FLORENCE, Ky., November 26, 2019 – More than 2,000 manufacturers from across North America attended Mazak Corporation’s DISCOVER 2019 event held November 5-7 and 12-13 at the company’s North American Manufacturing Headquarters in Florence, Kentucky. The event featured over 30 live machine tool demonstrations, and Mazak unveiled for the first time in North America several productivity-enhancing technologies such as its new MAZATROL SmoothAi control as well as a new mixed reality training and service support system. The company also showcased some of its investments in its Florence, Kentucky, manufacturing campus, including a sneak preview of the latest improvements to its Mazak iSMART Factory™ and a new Spindle Rebuild Facility in the campus’ South Building.
Developed with automation in mind, Mazak’s new SmoothAi control includes artificial-intelligence-driven machining functions such as SMOOTH Robot Cell Controller and SMOOTH Robot Teaching Assist that make it easier than ever to integrate a wide range of digital technologies into part-production operations. Featuring graphical user interface enhancements, an optional second monitor and operation panel enhancements to support other new SMOOTH TECHNOLOGY solutions, including SMOOTH Ai Spindle, Solid MAZATROL and Ai Thermal Shield, the SmoothAi CNC also incorporates new products like SMOOTH CAM Ai, MAZATROL TWINS software and SMOOTH Project Manager.
Also garnering much attention at DISCOVER 2019, Mazak’s Mixed Reality Training and new remote service modalities are expected to revolutionize training, service and maintenance with powerful display technology. The system takes virtual objects from VR and overlays them in the real world with an AR approach, enabling risk-free training and new possibilities for machine service and maintenance.
On the machine tool side, many of the advanced machines under power and cutting parts during DISCOVER 2019 included those paired with automation solutions such as articulating robots and palletized part loading/unloading systems. Other machine tool innovations included Mazak’s HYBRID Multi-Tasking series of machines, which add technologies such as 3D metal printing with Hot Wire Deposition (HWD) and using force to join metals with Friction Stir Welding (FSW) to conventional machine tools.