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  • MCR S category image 1000w
    Featured Product MCR-S

    From heavy-duty cutting to precision part finishing, our MCR-S double column machining center brings beginning-to-end machining to the table – literally. With its powerfully accurate 5-axis capabilities, this machine greatly reduces cycle times while achieving superior surface finishes.

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    Connect Plan

    Connect. Visualize. Improve. With Okuma’s Connect Plan, gain visibility of your plant floor that will help you optimize machine operations and discover actionable insights for increased profitability.

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    Connect Plan Lite

    Preview Connect Plan on a single machine with just a quick download from the Okuma App Store. View operating history and production rates in visual graph format and see alarm history with live links to alarm details, all on an easy-to-read display.

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  • Ccfeature spindlecartridgerepair bringusyourbestquote
    FREE SPINDLE EVALUATION: BRING US YOUR BEST QUOTE

    Send us another company’s quote on your horizontal or vertical machining center's spindle cartridge repair - if we can’t be competitive, we’ll give you a $50 VISA gift card.

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  • Customer Care Kits
    AVAILABLE NOW! OKUMA CARE KITS

    With an emphasis on preventive maintenance to keep your machine tool running, our CARE Kits help ensure your Okuma machine tool's mechanical, electrical, lubrication, airflow, and coolant systems will continue to operate in “like-new” condition.

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A Storied History of Continuous Innovation
  • Why Okuma
  • History

A Storied History of Continuous Innovation

“The criticism of one is more valuable than the praise of one hundred.” These were the words of our founder, Eiichi Okuma, and they’ve fueled our innovative spirit for over a century. By introducing game-changing products designed to solve our customers’ manufacturing problems, we’ve grown from the small noodle-making machine company we were in 1898 into the single source global leader in CNC machine tools we are today.

  • 1880
  • 1884
    Steam turbines invented
  • 1885
    Modern bicycle invented
  • 1886
    Automobile invented
  • 1890
  • Noodle Machine Al
    1898
    Founded
    Okuma Noodle Machine Co. began manufacturing noodle-making machines
  • 1900
  • 1903
    Wright Brothers’ flight
  • 1910
  • Timeline Al
    1918
    Okuma Machinery Works LTD.
    Okuma began manufacturing lathes (OS Lathe)
  • 1920
  • New factory manufactured wool looms that brought new developments
    1920s
    Expansion
    New factory manufactured wool looms that brought new developments
    Read more
    New factory manufactured wool looms that brought new developments
    1920s
    Expansion

    New factory manufactured wool looms. Okuma is involved in the development of automobile engines and wood-working machines. Okuma participates in and jointly develops a national passenger.

  • 1930
  • 1930s
    Rapid upturn in machine tool demand
    Demand for manufactured items create rapid upturn in machine tool demand
    Read more
    Demand for manufactured items create rapid upturn in machine tool demand
    1930s
    Rapid upturn in machine tool demand

    Demand for aircraft, ships, automobiles, textile machines, motor and electric machines, and bicycles created a rapid upturn in machine tool demand. Top 5 machine tool firms: Okuma Machinery Works, Ikegai Co., Karatsu Iron.

  • Completed a major machine tool production facility
    1934
    Growth
    Completed a major machine tool production facility
  • Okuma became #1 (by value) in machine tool production in Japan
    1937
    #1
    Okuma became #1 (by value) in machine tool production in Japan
  • 1950
  • 1957
    IMB 610 introduced
    IBM 610 introduced (first PC used by one person and controlled by a keyboard)
  • Developed a non-cylindrical plane bearing for improved accuracy
    1958
    Improved Accuracy
    Developed a non-cylindrical plane bearing for improved accuracy
  • 1959
    First CNC System
    First CNC System
  • Exhibited in USA for the first time at the Chicago Trade Show
    1959
    Exhibited in USA
    Exhibited in USA for the first time at the Chicago Trade Show
  • 1960
  • 1963
    ARPANET deployed
    ARPANET (internet precursor) deployed
  • Okuma developed the OSP NC controller with absolute position feedback encoder, becoming Japan's only comprehensive manufacturer of both machine and control
    1963
    Single Source
    Okuma developed the OSP NC controller with absolute position feedback encoder, becoming Japan's only comprehensive manufacturer of both machine and control
  • 1966
    DCMC
    Began producing DCMCs (MBD)
  • 1969
    Moon landing
    Moon landing
  • 1970
  • 1970s
    Factory Automation (FA)
    Factory Automation (FA)
  • Pioneered the assembly of Japan's first FMS (Flexible Manufacturing System)
    1972
    FMS
    Pioneered the assembly of Japan's first FMS (Flexible Manufacturing System)
  • 1973
    Capacitive touchscreen invented
    Capacitive touchscreen invented
  • Developed CNC in-house
    1973
    Developed CNC in-house
  • Began producing DCMCs with 5-sided applications
    1974
    DCMC 5-Sided
    Began producing DCMCs with 5-sided applications
  • 1975
    Altair 8800 sparked the microcomputer revolution
    Altair 8800 sparked the microcomputer revolution
  • 1975
    Mechatronics
    Formed single source of mechatronics manufacturing policy
  • 1976
    International Offices
    USA and European liason offices opened
  • 1980
  • Headquarters/major production facilities moved from Tsujimachi to Oguchi, Nagoya
    1980
    HQ Moved
    Headquarters/major production facilities moved from Tsujimachi to Oguchi, Nagoya
  • 1982
    CD-ROM created
    CD-ROM created
  • LB15 production start
    1982
    LB15 production start
  • 1984
    Cell phone available commercially
    Cell phone available commercially
  • 1985
    Designed and produced first integral motor/spindle
  • Okuma Machine Tools Inc. established U.S. production based in Charlotte, NC
    1987
    Charlotte, NC
    Okuma Machine Tools Inc. established U.S. production based in Charlotte, NC
  • 1990
  • 1990
    World Wide Web introduced to the public
    World Wide Web introduced to the public
  • Okuma CARE launched
    1992
    Okuma CARE launched
  • 1995
    DVD invented
    DVD invented
  • 1995
    Okuma America Corporation
    American production and sales group merged to establish Okuma America Corporation
  • 1995
    First autonomous car long distance drive (Pittsburgh to San Diego)
    First autonomous car long distance drive (Pittsburgh to San Diego)
  • 1997
    Continued Growth
    Okuma Nanjin, Okuma Latino Americana, Tatun-Okuma Co. established
  • 1999
    Internet of Things (IoT)
    Internet of Things (IoT)
  • 2000
  • (Thailand) established
    2000
    Okuma Techno
    (Thailand) established
  • 2001
    BYJC-Okuma
    (Beijing) Machine Tool Co. Ltd. established (manufacturing)
  • Manufacturing started in Bejing (JC-Okuma)
    2002
    Manufacturing started in Bejing (JC-Okuma)
  • Received the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers Award for Thermal Deformation Compensation System, the core of Thermo-Friendly Concept
    2003
    Award-Winning
    Received the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers Award for Thermal Deformation Compensation System, the core of Thermo-Friendly Concept
  • First intelligent NC launched
    2004
    THINC
    First intelligent NC launched
  • 2005
    Global Integration
    Okuma, Okuma & Howa, and Okuma Engineering integrated
  • 2007
    Introduction of the "smart phone" (iPhone)
  • K5 Factory completed. Okuma India Pvt Ltd established
    2007
    Continued Growth
    K5 Factory completed. Okuma India Pvt Ltd established
  • 2007
    Boeing unveils the 787 Dreamliner
  • 2010
  • Dream Site 1 (DS1) built
    2013
    Dream Site 1 (DS1) built
  • First machine tool app platform; Okuma Vietnam Co. established
    2014
    Okuma App Store
    First machine tool app platform; Okuma Vietnam Co. established
  • OSP suite & ECO suite introduced
    2014
    OSP suite & ECO suite introduced
  • Introduction of the super multi-tasking machine (LASER EX)
    2016
    Introduction of the super multi-tasking machine (LASER EX)
  • January 2018 marks 120 years since Okuma was founded in 1898. Okuma's journey through the years is one to celebrate.
    2018
    OKUMA CELEBRATES 120 YEARS
    January 2018 marks 120 years since Okuma was founded in 1898. Okuma's journey through the years is one to celebrate.
    Read more
    January 2018 marks 120 years since Okuma was founded in 1898. Okuma's journey through the years is one to celebrate.
    2018
    OKUMA CELEBRATES 120 YEARS

    Okuma Corporation celebrates the 120th anniversary of the company’s establishment, which officially took place in January, 2018. Okuma was founded in 1898 to produce and sell noodle making machines, and started manufacturing machine tools in 1904.

    Click below to watch the commemorative video to capture the essence of Okuma’s journey through the years (so far), and are celebrating the passion for monozukuri (“the art of making things better”) that everyone in our industry shares.

    WATCH VIDEO

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OKUMA AMERICA CORPORATION
11900 Westhall Drive
Charlotte, NC 28278

P 704.588.7000

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