Mazak launches holistic digital experience

Mazak has launched a new, three-pronged holistic digital customer experience which features All Axes LIVE – an ongoing series of online events that grants attendees exclusive access to never-before-seen Mazak manufacturing technology – Mazak's Virtual Technology Center, and an interactive tour of its Kentucky campus. The first-of-its-kind digital experience begins with the first installment of All Axes LIVE from Mazak’s Midwest Technology Center on Aug. 11, 2020 at 11:00 AM ET.

“At Mazak, we understand the changing needs and expectations of North American manufacturers, both as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasingly competitive business landscape,” says Dan Janka, president of Mazak Corporation. “As a local manufacturer, we have challenged ourselves to be agile and find new ways of doing business. Our new digital experience applies what we’ve learned to provide unprecedented access to our products, technology, customer support, and expertise, and puts our customers in the driver’s seat.”

With the first installment of All Axes LIVE, Mazak will launch the new Variaxis C-600 5-axis machining center with its dedicated Mazatrol SmoothAi CNC, as well as new automation solutions. The Variaxis C-600 is an ideal first step into 5-axis machining for shops of all sizes, fulfilling demands for increased speed, stability, and power and maximum tool capacity. Automation ready, the Variaxis C-600 integrates seamlessly with two-pallet changers, overhead gantry loaders/unloaders, and standalone robots.

To further enhance automation integration, the Variaxis C-600 provides both front and side automatic door operation. The machine’s full front door spans from the top to the bottom of the machine, providing exceptional user access and superior ergonomics. An automatic side door allows shops to load and unload parts at the side of the machine, freeing up the machine’s front work area and eliminating interference between automation and operators at the front door.

Featured on the Variaxis C-600, Mazak’s new Mazatrol SmoothAi CNC simplifies everything from part programming to automation integration. With the introduction of the new control, Mazak remains the only machine tool builder with a complete and dedicated multitasking and 5-axis machining control solution. Mazatrol SmoothAi CNC makes EIA/ISO and/or Mazatrol conversational programming faster and easier, and features functions such as Smooth Project Manager, Smooth CAM Ai, and Mazatrol Twins that help expedite, manage, create, and deploy part programs.

Automation highlighted during All Axes LIVE will include the RoboJob TA200, which features an articulating robot with a 44.1 lb (20kg) payload capacity and dedicated loading/unloading station and is equipped with an area scanner to create a safe open layout. The robot’s dual three-jaw grippers can accommodate parts ranging from 0.39" to 6.69" (10mm to 170mm) in diameter, while a simple fixed workpiece table ensures easy loading of pre-cut stacks of raw material and unloading of finished parts with minimal operator intervention.

An extension of Mazak’s All Axes podcast, All Axes LIVE offers participants a wide range of on-demand educational sessions, facility tours, live cutting demonstrations, and the ability to ask questions in real time. Additional details and online registration will be available free of charge beginning July 6, 2020.

Following the launch of its series of All Axes LIVE events, Mazak will roll out its reimagined Virtual Technology Center and interactive 360 Kentucky campus tour to extend the product and technology experience, as well as bring the benefits of its 800,000ft² campus to customers across North America on demand. The Virtual Technology Center will feature a rotating lineup of groundbreaking machines, automation systems, and digital technology, as well as the ability to request quotes and schedule in-person visits.

The interactive 360 Kentucky campus tour will allow visitors to explore Mazak’s North American manufacturing plant, National Technology Center and National Parts Center, including the newly completed, state-of-the-art Spindle Remanufacturing Facility. This advanced facility provides the fastest turnaround times possible for high-quality, OEM-factory-certified spindle rebuild services. To minimize downtime, customers can purchase remanufactured spindles, which ship within 24 hours, or opt for rebuild within five days.