ARCHIVE MAKERSMaker histories

⑂39 companies

35 are still in business, and 4 passed to other companies through mergers or business transfers (based on the family-tree data). The starting year is the year of the first name in the family tree, which is sometimes that of a predecessor works or division.

1. Ikegai1889–Still active
   190019502000

   1889Ikegai Works→1906Ikegai Iron Works (partnership)→1913Ikegai Iron Works, Ltd.→1949Ikegai Tekko→1991Ikegai^[4][3]

   Appears in: LathesMilling/MCGrindersGear cuttingDrilling/boringMultitasking/5-axis

   • May 1889Lathes★Ikegai Shotaro founds the Ikegai Works in Shiba Kanasugi, Tokyo (May), starting in a rented shop with two English-type lathes. At the end of the year he and his younger brother Kishiro build English-type 9-foot lathes for their own use. The oldest surviving Japanese-made powered lathe (Mechanical Engineering Heritage No. 53, National Museum of Nature and Science)[1][2, frame 45][2, frame 25][3, frame 26][4]
   • 1898LathesIkegai delivers two of its own lathes to the Naval Engineering College, its first such delivery. Orders for lathes and other machines from navy departments follow[5, frame 65]
   • 1898Drilling/boringIkegai delivers lathes of its own make to the Naval Engineering College, and from then on receives orders for lathes, planers and drilling machines from various navy departments[5, frame 65]
   • 1905Lathes★Ikegai builds an American-type lathe to Francis's specifications and begins volume production of the "Ikegai standard lathe" (until then mostly English-type). It also tried producing about 30 a month[5, frame 65][4][3, frame 43][3, frame 44]
   • December 1972Multitasking/5-axis★Ikegai Tekko's FT500NA turning center appears in the new-product column of Kikai Shinko. The 1981 Senban manyuaru writes that "in Japan, Ikegai Tekko announced a turning center in 1973 and completed a series"[6, frame 47][7, frame 73]

   The chapter timelines have 14 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

2. Eguro1937–Still active
   190019502000

   1937Eguro Iron Works→1992Eguro^[8]

   Appears in: Lathes

   • 1968LathesEguro Iron Works announces the gang-tool NC lathe ENC101 (the company calls it "Japan's first gang-tool type")[8]
3. Okuma1898–Still active
   190019502000

   1898Okuma Noodle Machine Co.→1918Okuma Iron Works→1991Okuma^[99][9]

   Appears in: LathesMilling/MCGrindersDrilling/boringMultitasking/5-axis

   • 1918Grinders★Okuma receives drawings from an army arsenal and builds the Type GA-1 tool grinder, modeled on the Norton (US) No. 1 universal tool grinder. The start of the company's grinder making[9, frame 19][9, frame 23]
   • October 1941Grinders★Okuma's Type GHU universal grinder, built under the 1939 National Mobilization research and testing order, passes its acceptance review. A hydraulic machine modeled on a Landis (US) grinder, it could do cylindrical, internal and surface grinding; 500 were built by 1945, laying the foundation for postwar grinder production[2, frame 61][10]
   • March 1956Grinders★Okuma's Type GPB cyclic cylindrical grinder is completed. It performs roughing, finishing and sizing in one continuous cycle and draws attention at the 2nd Osaka International Trade Fair. With the non-circular plain bearing, about 700 are built by 1969 (Mechanical Engineering Heritage No. 59)[9, frame 72][9, frame 66][11]
   • 1958Drilling/boring★Okuma Iron Works' Type DRA-J high-speed heavy-duty radial drilling machine. Stiffened for jig-borer-level precision drilling and high-speed machining, it could be set up for the next cutting conditions while machining. More than 3,000 were sold[12]
   • April 1958Lathes★Okuma's Type LS practical high-speed lathe (design begun in 1956). Unveiled at the Osaka International Trade Fair in April and put into production at 30 a month; an assembly conveyor was completed in 1962. Over 30,000 built in total[13][9, frame 65][9, frame 74][9, frame 77]

   The chapter timelines have 29 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

4. Osaka Kiko (OKK)1915–Still active
   190019502000

   1915Matsuda Seisakusho→1920Osaka Kikai Kosakusho→1938Osaka Kiko (now Nidec OKK)^[14]

   Appears in: LathesMilling/MCGrinders

   • 1934Milling/MCOsaka Kikai Kosakusho (a maker of pumps, water meters and spinning machinery) begins building machine tools. Renamed Osaka Kiko in 1938[14]
   • 1941Milling/MCOsaka Kiko develops the MH-3V knee-type milling machine, based on Cincinnati's No. 3 milling machine, as a commissioned machine under the 1940 Research and Testing Ordinance. The prototype of the company's later knee-type machines[15]
   • 1960Milling/MCOsaka Kiko completes an NC milling machine and delivers it to a heavy-industry maker[14]
   • 1961LathesOsaka Kiko licenses general-purpose lathe technology from Ramo of France and commercializes the OKK-RAMO lathe T-37 and others[16]
   • 1964Milling/MCOsaka Kiko develops the bed-type milling machine MH-2 1/2V, the prototype of its mass-produced general-purpose milling machines[17]

   The chapter timelines have 7 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

5. Okamoto Machine Tool Works1926–Still active
   190019502000

   1926Okamoto Senyo Kosaku Kikai Seisakusho→1935Okamoto Machine Tool Works^[18]

   Appears in: GrindersGear cutting

   • 1926GrindersOkamoto Kakusaburo founds the privately owned Okamoto Senyo Kosaku Kikai Seisakusho (incorporated as Okamoto Machine Tool Works in 1935)[18]
   • 1930Grinders★On an order from the Kure Naval Arsenal, Okamoto completes the Type ASG-2, the first spur gear grinder made in Japan. Max. pitch diameter 500 mm, module 8. Thirteen are built by the end of the war, and Okamoto goes on to become a full-line grinder maker[19][18]
   • 1930Gear cuttingOn an order from the Kure Naval Arsenal, Okamoto Machine Tool Works completes the Type ASG-2, the first spur gear grinder made in Japan (Chapter 3)[19][20, frame 105]
   • 1953Grinders★Okamoto Machine Tool Works develops the Type PSG-6, Japan's first domestically made surface grinder (in the company's words)[18]
   • 1954GrindersOkamoto Machine Tool Works develops the IGM series of internal grinders[18]

   The chapter timelines have 4 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

6. Kashifuji1913–Still active
   190019502000

   1913Kashifuji Iron Works→1990Kashifuji^[21][22]

   Appears in: Gear cutting

   • 1913Gear cuttingKashifuji Iron Works is founded in Kyoto (today's Kashifuji)[21]
   • 1918Gear cuttingAccording to Kashifuji's company history, in 1918 its founder Kashifuji Tomesaburo built a prototype of the first 40-inch hobbing machine and began making repair gears for the Kyoto City trams (the company calls it "Japan's first hobbing machine")[22]
   • 1920Gear cuttingKashifuji Iron Works completes a 40-inch hobbing machine, modeled on a Pfauter (Germany) machine[20, frame 105]
   • 1928–31Gear cuttingKashifuji Iron Works releases the general-purpose hobbing machines K0 (14-inch, 1928), K1 (24-inch, 1930) and K2 (40-inch, 1931)[22]
   • 2014Gear cutting★Skiving machines and tools come from Japanese companies: Kashifuji's KPS20 gear skiving machine, Karatsu Iron Works' GSV-25N gear skiving machine and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' Super Skiving Cutter[22][23][24]

   The chapter timelines have 3 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

7. Karatsu Precision1909–Still active
   190019502000

   1909Karatsu Iron Works (Yoshitani Coal Mine)→1916Karatsu Iron Works→2016Karatsu Precision^[23]

   Appears in: Gear cuttingDrilling/boring

   • 1909Gear cuttingKaratsu Iron Works of the Yoshitani Coal Mine is founded in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture (becomes independent as Karatsu Iron Works Co., Ltd. in 1916)[23][20, frame 104]
   • 1915Drilling/boringKaratsu Iron Works completes a gun barrel lathe that can both turn and bore on one machine[23]
   • 1921Gear cuttingKaratsu Iron Works builds a hobbing machine for cutting steam turbine pinions[20, frame 105]
   • 1938Drilling/boring★Karatsu Iron Works completes an extra-large gun barrel boring machine for the main guns of the battleships Yamato and Musashi and delivers it to the Kure Naval Arsenal (about 64 m long, according to the company's history)[23]
   • 2014Gear cutting★Skiving machines and tools come from Japanese companies: Kashifuji's KPS20 gear skiving machine, Karatsu Iron Works' GSV-25N gear skiving machine and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' Super Skiving Cutter[22][23][24]

   The chapter timelines have 6 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

8. Kira Corporation1927–Still active
   190019502000

   1927Yoshida Iron Works→1944Mikawa Nainenki Kogyo→1957Kira Iron Works→1994Kira Corporation^[25]

   Appears in: Drilling/boring

   • July 1956Drilling/boringMikawa Nainenki Kogyo of Aichi Prefecture begins making bench drilling machines and tapping machines, is renamed Kira Iron Works in 1957, and releases an upright drilling machine in 1958[25]
   • May 1981Drilling/boringKira Iron Works, a drilling machine maker, begins making and selling machining centers[25]
   • March 1994Drilling/boringKira Iron Works and two other companies merge to form Kira Corporation[25]
9. Kuroda Precision Industries1925–Still active
   190019502000

   1925Kuroda Kyohan Seisakusho→1965Kuroda Precision Industries^[26]

   Appears in: GrindersDrilling/boring

   • 1936GrindersThe gauge maker Kuroda Kyohan Seisakusho buys a Lindner (Germany) thread grinder. It is the third in Japan and costs more than the company's monthly output[26, frame 72]
   • 1953GrindersKuroda Kyohan Seisakusho develops the horizontal-spindle surface grinder GS-201 for its own die and mold making (the spindle runs in Mackensen-type hydrodynamic bearings)[26, frame 75][27]
   • 1962Drilling/boringKuroda Precision Industries makes its universal boring heads into a series (it had begun making them in Japan around 1958, on MITI's advice, in place of expensive imports). They allow boring and facing on ordinary milling and drilling machines[28]
   • 1963GrindersKuroda's GS-201 goes on general sale in response to outside demand[27][26, frame 75]
   • June 1965GrindersKuroda Kyohan Seisakusho is renamed Kuroda Precision Industries. In the same year, through a tie-up with Diaform of the UK, it releases a surface grinder with a built-in wheel-shaping device[26, frame 59][26, frame 76][26, frame 90]
10. JTEKT1941–Still active
    190019502000

    1941Toyoda Machine Works→2006JTEKT (merged with Koyo Seiko)^[30][100]

    Appears in: LathesGrindersDrilling/boringMultitasking/5-axis

    • 1941Drilling/boringAt its founding, Toyoda Machine Works applies to produce multi-spindle special drilling machines, precision boring machines and other types (new prototypes not made by existing machine tool companies). Its Type EJ/ES precision boring machines are used to mass-produce aircraft parts during the war and automobile parts after it[3, frame 77][29]
    • April 1941LathesInaugural meeting of Toyoda Machine Works (the machinery plant spun off from Toyota Motor Co.). Licensed under the Act, it builds the Type HD200 semi-automatic multi-tool lathe, the Type FB12 automatic multi-tool lathe and others[30, frame 23][30, frame 24]
    • 1955Grinders★Toyoda Machine Works signs a technical tie-up with Gendron of France for cylindrical grinders, going ahead despite internal worries about the new fluid-bearing mechanism[31][30, frame 35][30, frame 36]
    • 1956GrindersToyoda Machine Works exhibits its first grinder, the Toyoda-Gendron cylindrical grinder RA25-100, at a trade fair. Its hydrostatic fluid bearings attract interest, and the first order comes from an automaker. It went on to support the auto industry in jobs such as grinding crankshaft journals[32][30, frame 37][30, frame 38]
    • October 1977Grinders★Toyoda Machine Works' CBN production cam grinder receives the 12th Japan Society for the Promotion of Machine Industry Award[30, frame 78]

    The chapter timelines have 9 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

11. Shigiya Seiki Seisakusho1911–Still active
    190019502000

    1911Oriental Shokki Kogyo→1958Shigiya Seiki Kogyosho→1960Shigiya Seiki Seisakusho^[33]

    Appears in: Grinders

    • 1955GrindersShigiya (then Oriental Shokki Kogyo) completes the prototype of the combined universal and tool grinder it began developing in 1952[33]
    • September 1958GrindersRenamed Shigiya Seiki Kogyosho, the company moves entirely from looms to machine tool production and starts developing cylindrical grinders. The Type G-24 cylindrical grinder follows in 1959[33]
    • 1980GrindersShigiya Seiki Seisakusho's first CNC cylindrical grinder, the GN-27[33]
    • 1996GrindersShigiya Seiki Seisakusho's GCM-30 CNC masterless cam grinder[33]
    • 2010GrindersShigiya Seiki Seisakusho develops the GAV-10 and GAV-15 vertical CNC angular cylindrical grinders (the company calls them Japan's first vertical grinders that support the work between two centers)[33]
12. Citizen Machinery1936–Still active
    190019502000

    1936Citizen Watch machine tool division→1982Citizen Seiki→2005Citizen Machinery^[35]

    Appears in: Lathes

    • March 1970LathesCitizen Watch develops the NC automatic lathe "Cincom D16"[34][35]
13. Shibaura Machine1938–Still active
    190019502000

    1938Shibaura Kosaku Kikai→1945Shibaura Koki→1949Shibaura Kikai Seisakusho→1961Toshiba Machine→2020Shibaura Machine^[36]

    Appears in: Drilling/boring

    • December 1938Drilling/boringShibaura Kosaku Kikai is founded with investment from Shibaura Engineering Works (today's Shibaura Machine). In 1939 it begins building powerful large machine tools at its Tsurumi plant[36][3, frame 78]
    • 1939, 1941Drilling/boringShibaura Kosaku Kikai's special boring machines are delivered to the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal (machining guns and bombs), the Harima and Osaka Army Arsenals (boring gun barrels) and elsewhere[3, frame 94]
    • April 2020Drilling/boringToshiba Machine changes its name to Shibaura Machine (it had left the Toshiba group in 2017)[36]
14. Japax1953–Passed to another company, 1991
    190019502000

    1953Nihon Hoden Kako Kenkyusho→1960Japax⇒1991Sodick (successor)^[38][37]

    Appears in: EDM

    • 1953EDM★Nihon Hoden Kako Kenkyusho is founded as an affiliate of Ikegai Iron Works. Its founder, Inoue Kiyoshi, was an engineer who had researched EDM at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and set up the company after hitting it off with Okazaki Kaheita, then president of Ikegai Iron Works. Yaskawa Electric also begins EDM research around this time[37]
    • March 1954EDM★Nihon Hoden Kako Kenkyusho completes Japan's first practical EDM, the "Japaxtron D3", and delivers it to the Tokyo Institute of Technology. It was an original design, unlike Western machines, and was also called a spark-discharge hole-piercing machine. Registered as Essential Historical Materials for Science and Technology (No. 373) in 2024[38][37][39]
    • 1960EDMNihon Hoden Kako Kenkyusho changes its name to Japax. The same year the 1st International Symposium on Electromachining (ISEM) is held in Prague[38][37]
    • 1969EDMIn the late 1960s Japax and Mitsubishi Electric were called the "big two" of EDM. Japax's D100M, descended from the D3, gains a transistor power supply (QC power supply) in 1969. Semiconductor power supplies greatly reduce electrode wear, and EDMs begin to spread to three-dimensional blind cavities in dies[37]
    • April 1991EDM★Japax, Japan's top maker until around 1980, struggling since the oil shocks, comes under Sodick when Sodick takes an equity stake. A spin-off taking over its former parent was big news at the time. In October 1992 Sodick takes over part of the sales operations of Japax's EDM division[37][40]
15. Shin Nippon Koki1898–Still active
    190019502000

    1898Wakayama Iron Works→1949Shin Nippon Koki^[41]

    Appears in: LathesMilling/MC

    • 1898LathesWakayama Takisaburo opens Wakayama Iron Works, building foot-operated hand punching machines and hand-cranked 6-foot lathes. In 1904 it begins specializing in machine tools[41]
    • Around World War ILathesAs an example of the period when lathe exports grew because of the war, Wakayama Iron Works' 6-foot and 8-foot lathes for Russia are cited alongside Ikegai's lathes for Britain and Russia (the book says "after the war")[42, frame 22]
    • PrewarLathesIn prewar Osaka, Kisha Seizo, Hirao Seisakusho, Adachi Iron Works and Wakayama Iron Works were well-known lathe makers (as of 1984, none of them was said to be still making lathes)[43, frame 25]
    • 1958Milling/MC★Shin Nippon Koki completes the first RB-Ⅱ precision vertical boring and milling machine. The company regards it as the prototype of its double-column machines, and in 2005 it received a Best Technical Award as a "historically valuable machine tool". A 1960 advertisement lists Types RB-Ⅰ to Ⅳ precision vertical boring machines[41][44, frame 22]
    • September 1970Milling/MC★The Technical Research Institute of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Machine Industry completes a 7-axis machining center with simultaneous 5-axis control and an ATC, built as a prototype at Shin Nippon Koki. Its spindle head carries a high-speed spindle for drilling and a spindle for milling, and it can machine five faces of workpieces up to 500 mm square in succession. The company calls it the FM-720, "Japan's first simultaneous 5-axis multitasking machine tool"[45, frame 31][45, frame 47][46, frame 64][41]

    The chapter timelines have 5 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

16. Star Micronics1950–Still active
    190019502000

    1950Star Seisakusho→1965Star Micronics^[101]

    Appears in: Lathes

    The chapter timelines list no events under this company's names (it appears only in the family trees).

17. Seibu Electric & Machinery1927–Still active
    190019502000

    1927Seibu Denki Kogyosho→1939Seibu Denki Kogyo→1986Seibu Electric & Machinery^[47]

    Appears in: EDM

    • October 1962EDMSeibu Denki Kogyo (today's Seibu Electric & Machinery) develops a die-sinking EDM with the help of Yaskawa Electric and exhibits the Type E-304 and a bench-top model at the International Machine Tool Fair. Hitachi Zosen also exhibits a hydraulic-servo prototype, but it never became a business[37][47]
    • October 1972EDM★Seibu Denki Kogyo builds the Type EW-20 wire EDM, run by a minicomputer-based NC, and exhibits it at the 6th Japan International Machine Tool Fair. It is Japan's first NC wire EDM, and the company calls it the world's first CNC wire EDM. Registered as Essential Historical Materials for Science and Technology (No. 395) in 2025[48][37][47][49]
    • 1974EDMSeibu Denki Kogyo's E-202H die-sinking EDM. Its spindle is driven by a hydraulic servo, the mainstream of the time, and it carries a superimposed-voltage circuit (DP circuit) for fast roughing and clean finishing. It is still used in production at a company in Fukuoka Prefecture[50]
    • 1984EDMMitsubishi Electric's DWC-90G achieves the industry's highest rate of 200 mm²/min and carries an early pipe-guided automatic wire threader. Seibu Denki Kogyo releases the EWP-300A, its first high-precision machine, which uses a double-column structure and linear scales to suppress thermal distortion[51][52]
    • August 1995EDMSeibu Electric & Machinery's AWF-3 automatic wire threader cuts threading time to 10 seconds (from about 90 seconds before). "10-second threading" became the target for other makers[37][47]
18. Sodick1976–Still active
    190019502000

    1976Sodick^[40]

    Took over: Japax (1991)

    Appears in: EDM

    • 1976EDMSodick and Makino Milling Machine build Japan's first die-sinking EDM with microcomputer NC (machine by Makino, power supply and NC by Sodick)[53][37]
    • August 1976EDM★Sodick splits off from Japax and is founded in Yokohama. The same year it releases SIX-LORAN, Japan's first orbiting device (it moves the electrode in X and Y as well, to finish the side walls)[37][40]
    • 1980EDMSodick's 22-NC die-sinking EDM. It can simultaneously control X, Y, Z and a C axis that rotates the electrode, and is suited to complex dies. It is the oldest surviving die-sinking EDM with microcomputer NC on public display. Registered as Essential Historical Materials for Science and Technology (No. 375) in 2024[53][54]
    • April 1991EDM★Japax, Japan's top maker until around 1980, struggling since the oil shocks, comes under Sodick when Sodick takes an equity stake. A spin-off taking over its former parent was big news at the time. In October 1992 Sodick takes over part of the sales operations of Japax's EDM division[37][40]
    • 1998EDM★Sodick releases the AM series of die-sinking EDMs with the spindle (Z axis) driven by a linear motor (a world first). Z-axis speed rose from a few m/min to 36 m/min, and moving the electrode up and down quickly to flush out debris made machining faster[55][37]

    The chapter timelines have 1 more event for this company (Combined Timeline).

19. Taiyo Koki1986–Still active
    190019502000

    1986Taiyo Koki^[56]

    Appears in: Grinders

    • October 1990GrindersTaiyo Koki, founded in Nagaoka in 1986, begins selling vertical grinders, which later become its main products[56]
    • 2014GrindersMultitasking grinding: Okamoto Machine Tool Works' UGM360NC CNC precision multitasking cylindrical grinder and Taiyo Koki's CVG series of vertical multitasking grinders[18][56]
20. Takamatsu Machinery1948–Still active
    190019502000

    1948Takamatsu Iron Works→1961Takamatsu Machinery^[102]

    Appears in: Lathes

    The chapter timelines list no events under this company's names (it appears only in the family trees).

21. TAKISAWA1922–Still active
    190019502000

    1922Takisawa Iron Works→2022TAKISAWA^[57]

    Appears in: Lathes

    • August 1922LathesTakisawa Iron Works is founded in Okayama (later a lathe specialist)[57][58, frame 61]
    • August 1968LathesTakisawa Iron Works begins NC lathe production[57]
22. Tsugami Corp.1937–Still active
    190019502000

    1937Tsugami Seisakusho→1970Tsugami Co.→1982Tsugami Corp.^[60]

    Appears in: LathesGrinders

    • 1939GrindersTsugami Seisakusho completes the T-UG300 hydraulic universal cylindrical grinder with an incentive grant from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. An early example of a hydraulically driven grinder[59, frame 48][59, frame 99]
    • By 1971GrindersTsugami Seisakusho's PG350 precision high-speed cylindrical grinder. It brings "high-speed grinding", raising the wheel peripheral speed from 1,800 m/min (30 m/s) to 3,600 m/min (60 m/s), to automobile parts and the like[59, frame 51][59, frame 52]
    • June 1978LathesTsugami launches the CNC multi-function automatic lathe "Mercury"[60]
23. DMG MORI1948–Still active
    190019502000

    1948Mori Seiki→2013DMG MORI^[61]

    Took over: Hitachi Seiki (2002, part of business transferred)

    Appears in: LathesMilling/MCMultitasking/5-axis

    • October 1948LathesMori Seiki is established in Nara (initially textile machinery)[61]
    • May 1958LathesMori Seiki switches from textile machinery to high-speed precision lathes. The MS-850 engine lathe drives its growth, and it begins exporting in 1960[61][62]
    • 1978Lathes★Mori Seiki's NC lathe SL-2. An integrated design with the NC unit built into the machine, it sold about 2,500 units in nine years and became the basis of the SL series[63]
    • 1984Milling/MC★Mori Seiki's small vertical MC MV junior. It sold 4,700 units in eight years and made the small, affordable vertical MC the industry standard[64]
    • 2006Multitasking/5-axis★Four of the five models winning the Machine Industry Design Award are 5-axis MCs or multitasking machines (including Mitsui Seiki Kogyo's Vertex550-5X 5-axis vertical and Matsuura Machinery's CUBLEX-25 5-axis multitasking machine). The same year, Mori Seiki develops the 5-axis NMV5000 DCG[65][66][67][61]

    The chapter timelines have 10 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

24. Nakamura-Tome Precision Industry1949–Still active
    190019502000

    1949Nakamura Iron Works→1960Nakamura-Tome Precision Industry^[68]

    Appears in: LathesMultitasking/5-axis

    • September 1985Multitasking/5-axisNakamura-Tome Precision Industry announces the "Shitamachi FA series" for automation and labor saving that even small factories can easily adopt[68]
    • April 1988Multitasking/5-axis★Nakamura-Tome Precision Industry announces the TW-20, a two-spindle, two-turret machine with its spindles and turrets facing each other. It achieved simultaneous machining and complete machining to the finished part on one machine, and became the prototype of the later WT series and Super NT series[68]
    • May 2000Multitasking/5-axisNakamura-Tome Precision Industry announces the STW-40 "super multitasking machine", with a dedicated tool spindle and ATC, which does both turning and machining-center work on one machine[68]
    • June 2023Multitasking/5-axisNakamura-Tome Precision Industry starts its own "Multitasking Machine Certification" for people who use multitasking machines[68]
25. Niigata Machine Techno1895–Still active
    190019502000

    1895Nippon Oil's ironworks→1910Niigata Iron Works (Niigata Engineering)→2003Niigata Machine Techno^[70][69]

    Appears in: LathesMilling/MCDrilling/boring

    • June 1895LathesFounded as Nippon Oil's Niigata ironworks (later Niigata Iron Works)[69, frame 10]
    • November 1904LathesNiigata Iron Works receives an order from the Tokyo Army Artillery Arsenal for 50 shell-turning lathes (center height 300 mm, bed length 2,120 mm, 850 yen each), the start of its machine tool business[69, frame 30][3, frame 40][70]
    • c. 1922–24Drilling/boring★Niigata Engineering builds a 7-inch (spindle diameter) horizontal boring machine for Hitachi. Weighing 30 tons, it is listed in the company history among the noteworthy machines of the period[69, frame 237]
    • January 1941Drilling/boringUnder the National Mobilization Law, companies are assigned machine types and ordered to research and build them. Niigata Engineering's designated types include precision boring machines and gun barrel boring machines; the precision boring machine is the Type 9Fb, modeled on a machine by Krause of Germany[69, frame 238]
    • 1952LathesNiigata Engineering's Type 45SD heavy-duty high-speed lathe (MITI research subsidy), considered the first new postwar lathe model. In the same year, Ikegai's Type H14 high-speed precision lathe[2, frame 66]

    The chapter timelines have 9 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

26. Nisshin Kikai Seisakusho1931–Still active
    190019502000

    1931Nisshin Kikai Seisakusho→1947Nisshin Shokki→1952Nisshin Kikai Seisakusho^[71]

    Appears in: Grinders

    • 1931GrindersNisshin Kikai Seisakusho is founded in Hamamatsu (initially making textile machinery)[71]
    • 1940Grinders★Nisshin Kikai Seisakusho begins making centerless grinders and lathes[71]
    • 1945GrindersNisshin Kikai Seisakusho is temporarily dissolved due to war damage (it restarts as Nisshin Shokki in 1947)[71]
    • 1950GrindersNisshin Kikai Seisakusho resumes making centerless grinders (the name Nisshin Kikai Seisakusho is restored in 1952)[71]
    • 1970Grinders★Nisshin Kikai Seisakusho begins producing the Type HI-GRIND 2, a high-speed centerless grinder with hydrostatic bearings and hydrostatic guideways, and exhibits it at the 5th Japan International Machine Tool Fair. In 1973, full production of fully automatic centerless grinders with measuring gauges begins[71]

    The chapter timelines have 1 more event for this company (Combined Timeline).

27. Nidec2021–Still active
    190019502000

    2021Nidec^[72]

    Took over: MHI Machine Tool (2021)

    Appears in: Gear cuttingDrilling/boring

    • 2021Gear cuttingMitsubishi Heavy Industries Machine Tool comes under Nidec through a business transfer (today's Nidec Machine Tool)[72]
28. Hitachi Kosakuki1910–Passed to another company, 1941
    190019502000

    1910Tokyo Gas & Electric, machinery dept.→1939Hitachi Kosakuki⇒1941Hitachi Seiki (successor)^[73]

    Appears in: Milling/MC

    • 1910Milling/MCA machinery department is set up at Tokyo Gas Industry's Omori works. It later became the machinery department of Tokyo Gas & Electric Industry, the root of Hitachi Seiki's milling machines[73, frame 54]
    • Late TaishoMilling/MC★Tokyo Gas & Electric Industry's machinery department begins building milling machines modeled on a (light-type) milling machine by Cincinnati of the US. It also studies the improvements in the imported Cincinnati and Kearney & Trecker machines[73, frame 23][73, frame 24]
    • 1935 onwardMilling/MCGasuden's Type M milling machine becomes the first milling machine in Japan built in lots. The machinery department makes 30 a month, the leading milling machine factory in Japan[73, frame 24]
    • 1938Milling/MCUnder the Machine Tool Manufacturing Industry Act, Gasuden's Omori works machinery department becomes one of the first licensed factories[73, frame 55]
    • May 1939Milling/MCGasuden's machinery department becomes independent as Hitachi Kosakuki, a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd.[73, frame 55]

    The chapter timelines have 1 more event for this company (Combined Timeline).

29. Hitachi Seiki1936–Passed to another company, 2002
    190019502000

    1936Kokusan Seiki→1941Hitachi Seiki⇒2002Mori Seiki (part of business transferred)^[58][61][73]

    Took over: Hitachi Kosakuki (1941)

    Appears in: LathesMilling/MCMultitasking/5-axis

    • 1936LathesKokusan Seiki is established. In December 1941 it merges with two other companies to form Hitachi Seiki[58, frame 37][58, frame 39]
    • December 1941Milling/MCKokusan Seiki, Hitachi Kosakuki and Shinohara Kikai merge to form Hitachi Seiki[73, frame 52][73, frame 59]
    • 1954Milling/MCHitachi Seiki completes the first heavy-duty knee-type horizontal milling machine Type MK (Type ML in 1955)[73, frame 25][73, frame 26]
    • 1958Milling/MCHitachi Seiki completes the Type MP production milling machine (bed type)[73, frame 26]
    • 1979Multitasking/5-axis★Hitachi Seiki develops the 5LC, a full-fledged turning center with rotating tools for process integration. With 4-axis control of X, Y, Z and C and a 20-tool ATC, it was built into many kinds of systems as a mid-size multitasking machine[74, frame 17]

    The chapter timelines have 3 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

30. FANUC1955–Still active
    190019502000

    1955Fujitsu NC division→1972Fujitsu FANUC→1982FANUC^[75]

    Appears in: LathesMilling/MCEDM

    • 1956LathesFuji Tsushinki (later FANUC) becomes the first private company to develop an NC unit and servo (first used on a turret punch press). The Mechanical Engineering Laboratory of the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology also starts NC research and builds a prototype NC jig borer, JIDIC, in 1959[75][76][77]
    • 1958LathesFANUC's first commercial NC unit is delivered to Makino Milling Machine (NC milling machine). Electro-hydraulic pulse motor developed in 1959[75][76]
    • March 1958Milling/MC★Makino develops the K series of vertical milling machines and Japan's first NC milling machine. The NC unit is Fuji Tsushinki's first commercial unit[78][75][76]
    • July 1975EDM★Fujitsu FANUC (today's FANUC) launches three NC wire EDMs, including the TAPECUT MODEL A, aiming to win share with low prices (a newspaper headline of the time: "Selling at less than half the price of competitors")[37][75]
    • 1979EDM★FANUC, using technology brought in from Siemens of Germany, releases Japan's first automatic wire threader (the machine rethreads the wire by itself if it breaks). By the mid-1980s the leading makers all had their own. The same year Mitsubishi Electric releases the DWC-90P, accurate to 3–5 μm[37]

    The chapter timelines have 5 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

31. Nachi-Fujikoshi1928–Still active
    190019502000

    1928Fujikoshi Steel Industry→1963Nachi-Fujikoshi^[103]

    Appears in: Gear cutting

    • November 1953Gear cuttingAutomakers had installed gear shaving machines but struggled to get replacement cutters. Fujikoshi Steel Industry signs a tie-up with Michigan Tool (US) for shaving cutter manufacturing technology[79, frame 71]
    • 1961Gear cuttingNachi-Fujikoshi develops a production hobbing machine to make the most of its own gear cutting tools and begins selling it in 1962. It was later redesigned for high feed rates with multi-start hobs[79, frame 145][79, frame 93]
    • 1966Gear cuttingNachi-Fujikoshi begins selling a high-speed gear shaper[79, frame 93]
    • 1971Gear cuttingNachi-Fujikoshi signs a technical tie-up with a West German hobbing machine specialist for internal gear skiving machines and production hobbing machines (Types SH-180, SH-900 and SH-1250), with sales from the following year[80, frame 101][79, frame 102][79, frame 149]
    • 1974Gear cuttingNachi-Fujikoshi shows, with a hobbing machine whose direct-driven hob spindle suppresses vibration, that hobbing with carbide hobs is practical[79, frame 145][79, frame 149]
32. Makino Milling Machine1937–Still active
    190019502000

    1937Makino Shoten Mfg. Dept.→1942Makino Vertical Milling Machine Works→1961Makino Milling Machine^[78]

    Appears in: Milling/MCEDM

    • May 1937Milling/MC★Makino Tsunezo founds the "Makino Shoten Manufacturing Department", a maker specializing in No. 1 vertical milling machines (renamed Makino Vertical Milling Machine Works in March 1942)[78]
    • March 1958Milling/MC★Makino develops the K series of vertical milling machines and Japan's first NC milling machine. The NC unit is Fuji Tsushinki's first commercial unit[78][75][76]
    • October 1966Milling/MCMakino Milling Machine develops a machining center (the company calls it "Japan's first")[78]
    • August 1972Milling/MCMakino Milling Machine develops a transfer line (FMS) using adaptive-control machining centers[78]
    • 1993EDM★Makino Milling Machine releases the UPH-1, a wire EDM for dies for fine parts such as semiconductor lead frames. With its horizontal wire-travel design, it was the first in the industry to automatically thread a φ0.03 mm wire (the same year Sodick achieved automatic threading of φ0.05 mm). Registered as Essential Historical Materials for Science and Technology (No. 376) in 2024[81][37][82]

    The chapter timelines have 6 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

33. Matsuura Machinery1935–Still active
    190019502000

    1935Matsuura (founded)→1960Matsuura Machinery^[67]

    Appears in: Milling/MCMultitasking/5-axis

    • 1960Milling/MCMatsuura Machinery's Microman SB-1: an automatic vertical milling machine that switches spindle speed and feed by program control and stops within 0.02 mm in three directions (the company says production and sales began in 1961)[83][67]
    • 1974Milling/MC★Matsuura Machinery releases the vertical machining center MC-750V. At a time when horizontal machines dominated, it lowered prices with a vertical design. Exports to the US begin in 1975[84][67]
    • 1991Milling/MC★Matsuura Machinery releases a 5-axis machining center for unmanned operation (72 hours of continuous unmanned running)[67]
    • 2002Multitasking/5-axis★Matsuura Machinery develops a metal laser sintering hybrid milling machine that combines metal laser sintering, which solidifies metal powder with a laser, with machining center cutting in one machine. It began production and sales in 2003, and in 2004 the M-PHOTON25C won the Japan Industrial Technology Grand Prize and the LUMEX 25C was announced[67]
    • 2006Multitasking/5-axis★Four of the five models winning the Machine Industry Design Award are 5-axis MCs or multitasking machines (including Mitsui Seiki Kogyo's Vertex550-5X 5-axis vertical and Matsuura Machinery's CUBLEX-25 5-axis multitasking machine). The same year, Mori Seiki develops the 5-axis NMV5000 DCG[65][66][67][61]

    The chapter timelines have 2 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

34. Mitsui Seiki Kogyo1928–Still active
    190019502000

    1928Tsugami Seisakusho→1937Toyo Seiki→1942Mitsui Seiki Kogyo→1950Toyo Seiki→1952Mitsui Seiki Kogyo^[66]

    Appears in: Drilling/boringMultitasking/5-axis

    • July 1938Drilling/boring★Toyo Seiki becomes a licensed company under the Act and begins producing the jig borer (Type 4) (the company calls it "Japan's first jig borer"). Modeled on an SIP machine from Switzerland, about 220 are built by the end of the war[66][85]
    • March 1955Drilling/boringMitsui Seiki Kogyo begins making the No. 3 jig borer and receives the first Akashi Memorial Award of the Japan Society of Precision Engineering[66]
    • October 1970Drilling/boringMitsui Seiki Kogyo begins producing its first machining centers, the Jidic H5B and H6B. A jig borer company moves into MCs[66]
    • 2006Multitasking/5-axis★Four of the five models winning the Machine Industry Design Award are 5-axis MCs or multitasking machines (including Mitsui Seiki Kogyo's Vertex550-5X 5-axis vertical and Matsuura Machinery's CUBLEX-25 5-axis multitasking machine). The same year, Mori Seiki develops the 5-axis NMV5000 DCG[65][66][67][61]
35. MHI Machine Tool1944–Passed to another company, 2021
    190019502000

    1944Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Kyoto, Hiroshima)→2015MHI Machine Tool⇒2021Nidec (successor)^[72][86]

    Appears in: GrindersGear cuttingDrilling/boring

    • 1961Gear cutting★Mitsubishi Heavy Industries signs a technical tie-up with Lorenz of West Germany for gear cutting machines and begins producing the "Mitsubishi Lorenz" vertical hobbing machine at its Kyoto Works[86, frame 383][86, frame 542]
    • November 1967Drilling/boring★Mitsubishi Heavy Industries completes the first MAF machine, the in-house "Mitsubishi combined milling and boring machine" developed as the successor to the MIB machine. Built to meet the growing size of shipbuilding and nuclear equipment, it is called by the company "Japan's first NC boring and milling machine". For turbine casings; total weight 320 tons[86, frame 383][86, frame 546][24][87]
    • 1980Gear cutting★Mitsubishi Heavy Industries develops the GH400NC NC hobbing machine (said to be Japan's first NC hobbing machine): up to module 12, stepless hob spindle speeds of 60–350 rpm, five axes under NC control[88][24]
    • 1997Gear cutting★Mitsubishi Heavy Industries completes a dry cutting system for gears that uses no cutting oil (the company calls it a world first). The GE series of dry-cut hobbing machines follows in 2002[24]
    • 2014Gear cutting★Skiving machines and tools come from Japanese companies: Kashifuji's KPS20 gear skiving machine, Karatsu Iron Works' GSV-25N gear skiving machine and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' Super Skiving Cutter[22][23][24]

    The chapter timelines have 14 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

36. Mitsubishi Electric1958–Still active
    190019502000

    1958Mitsubishi Shipbuilding + Mitsubishi Electric→1964Mitsubishi Electric (Nagoya Works)^[37]

    Appears in: EDM

    • 1958EDM★Mitsubishi Shipbuilding (the machine) and Mitsubishi Electric (the electrical parts such as the power supply) share the work and begin producing the DM-101 EDM[37][89]
    • 1963EDMMitsubishi's small DM-50B die-sinking EDM. Its power supply with a high-frequency superimposed circuit keeps discharges from concentrating in one spot and stabilizes machining. The same year's catalog lists four Ikegai Tekko models, including the Type D104H automatic precision EDM die-sinker, and the Mitsubishi Diax EDMs, Types DM-50 and DM-102[89][90, frame 83][90, frame 447][90, frame 448]
    • 1964EDMEnds the division of work with Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, consolidates the business into Mitsubishi Electric and begins producing EDMs at the Nagoya Works[37]
    • 1967EDMMitsubishi Electric releases the Type DM-250. Its spindle (Z axis) is driven by a hydraulic servo and can carry large electrodes of 50 kg, for sinking blind cavities in forging dies; the power supply could be chosen from high-frequency superimposed, thyristor and transistor types. It became a best seller[37]
    • 1972EDM★Mitsubishi Electric releases Japan's first wire EDM, the DWC-50 (Type DWC50S-LT1). Instead of expensive NC, it followed the lines of a drawing with an optical drawing tracer developed in the US. Registered as Essential Historical Materials for Science and Technology (No. 374) in 2024[91][37][92]

    The chapter timelines have 7 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

37. Yasda1929–Still active
    190019502000

    1929Strong Shokai→1944Yasda^[93]

    Appears in: Milling/MCDrilling/boring

    • 1929Drilling/boringYasuda Shinjiro founds a business in Osaka and begins boring automobile engine cylinders and making pistons (the company calls this "the first in Japan")[93]
    • 1938Drilling/boringDevelops a cylinder boring machine and sleeve tools (full-scale production from 1940)[93]
    • 1964Milling/MCYasda develops the horizontal precision boring and milling machine "Jig Master". In the same year, Matsuura Machinery begins producing and selling numerically controlled automatic milling machines[93][67]
    • 1964Drilling/boringYasda develops the horizontal precision boring and milling machine "Jig Master" (and in 1966 the MC "Precision Center")[93]
    • 1966Milling/MCIkegai Tekko announces three NC machine tools including a machining center. Yasda also develops the machining center "Precision Center"[4][93]

    The chapter timelines have 2 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

38. Yamazaki Mazak1919–Still active
    190019502000

    1919Yamazaki Iron Works→1985Yamazaki Mazak^[94]

    Appears in: LathesMilling/MCMultitasking/5-axis

    • September 1968Lathes★Yamazaki Iron Works completes its first NC lathe, the "Mazak Turning Center (MTC)". Launched at 7.3 million yen per unit, with a simple NC based on the FANUC 260[94][95]
    • 1970Lathes★Yamazaki Iron Works' NC lathe MTC-2500R (serial no. 200; FANUC 240, paper tape, electro-hydraulic pulse motors), the first Japanese NC lathe exported to the United States. Brought back to Japan in 2008 and designated Mechanical Engineering Heritage No. 126 in 2024[96][94]
    • April 1983Lathes★Yamazaki Iron Works completes the multitasking machine "SLANT TURN 40N ATC Mill Center"[94]
    • 1988Multitasking/5-axis★Yamazaki Mazak shows the "INTEGREX 40ATC Mill Center" at IMTS (Chicago). Adding the Y axis that users had asked for made it a 4-axis machine that could also cut the sides of the workpiece. The range of work multitasking machines could cut expanded far into machining center territory[97]
    • 1997Multitasking/5-axis★Yamazaki Mazak develops the "INTEGREX 200SY", adding a B axis (swiveling tool spindle) to the X, Y, Z and C axes. With 5-axis control it can cut complex 3D shapes such as turbine blades, and by handing the workpiece over to the second spindle it can keep cutting through to the back side[97]

    The chapter timelines have 28 more events for this company (Combined Timeline).

39. Waida Seisakusho Co., Ltd.1933–Still active
    190019502000

    1933Waida Seisakusho (founded)→1946Waida Seisakusho Co., Ltd.^[98]

    Appears in: Grinders

    • March 1956GrindersWaida Seisakusho begins producing "carbide tool bit grinders" for sharpening carbide tool bits[98][90, frame 385]
    • September 1968GrindersWaida Seisakusho begins producing profile grinders[98]
    • August 1974GrindersWaida Seisakusho begins producing periphery grinders for indexable (throwaway) inserts (CNC versions from February 1982)[98]
    • October 1978GrindersWaida Seisakusho begins producing CNC profile grinders (CNC jig grinders from October 1982)[98]
    • March 1997GrindersWaida Seisakusho begins producing CNC fully automatic universal tool grinders[98]

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