Project Story.04 Project Story

Development started as a highlight of the machine tool trade fair

A development project has begun for the machine tool that will be the highlight of the exhibition at JIMTOF2024 (※) in the summer of 2023.
The decision to consider a successor to the FF260, which was developed four years ago, was made at an early stage, but it took time to decide on the product concept.

Our sales team spent about two months visiting over 60 companies and thoroughly listening to customer feedback.
Among these, the most common requests were "We want to improve productivity," "We want to reduce running costs," and "We want to eliminate quality variations due to worker skill."

Based on these needs, we solidified the concept of creating a machine that can improve productivity and stabilize quality.
However, to increase productivity, the gear grinding head needs to rotate at a higher speed.
However, issues such as vibration and frictional heat that arise as the rotation speed increases cannot be resolved by simply changing the design.

Therefore, we decided to change the head material from iron to mineral casting (stone).
The appeal of this material is that it generates less vibration when grinding gears compared to iron, which helps reduce tool wear.
However, our company had no prior experience using this material, so we first had to find a company that would undertake the processing, which was extremely difficult.

Another disadvantage of mineral casting is that it is made of stone and is therefore more prone to cracking and chipping than steel.
It has characteristics that differ from metals, such as the inability to use magnets, so we compared its performance with the previous model, the FF260, and verified its quality, operability, and other aspects one by one.

To verify its effectiveness, I conducted tests in collaboration with my alma mater and conducted a detailed analysis of the differences between this machine and conventional machines.
We also conducted durability tests on the heads.
I remember feeling relieved when we achieved the durability target we had set, thinking, "Now we can put this into production."

(※) Japan International Machine Tool Fair: An exhibition of machine tools and related equipment held in Japan.

With a thorough focus on quality, cost and design,
A product you can be confident in

Users have commented that "appearance is also important," so this time we deliberately tried to create a cover design that was "un-KANZAKI-like."

The design was decided upon after numerous discussions with Yanmar's Design Department, with cooperation from within the Yanmar Group.
Even the small protrusions are hidden, giving it a clean, sharp impression.
The result is something we can confidently call a "well-received design."

Normally, focusing on materials and design would inevitably result in increased costs.
However, the sales department requested that the price remain the same.

So during development, we took great care to reduce costs down to the smallest details, including reviewing the processing steps for forming the mineral casting.

As a result, at JIMTOF2024, many customers understood the innovative nature of the FX260, and we achieved our goal of closing one deal.
The response is still overwhelming, and we are convinced that the FX260 will become a leader in the next generation of gear machining.
Now that we've completed development, I realize that developing a product can be difficult at times, but it's also rewarding because it gives you a great sense of accomplishment.

Through this development, I was reminded of just how difficult machine design is.
With the FX260, the emphasis is on functionality, so much so that the assembly process takes a back seat.
The assembly is somewhat complicated and takes some time to complete.
In the future, I would like to pay attention not only to quality but also to designs that are easy to assemble.

I too was reminded of the importance of always keeping an eye on customer needs.
Just as the desire for automation is often accompanied by the issue of a shortage of human resources, the ability to discern the true needs behind these voices is essential.
I would like to continue to pass the baton to development, including considering "why this is necessary."

Rather than just waiting for information from sales, we would like to be able to proactively communicate our needs.
We will broaden our horizons and aim to create better products that satisfy everyone involved.
Please look forward to the future evolution of KANZAKI's machine tools.