The MU-V LASER EX and MULTUS U LASER EX, machines in Okuma’s LASER EX Series of multitasking machines that combine laser machining technology, received one of the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun’s (Business & Technology Daily News) 2016 Best 10 New Product Awards. Best 10 New Product Awards are given to selected products for their contributions to the development of manufacturing and the strengthening of Japan’s international competitiveness. Winners are chosen from among all products developed and in practical use in a given year. This is the 13th time Okuma has received a Best 10 New Product Award in the years from 2003 to 2016.

The LASER EX multitasking machines go beyond the traditional concept of a multitasking machine that performs cutting operations. These machines can perform metal additive manufacturing (3D printing), hardening and coating in addition to cutting and grinding without remounting the workpiece.

Machining efficiency can be freely controlled by steplessly changing the laser spot diameter from ø0.4 to 8.5 mm, achieving the highest performance in response to machining statuses. High-definition, thin multilayer applications of 1 mm or less, considered difficult with laser metal deposition (LMD), is also possible. The improvement in additive manufacturing efficiency is 60–80%, among the highest in the world. Precision hardening with little distortion and no hardening inconsistency and surface coating of dissimilar metals are also possible.

The LASER EX Series goes beyond the framework of traditional cutting machines and will serve core roles in next-generation smart factories.