Machining Madness: Cut Down the Nets With Okuma

Our winning team of machine tools, automation solutions, and CNC control is comparable to the NCAA’s tournament champion.

Welcome to March, the month that officially starts when the Madness does.

Sixty-eight teams have been selected, seeded, and bracketed into four different regions, but only one will lift the trophy, kick up confetti, cut the nets, and add a 2025 championship banner to their rafters. The team that wins will do so by working in perfect harmony, blending individual specialties into a synchronized system of greatness on both sides of the ball. The starting five, the sixth man, the coach — everyone performs at their best under the brightest lights, in front of the biggest crowd.

If we could pick an Okuma lineup to win it all — what would it look like? How would it compare to the NCAA’s best? Our team huddled to bring you our ultimate roster.

THE POINT GUARD – Okuma LB3000 EX II

A point guard is often the smallest player on the court. They’re fast, competitive, the initiator of the offense, and a clutch shooter with exceptional ball-handling, too. Think Caitlin Clark. In this position, we have the Okuma LB3000 EX II horizontal lathe.

Showing quickness with high-speed feeds and indexing, a high-torque M-spindle, and a high-power PREX motor, this lathe can also handle heavy cuts. Like a point guard can dribble, pass, fake, pivot, and shoot with precision from anywhere, the LB3000 EX II is available with a wide variety of configurations (bed lengths, bore sizes, a sub-spindle, and other options). It’s competitively priced as part of our Affordable Excellence line, which means you can initiate a return on investment with the Okuma LB3000 EX II in no time. And just like the point guard calls plays on the floor, you can call this lathe yours.

SHOOTING GUARD – Okuma GENOS M560-V

Because a shooting guard is the always-confident, always-hustling player in a starting five, the Okuma GENOS M560-V takes this spot. This is our most popular machining center — and the industry’s best — for many reasons.

This player can score from anywhere; the Okuma GENOS M560-V can machine parts for any industry, from small medical parts that help doctors perform life-saving surgeries and to large aerospace parts that help planes operate smoothly.

It’s easy to see a shooting guard make long-range shots or get inside for a powerful finish at the rim, just like it’s easy to see how no part is out of this machining center’s range — and how it always delivers a smooth finish on the surface.

SMALL FORWARD – Okuma MU-6300V

Versatile, multi-sided, reliable, a do-it-all playmaker. There isn’t a better description for a small forward or the Okuma MU-6300V.

Let’s start with “multi-sided.” This player runs the court both ways like this vertical 5-axis machining center runs parts on a high-speed, high-accuracy trunnion table five ways. The parts often have complex geometries — think fuselage components or gearboxes or orthopedic implants — just as complex plays with cuts and screens are fed through this player for off-the-ball scoring opportunities.

The small forward also disrupts a passing lane with ease like the Okuma MU-6300V disrupts the industry standard for 5-axis machining with a superior bridge-style construction, repeatable precision, and an optional turning function. Expect high points per game and high productivity per job.

POWER FORWARD – Okuma MULTUS U4000

The Okuma MULTUS U4000, Chris Bosh, Zion Williamson, Marvin Williams, and Carmelo Anthony have something in common: they fall into the “one-and-done” category.

We never saw more than one college season from these power forwards who brought high endurance and strong post moves like assertive rebounding and thunderous slam dunks to every game. Often times, no more than one setup is needed for a part when using this multitasking machine tool. With an optional sub-spindle and lower turret, the MULTUS U4000 is the embodiment of process flexibility, which directly translates to this player’s ability to score from their left or their right. 

• Bonus: The Okuma MULTUS U4000’s wide (240°) B-axis swing results in highly accurate 5-axis machining.
• Double Bonus: The standard offering has a capacity of 40 tools via its automatic tool changer — with an option for 80 tool capacity.

Set records in just one season; create contours, perform deep drilling and gear cutting, and complete a slew of other simple turning and milling tasks in just one machine.

CENTER – Okuma MCR-BV

The Center. The Big Man. The Five. These names demand reverence like an Okuma MCR-BV double column machining center demands our final starting spot.

Whether it’s an offensive or defensive possession, centers are known for their ability to absorb a lot of contact underneath the basket. This double column machining center performs similarly with the types of materials and parts it cuts. With an expanded work envelope (a nod to the center’s striking size) and a high-rigidity table, this machine can withstand the weight of large workpieces and the high cutting forces needed for titanium — absorbing a lot of contact, if you will.

Remaining cool under pressure while controlling the paint is also a key trait of the center. That’s something the Okuma MCR-BV matches with our Thermo-Friendly Concept, an intelligent technology that minimizes the amount of heat generated during heavy cuts. This enables cuts that create structural beams and automotive chassis so we can build anything and drive anywhere.

Before the jump ball, jump at the opportunity to add this double column machining center to your shop floor.

SIXTH MAN – CNC Automation

Every team has one. Every machine can, too.

First off the bench, the sixth man is an integral part of a championship team’s lineup. They’re responsible for providing a spark on offense, adding fresh legs to the floor, and can adapt to different game situations as they occur. The sixth man is a true X-factor and dishes the perfect assist every time, just like Okuma CNC automation solutions and technologies.

This player can assume multiple positions. Our CNC automation solutions work with multiple machine tools. For example, an Okuma Robot Loader can be paired with a lathe or programmed to add efficiency to a machining center, no matter what part is being manufactured. The legs (or arm, in this case), never get tired; they’re always fresh. Or, consider a built-in Okuma Gantry Loader for the MULTUS U4000. This solution injects speed and efficient turnover into the game — the good kind of turnover.

The sixth man is also known for being a lights-out shooter, just like how CNC automation performs lights-out machining with ease. Increases in momentum, productivity, and precision are instant, measurable — a must for any team playing to win it all, and easy to find with Okuma CNC automation solutions and technologies.

COACH – OSP CNC Control

Behind the last team standing is a coach who can always find a way to win. They do so by maximizing the potential of each player, drawing up perfect plays, and adjusting game plans on the fly. The coach is like the Okuma OSP CNC control.

Our proprietary OSP CNC control maximizes the potential of each machine, and every cut, by running multiple intelligent technologies and monitoring systems simultaneously. Instead of Xs and Os that tell players where to go during high ball screens or a backdoor play, it relies on G-code to program instructions for axis movement, feed rates, and tool changes. And a coach’s ability to change lineups or plays in real time is reflected in our CNC control’s “Quick Edit” function; this feature enables revisions to the line of G-code that’s being executed.

Lastly, past coaches Mike Krzyzewski and John Wooden and current coaches Tom Izzo and Geno Auriemma have garnered respect for their coaching proficiencies over decades-long careers. Correspondingly, the Okuma OSP CNC control, which includes P200, P300, and P500 iterations, has amassed high praise for generations.

CONCLUSION

With this Okuma team, you won’t just win the championship. You’ll earn the title with an undefeated season, every season. There’s no part you can’t create, no industry you can’t enter, no game you can’t win.

Cut with Okuma and cut down the nets.