A fundamental premise of Okuma’s Intelligent Technology concept is to build advanced technologies into their CNC lathes, turning centers, multitasking machines and machining centers. In this way the machines are designed from the outset to increase efficiency for manufacturers. One example is the Okuma Thermo-Friendly Concept.

Dealing with thermal deformation can be a time-consuming activity for the machine operator, often involving many test runs to compensate for the affects of ambient workplace temperatures, heat produced by the machine itself, and heat generated by the machining process. Nothing can prevent these temperature variations from occurring, so the question is: How do you compensate for them? Okuma’s answer is three-fold: (1) Simple machine construction that allows heat to be evenly transmitted, which makes expansion and contraction highly predictable; (2) a thermally symmetrical, double-column, box-build design plus strategic placement of front covers and the rear control cabinet for even heat distribution; (3) Highly Accurate Compensation Technology, managed by the Okuma-developed THINC OSP control system that responds to changes in room temperature, and heat produced by frequent spindle speed changes and dry cutting.

Okuma machines equipped with Intelligent Technology accurately control deformation due to temperature variations, in part, through a Thermo Active Stabilizer – Spindle (TAS-S). Because thermal deformation affects the spindle when it is turning and at rest, TAS-S monitors spindle rotation, spindle speed changes and spindle stoppage as well as spindle temperature, to control thermal spindle deformation regardless of the number of changes in spindle speed during an operation.

Another significant component is a Thermo Active Stabilizer – Construction (TAS-C) that uses strategically placed sensors to monitor expanding or contracting machine components and axis position. These sensors feed data to the controller which, in turn, predicts and accurately controls thermal deformation.