Machine tool makers showcase linear-based manufacturing technology at TIMTOS 2005

Taipei, March 15, 2005 (CENS)--Thanks to the assistance of a research and development alliance, some Taiwanese manufacturers of machine tools have already commercialized the advanced linear-based machines by displaying them at the six-day Taipei Machine Tools Show (TIMTOS 2005) opening today at the Taipei World Trade Center.

The alliance, led by the Mechanical Industry Research Laboratories (MIRL) under the government-backed Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), was established in 2003 with the participation of nine domestic large-sized builders of machine tools, National Taiwan University, National Cheng Kung University, National Tsinghua University, National Chung Cheng University, and the government-backed Precision Machinery Research & Development Center.

The leading firms currently displaying the advanced linear-based machine tools at TIMTOS are Tong-Tai Machine & Tool Co., Leadwell CNC Machine Mfg., Co., Kao Fong Machinery Co., Yeong Chin Machinery Industry Co., Dah Lih Machinery Industry Co., and Victor Taichung Machinery Works Co. At the showground, Tong-Tai is displaying a high-speed linear motor-based horizontal machining center, with Leadwell debuting a high-speed linear motor-based vertical column-moving machining center, Victor Taichung showcasing a high-speed linear motor-based horizontal machining center, and Dah Lih exhibiting a high-speed linear motor-based bridge-type machining center. Yeong Chin also launches a high-speed, high-precision linear motor-based machining center.

The linear-based machine tools, which feature high performance and high precision, will account for 40% of the overall production value of the products worldwide in 2010, said Wu Tung-chuan, general director of the ITRI's MIRL. Wu made the remarks based on a survey released by a Japanese specialist.

Wu said the alliance has assisted domestic manufacturers in differentiating their product lines by way of horizontal integration so that they wouldn't compete with each other in the same target markets.

Tong-Tai president Yen Jui-hsiung noted the R&D alliance would help transform the local machine tool industry into a technology provider from a technology seeker.

Yen said the linear motor-based machine tools being showcased by domestic manufacturers at the TIMTOS have the same quality level as those developed by such world-renowned firms as DMG of Germany, and Mazak, Toyoda, MoriSeiki, Okuma, Sodick of Japan.

According to statistics compiled by the Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI), the production value of Taiwan-made machine tools amounted to US$2.85 billion last year, outstripping the U.S. as the world's fifth-largest producer for the first time.

TAMI vice president Wang Cheng-ching noted Taiwan, with an anticipated 20% annual growth in production value, would have great chances to edge out Italy as the world's third-largest machine tool exporter this year. Wang said Taiwan has recorded great achievements in developing such emerging markets as India and Turkey over the past few years