement of the machining performance of machine tools. |
| Laser-related products | CNC and highly reliable lasers that have highly synchronous connections between robot axis control and laser output commands enable pinpoint laser irradiation, for the realization of machining with an exceptionally high degree of precision. Further, the combined application of the many laser machining functions that we have built up over the years, such as laser-power control that controls laser output according to machining speed, dramatically improves the speed, precision, and quality of machining and ease of use and raises our customers’ work efficiency. |
Awards on FA Business
The Main Prize of the 66th Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Best Ten New Products Awards (2023)
FANUC αi-D series SERVO
The Main Prize of the 43rd Japan Society for Precision Engineering (JSPE) Technology Award (2023)
FANUC CNC Digital Twin (Project title: High-speed simulator for numerical control devices that takes into account the dynamic characteristics of each axis to realize a high-precision digital twin of machine tools)
ROBOT Business
Robots which utilize the basic technologies of CNCs and servos relieve workers from dangerous, dirty, and difficult jobs by performing tasks that were previously handled by humans. At the same time, robots revolutionize work styles, such as by reducing work hours and eliminating night shifts. Through the development of intelligent robots using visual sensors and force sensors, the areas in which robots can be used are expected to expand.
In addition to automating production lines and enhancing efficiency, the utilization of robots improves and stabilizes product quality, as they can continue consistent production over long periods.
| Saving space | The Robot R-2000iD, which is frequently used in spot welding and handling applications, has a footprint that is 23% smaller than those of conventional models. Our wide range of models can be mounted in a variety of configurations, including on shelves, walls, and ceilings, and save space by optimizing the factory layout. In addition, we have developed a new robot controller, the R-50iA, which has a 20% smaller footprint than previous models (for B-cabinets), making it more space-efficient. |
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| Reducing robot cycle time | FANUC has acquired a patent for the world’s first practical learning robot. For example, in a conventional car body welding line, the utilization of 30 robots reduced cycle time by 10.2% after learning. |
| Improving cost efficiency | An automatic guided vehicle (AGV) equipped with a collaborative robot can move autonomously, allowing a single robot to work at multiple locations, and improves the operating rates of the robot in processes with long cycle times. |
| Automation system design support tool | The use of ROBOGUIDE, a software that automatically calculates the optimal layout of machines and robots, can reduce the time for trial and error required to design an automation system. Optimizing the operating program using ROBOGUIDE reduces cycle time. |
| Reducing downtime | Zero Down Time (ZDT) is a “predictable” function that alerts users before failure and improves productivity by reducing the downtime in factories. ZDT is connected to more than 35,000 robots around the world, and has prevented more than 2,000 downtime cases. |
| Remote monitoring of operation | A robot's teach pendant screen can be viewed from a remote PC via a network. Accordingly, the operating conditions of many robots can be conveniently checked from the office, eliminating the need to make rounds of the factory to inspect the operating conditions of each robot. |
| Software Provision Platforms | With the collaborative robot CRX, we have established a platform in which customers can download the latest software from our website and update it as needed by themselves, eliminating the need for our service personnel to attend customers’ factories to set it up. This enables our customers to operate their machine tools with the up-to-date software at all times. |
| System development support | We have developed the new robot controller R-50iA, which helps reduce start-up time and costs through a variety of interfaces, including PYTHON*, VISUAL STUDIO CODE**, soft PLC, ROS1 / ROS2, and PLC motion. * Python is a registered trademark of the Python Software Foundation. ** Visual Studio Code is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. |
| Reducing equipment costs | The 7-axis Robot P-1000iA, used for painting automobile bodies, contributes to drastically reducing the size of the paint booth compared to the use of conventional 6-axis robots. It is possible to greatly reduce initial costs when a paint booth is built as well as running costs such as air-conditioning. |
| Remote maintenance | With the development of the new R-50iA robot controller, FANUC service personnel can now provide remote maintenance support without having to visit the customer's factory, simply by connecting the customer's smartphone to the robot controller. This also helps to ensure rapid robot recovery in the event of an emergency. |
Awards on ROBOT Business
The 70th Okochi Award (2023)： Okochi Memorial Foundation Okochi Memorial Production Prize
FANUC Robot M-2000iA
Triple award winner (2022)— The Nikkei Business Daily Awards of the 2022 Nikkei Superior Products and Services Awards/ The Main Prize of the 2022(65th) Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Best Ten New Products Awards/ The GOOD DESIGN BEST 100 of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2022
FANUC Robot M-1000iA
Winner of the President’s Award (2021): 10th Technology Management and Innovation Awards, Japan Techno-Economics Society
Triple award winner (2020): Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the Ninth Robot Awards / The Nikkei Business Daily Awards of the 2020 Nikkei Superior Products and Services Award/ The Main Prize of the 2020 (63rd) Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Best Ten New Products Awards
FANUC Robot CRX-10iA
2019 Winner of double awards (2019): Outstanding Performance Award (Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun Award) of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun Superior Products and Service Award of 2019/ Grand Prix of the 62nd Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Top Ten New Products Award of 2019
FANUC Robot R-2000iD/210FH
Winner of double awards (2018): Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award and Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award at the Eighth Robot Awards
Zero Down Time (ZDT)
ROBOMACHINE Business
ROBOMACHINE Business provides three product groups, consisting of ROBODRILLs (compact machining center), ROBOSHOTs (electric injection molding machine), and ROBOCUTs (wire electrical-discharge machine), which utilize the basic technologies for CNCs and servos. All of these product groups boast high performance and high operating rates, and help our customers adopt IoT in their factories.
| Saving space | Compact ROBODRILLs with high machining performance provides the benefits of both saving factory space and increasing flexibility in terms of factory layout. |
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| Reducing machining time | ROBODRILLs shorten cycle time and achieve high productivity by thoroughly reducing idle time by executing tool changes and table positioning operations concurrently. In addition, we are proactively expanding compatibility with new machining methods using special tools. |
| AI backflow monitor | ROBOSHOTs leverage AI to evaluate and predict wear on expendable parts (backflow prevention ring), and conduct “predictable” preventive maintenance. This makes visual inspections, which is the conventional way to confirm wear, unnecessary, thus reducing the workload. |
| Multi-functionalizing standard models | A second injection unit was developed for ROBOSHOTs. With this unit, molding of two types of resin materials with different functional requirements is made possible with in a single mold achieves high-value-added molding with less man-hours in the assembly process. |
| AI thermal displacement compensation function | Fluctuations in cutting accuracy caused by changes in the temperature of ROBOCUTs are predicted and controlled using AI technology. As a result, compensation accuracy improved by roughly 30% compared with the conventional models. |
| High reliable auto wire feeding (AWF3) | The ROBOCUTs features highly reliable automatic wire feeding that can automatically recover feeding when a wire is accidentally cut and disconnected, thereby enabling unmanned operation for long periods. |
| Job Interruption Function | In ROBOCUTs, we have developed a function that allows the user to interrupt the current machining operation to perform another one with a higher priority, if necessary during machining, and easily continue the original machining after the job is finished. This enables flexible operation of the machine and improves the productivity of our customers. |
| ROBODRILL-LINKi ROBOSHOT-LINKi2 ROBOCUT-LINKi |
Monitors the operating status of the entire factory in real- time and supports the early detection of errors for quick recovery, contributing to improvements in operating rates of factory equipment. ROBOSHOT-LINKi2 enables significant increases in the number of connectable injection molding machines and in the quantity of data stored. It also makes it possible to view the system from mobile devices such as tablets. In addition, the periodic inspection and testing function provides comprehensive support for everything from inspection scheduling to work recording. |
| Robot Package of ROBOMACHINE | Our automation introduction packages, which combine ROBOMACHINE and ROBOT products, reduce the technical roadblocks involved in building robot systems. Simple installation, simple settings, and simple operation significantly reduce man-hours in the design process and start-up time. • ROBODRIL Robot Package Support automation of machining systems • ROBOSHOT Robot Package Support automation of injection molding systems • ROBOCUT Robot Package Support automation of wire electrical-discharge systems |
| Linkage with ROBOSHOTs flow analysis software | By linking with the ROBOSHOTs flow analysis software, users can seamlessly apply the molding conditions examined in the flow analysis during mold design to ROBOSHOTs. This streamlines the process of establishing the initial molding conditions, enhancing efficiency and productivity. |
Awards on ROBOMACHINE Business
64th Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Ten Great New Products Awards Main Prize (2021)
ROBOCUT α-CiC Series
51st Industrial Machinery Design Award IDEA: The Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturers (JSIM) Award (2021)
Display Unit PANEL iH Pro for ROBOSHOT α-SiB Series
66th Okochi Memorial Foundation Okochi Memorial Production Prize (2019)
ROBOSHOT
5th (1994)/28th (2017) Japan Society of Polymer Processing Aoki Katashi Innovation Award
Development of AI Pressure Tracking Control for a Fully Electric Injection Molding Machine (1994)
Movement Detection Technology and Injection Volume Stabilization Technology for a Backflow Prevention Ring (2017)