Nano-precision machining centers.

The UVM series works two orders of magnitude finer than a conventional machining center. A 60,000 min⁻¹ aerostatic spindle running on compressed air rather than ball bearings, cored linear motors on X, Y and Z giving 0.01 μm programming resolution, and a thermal stabilising system that circulates temperature-controlled liquid through the structure.

Shibaura Machine — formerly Toshiba Machine — has built ultra-precision machine tools for seventy years. Published results include a bevel gear forging die cut directly in 90 HRA cemented carbide at 17 nm Ra, and mirror-finished optical moulds at 4–5 nm Ra.

Shibaura UVM — nano-precision machining

Shibaura Machine · UVM series

What the machine is for

Surfaces that go straight to use.

Optical moulds, precision dies, semiconductor components and medical geometry — produced to accuracies conventional machining centers are not built to reach. Published results include a bevel gear forging die cut directly in 90 HRA cemented carbide at 17 nm Ra, and mirror-finished moulds at 4–5 nm Ra. On an LED headlamp lens mould, polishing hours dropped by 90 percent.

4–5 nm Ra90 HRA carbide, directPolishing −90%

The spindle

60,000 min⁻¹ on a film of air

UVM high-speed aerostatic bearing spindle

The spindle runs on aerostatic bearings — compressed air, not steel on steel. NRRO of 0.10 μm and TIR of 1 μm, with no rolling contact to generate heat, vibration or wear. It draws 1.8 kW where a comparable ball-bearing spindle needs tens of kilowatts, most of which leaves as heat. Small-diameter tools become practical, tool life goes up because the rotational accuracy is there, and the surface comes off the machine finished.

60,000 min⁻¹NRRO 0.10 μmTIR 1 μm1.8 kW

**Aerostatic versus rolling-element**Published comparison, Shibaura Machine
	Ball / roller bearing	Aerostatic bearing
Bearing life	2,000–3,000 hours	Virtually unlimited
Continuous running	Within a few hours	Virtually unlimited
Drive motor	Several 10 kW	1.8 kW
Tool life	Shorter — lower rotational accuracy	Longer — higher accuracy
Spindle exchange	2–7 days, expensive	2–3 hours, cheaper

The axes

Linear motors on X, Y and Z

X, Y and Z are driven directly by linear motors. A ballscrew has lost motion, and where an axis reverses through a quadrant it leaves a mark in the finished surface — on an optical mould that mark is the defect. Direct drive removes it. Programming resolution is 0.01 μm with reliable 0.1 μm step feed, and there is no screw to wear or backlash to compensate as the machine ages.

0.01 μm resolution0.1 μm step feedNo lost motionNo quadrant marks

Thermal control

Cooling cast into the machine itself

UVM cast piping cooling system through the machine structure

Precision that survives a long run is a thermal problem before it is anything else. Shibaura casts coolant piping directly into the machine body — their own development — cooling the head, saddle, table, column and bed guideways from inside the structure. On the 450D and 700E a thermal stabilising system circulates temperature-controlled liquid through the frame, so the machine holds position across an unattended shift instead of drifting as it warms.

Cast-in pipingHead · saddle · tableColumn & bed waysTemperature-controlled

Measurement

The machine measures its own work

Three ways to measure without unclamping: a touch probe for dimensions, scanning for free-form surfaces, and ShapeEye — on-machine camera measurement for fine geometric shapes a probe physically cannot reach. Tool measurement is automatic too, with optical image, laser line and laser beam sensors available. At this scale an unnoticed tool problem ruins the part, so self-measurement is what makes running unattended safe rather than optimistic.

Touch probeScanningShapeEye imagingAuto tool length

Error compensation

FormEye and VectPath: measure the cutter, correct the path

VectPath tool path vector compensation using FormEye cutter contour measurement

FormEye measures the actual contour of the cutter with an optical image sensor while it is spinning — the real shape, not the nominal one. VectPath then compensates the tool path for the difference by angle, so the machining error is corrected without re-modelling the part or regenerating the toolpath. Fewer tools get consumed chasing a form, and the correction happens where the error actually is.

Cutter contour at speedAngle-by-angle correctionNo re-modellingFewer tools

The lineup

Five machines, one platform

The same spindle, axes and measurement suite — sized to the work

Every UVM carries the 60,000 min⁻¹ aerostatic spindle, linear-motor axes and the FormEye, ShapeEye and UVM-TSA suite. What changes is table size, workpiece mass, whether the machine is three or five axis, and which cooling architecture it uses. An automatic tool changer with direct chucking is available across the range — φ4 or φ6 mm shanks, 50 tools as standard and 100 optional — along with a vertical rotary and indexing table for crossed grooves, turning and Fresnel work, and a tool swiveling head for angled groove machining.

**UVM series**Nano-precision machining centers
Model	Tablemm	Max workpiecekg	Axes	Cooling
UVM-450D(H)Standard 3-axis	□500 mm	100 kg	3	Thermal stabilising
UVM-450C(H)3-axis, cast piping	□500 mm	100 kg	3	Cast-in piping
UVM-700C(H)Large workpiece	□700 mm	400 kg	3	Cast-in piping
UVM-700E(5AD)Full 5-axis	φ500 mm	200 kg	5	Thermal stabilising
UVM-450D(5AH)Micro 5-axis	φ200 mm	—	5	Thermal stabilising

(H) denotes the high-accuracy build. Specifications per Shibaura Machine UVM series literature and subject to change — confirm the configuration on quote.

What comes off the machineMeasured results · Shibaura UVM

Carbide at 90 HRA cut directly, without EDM. Tool steel at 62 HRC held to a micron. Surfaces at four nanometers Ra that go straight to use. These are Shibaura’s own measured results on production parts — the fastest way to judge whether the UVM reaches the work you have.

Bevel gear forging die

UVM-450D(H)

Material

Cemented carbide, VM-40 90 HRA

Rough

R1 mm diamond-coated ball

Finish

R1 mm PCD ball

Pitch dev. ≤1 μmRun-out 0.7 μm17 nm Ra

Press die for fuel cell metal separator machined on a Shibaura UVM

Fuel-cell separator press die

UVM-450C(H)

Material

Tool steel, 62 HRC

Finish

R0.2 mm cBN ball

±1 μm dimensional

Microfluidic chip mould

UVM-450D(H)

Material

Electroless nickel-phosphorus

Finish

Ø0.2 · R0.01 mm single-crystal diamond

±1 μm dimensional2–5 nm Ra

Thick solid lens mould for an LED head lamp machined on a Shibaura UVM

Lens mould, LED head lamp

UVM-450C(H)

Material

Stainless steel, 52 HRC

Finish

R1 mm cBN ball

Polishing hours −90%

Cosmetic case design model

UVM-700E(5AD)

Material

Stainless steel, 52 HRC

Finish

R1 mm PCD ball

4–5 nm Ra

Mirror-finished VR goggle optical mould machined on a Shibaura UVM 5-axis

Optical mould, VR goggle

UVM-700E(5AD)

Material

Stainless steel, 52 HRC

Top face

Elliptical vibration cutting, R2 mm diamond bite

Slope

R2 mm PCD ball

Form 5 μm P-V10 nm Ra

Reflex reflector mould

UVM-450D(H)

Material

Electroless nickel-phosphorus

Finish

R0.1 mm single-crystal diamond ball

12 nm Ra

Runner section of a connector mould machined on a Shibaura UVM

Connector mould, runner

UVM-450D(H)

Material

Stainless steel, 52 HRC

Finish

R0.3 / R0.5 mm cBN ball

±1 μm dimensional15 nm Ra

Machining examples, tooling and results published by Shibaura Machine for the UVM series. Figures are measured values, not guaranteed values, and depend on material, tooling and process conditions. Ask us to review your part against them.

Questions

Worth asking before you buy.

What can a nano-precision machine do that a normal VMC cannot?

Produce a finished optical surface straight off the machine. Published Shibaura results include cemented carbide at 90 HRA cut directly rather than through EDM, tool steel at 62 HRC held to a micron, and mirror surfaces at 4-5 nanometers Ra. On an LED headlamp lens mould, polishing hours dropped by 90 percent because the surface came off the machine essentially finished.

Why an aerostatic spindle?

It runs on a film of compressed air rather than ball bearings, so there is no rolling contact to generate heat, vibration or wear. That is what allows 60,000 min-1 with the runout and thermal stability that nanometer-class work needs. The same principle is applied to the A and C axes on the 5-axis UVM-700E.

Why linear motors instead of ballscrews?

A ballscrew has lost motion and leaves quadrant-reversal marks in a finished surface where an axis changes direction. Cored linear motors drive the axis directly, giving 0.01 micrometer programming resolution and reliable 0.1 micrometer step feed, with no screw to wear or backlash to compensate.

Can it run unattended?

Yes, and the measurement suite is what makes that safe. UVM-TSA measures tool length, diameter, shape and spindle displacement automatically, and if it detects dynamic runout it re-clamps the tool and retries rather than cutting the error into the workpiece. At this scale an unnoticed tool problem ruins the part, so self-measurement is the precondition for lights-out running.

What industries use these machines?

Optical moulds for LED and automotive lighting, smartphone and medical component moulds, precision press dies, semiconductor components, and fuel-cell metal separator dies. Broadly: anywhere the surface finish or form accuracy has no second option.

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At this resolution the measurement matters as much as the cut. NSIT covers precision metrology, toolholding and the application support behind it.

Metrology and ultra-precision tooling

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