Next-Level Productivity with Smarter CAM

As a manufacturing company based in Tsuruoka City in the Yamagata Prefecture, Igarashi Kogyosho Co Ltd has mainly focused on general subcontract manufacturing in parallel with welding and assembly of metal components. Established in 1952, a turning point arrived when the company introduced a double column five sided machining center in 2006.

This investment noted the arrival of work on frames for semiconductor manufacturing equipment and larger general subcontract machined parts. The increased capacity and capability enabled the company to take on a wide range of projects, from small to large-sized products, making Igarashi Kogyosho a ‘one-stop factory’ that was highly valued by its clients.

However, over time, challenges such as ageing equipment and the retirement of skilled workers were compounded by the shortage of young talent. Furthermore, the company faced the issue of excessive reliance on specific clients.

Mr. Kota Igarashi, the Executive Vice President of the company, took the lead and decided to introduce a 5-axis machining center in November 2019, steering the company in a new direction.

Investing in its first 5-axis machine, the company actively gathered and researched the marketplace during the evaluation phase. This included visits to partners and counterparts, which eventually led to the acquisition of a DMG MORI DMU50 machining center. In addition, CAD/CAM software for 5-axis programming was required. After comparing upgrades to existing software that was historically used for 2D machining, the company decided to adopt hyperMILL^® from OPEN MIND.

Until the arrival of the DMG MORI machine and hyperMILL^®, large components had been the core of the business, so programming output with the existing CAM software was rarely used ‘as-is’, and it was always necessary to make considerable changes and adjustments to the machining set-up to accommodate the programming. The company was fully aware that such practices were not efficient for a 5-axis machining environment. Additionally, another objective was to enable programming tasks to be undertaken by female employees with no machining experience. Therefore, the ‘ease of use for programming’ and ‘safety and reliability’ were critical factors to ensuring programmers with no machining experience could successfully transfer efficient programs to the shop floor. Considering these factors, hyperMILL^® was evaluated as having a clear advantage over rival CAM systems, and this led to the final purchasing decision.

Technical support exceeded expectations

“Another crucial factor for the success of 5-axis machining, which became clear after hyperMILL^® was introduced, is the quality of technical support provided by OPEN MIND. Employees with no machining experience are responsible for programming, so there were initially endless enquiries after the initial training and during the transition period. This support and assistance have continued where necessary, and this was a major benefit in the smooth transition to not just a new CAD/CAM suite, but also the stable and successful operation of the new 5-axis machining center," said Mr. Igarashi.

Regrettably, just after the introduction of the 5-axis machine, the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread rapidly, causing a significant negative impact on conventional business. However, the automotive mold project, which was one of the reasons for taking on 5-axis machining and was the first programming task for hyperMILL^®, was going well. Originally, the product had been completed via prototyping using existing horizontal machining centers and other equipment, leading to formal orders for mass production. However, Mr. Igarashi took the courage to switch to 5-axis machining and asserts: "If we hadn't introduced the 5-axis machine and hyperMILL^® at that time, there would be no Igarashi Industrial today."

The mold products machined with 5-axis machining and hyperMILL^® achieved significantly higher quality and productivity than those produced on existing machines. The company has come to believe that continuing to deliver such impressive results will undoubtedly lead to greater collaboration and trust from clients.

While conventional business had not recovered as expected, orders for 5-axis related projects had continued to grow steadily. In April 2021, the company introduced the Niigata Machine Techno HN50E-5X, and in May 2022, they introduced another DMG MORI machine, the DMU65 FD monoBLOCK as part of a new initiative aimed at processing complex titanium products. During this period, they also renovated their existing facility into a temperature-controlled factory to improve the working environment.

Soon after, the company began taking on mass production machining of specialized cast metal parts. As part of this project, it was imperative that the company integrate processes to reduce cycle times and improve profitability. Developing the skill set of staff was essential for achieving these targets. The application of hyperMILL^® and 5-axis machining significantly simplified this process. hyperMILL^®'s ‘Optimized Roughing’ significantly improved the efficiency of path creation and the cutting processes, contributing greatly to lead time reduction. It remains one of the pillars of the company’s work to this day.

Even when challenged by low unit price, Igarashi Kogyosho has transformed those challenging jobs into profitable projects as long as a certain production volumes are secured by fully utilizing accumulated expertise, process integration with 5-axis machining centers, and efficient programming with hyperMILL^®.

The goal is to achieve a balance between ‘productivity’ and ‘humanity’

The company believes that improving productivity through labor-savings and automation is a very important issue for the manufacturing industry. However, it also feels that manufacturing without any human involvement is ‘somehow cold,’ and therefore the company values humanity and the ‘low technology’ aspects that have been passed down from the past to the present. As an example, through Mr. Igarashi’s personal connection, it has undertaken the manufacturing of fitness equipment for several years. Rather than focusing solely on profitability, the company aims to pass down traditional processing techniques such as welding and assembly, which have been cultivated over the years, to the next generation. Additionally, by setting up the equipment which is made in-house, they hope to contribute to their health and well-being, ultimately creating a workplace where employees can work comfortably and securely for the long term.

Creating something that exists in your mind but not yet in the world

Mr. Igarashi continued: “However, we are by no means disregarding the overall profitability of the business. Further growing the 5-axis machining field into a solid pillar of our future is an absolute precondition for achieving our goals.” While upholding the company’s founding philosophy of “Creating something that exists in our minds but not yet in the world,” they will continue to strive for further growth.