Learning from the Masters of combining mold making and 5-axis machining: Vol.1
“Why did you decide to introduce 5-axis machine tools?”

Recognizing the potential of 5-axis technology

Uogishi Seiki Interactive Corporation, which is located in the city of Imizu in the Toyama prefecture, has a profound history as a mold making company that dates back to 1946, when the company was established. Up until now they have manufactured over 5,000 die casting molds of high precision and quality, which are used not only in Japan but in more than 10 countries across the globe including the USA. Their products are trusted by numerous customers and Uogishi Seiki is regarded as one of the leading and most technically skilled companies of its industry.

Front row, from left: Mr. Shigemitsu Uogishi (Executive Director), Mr. Suguru Murosaki, and Mr. Naoomi Yamaguchi (Manufacturing Section, Manufacturing Department).
Back row, from the left: Mr. Mitsuharu Ejiri (CAM Section Manager, Manufacturing Department), Mr. Takuya Oyama (Manufacturing Department Manager), and Mr. Akira Tanada (Manufacturing Section Manager, Manufacturing Department).

In their factory, several large-sized 5-axis machines are employed like the latest 5-axis machine, the DMC 125 U duoBLOCK. They are used to manufacture molds for automobile parts like engine blocks and cylinder blocks. Almost all the manufactured molds are big parts that weigh between 1.5 to 20 tons and are mostly delivered to big automobile manufacturers.
Per month about 100 new molds are manufactured, others get repaired and receive maintenance. The company's surprisingly high level of productivity compared to their competitors enables them to take care of all these tasks with a manpower of merely 40. How does Uogishi Seiki achieve such an overwhelmingly high productivity?

Long time dependency on 2-axis machines

During the first period after their founding, they manufactured sheet metal and did welding. In 1960’s, when passenger cars became widespread, they decided to follow the trend of motorization and entered the die & mold industry. Back then, 2-axis machines were used as standard technology. They could improve their craftsmanship and the number of orders increased. Their production system was, however, never an efficient one, as the company looks back today.

Love at first sight – Encounter with 5-axis machining technology in Thailand

Although they constantly grew their market share, it took another quarter of a century to take their latest big step forward. It was when they encountered the 5-axis machining.
In 2003, Uogishi Seiki became the first Japanese mold maker to introduce a 5-axis machine DMC 125 U duoBLOCK of DMG MORI (back then known as the German company Gildemeister). President Uogishi made the decision for this investment, when he coincidentally caught a glimpse of a 5-axis machine of DMG in operation during his business trip to a supplier in Thailand. “I was deeply impressed, when I saw this sophisticated 5-axis machine in operation inside of an old factory run by only 6 to 7 employees”, President Uogishi elaborates. “That was how I made a decision right away to employ one.”

Back then, the molding industry was finally about to switch from 2-axis to 3-axis machines, and his decision was met with criticism. President Uogishi remembers that he was asked by his peers, whether his decision was made simply because of his interest in new technology, assuming the company was not going to change to manufacturing aerospace parts. Still, he claims that it was a “strategic investment towards the future” and continues that he realized “the trend shift towards a higher number of axes, as 3-axis machining became mainstream.”

That was how President Tsutomi Uogishi decided to invest in a 5-axis machine tool. However, in the beginning, he was still unsure about the possibilities of a 5-axis machine in manufacturing molds. Even the DMG’s sales person did not have a clue about how to use a 5-axis machine to its fullest potential for mold making and was surprised about the decision.

However, in the end his worries proved unnecessary, as he came to know the full benefits of 5-axis machining right away.