History of Oriental Motor
(5006)
Q Series
K Series and Gearheads
GK Type
8-Inch Floppy Disk
Drive Motors
PH566
UPD Series
New K Series
MD410
UPK Series
SG8030D
AIP Series
DiMER
MHK Series
FPW Series
(Hollow type)
α STEP
AS Series
EZlimo
DG Series
MRS25 Type
CRK Series
AR Series
EZlimo ELS Series,
ELC Series
BLE Series
KII Series
α αSTEP AZ Series
BMU Series
KIIS Series
Electric Cylinder EAC Series
α αSTEP AZ Series Equipped
BLE2 Series
EMR Series
BLE2 Series
Hollow Hypoid Gearhead
FSC-24
Chronology
- 1885-1950 From Inception to Incorporation
- 1951-1957 Promoting Standardization and Building Foundations
- 1958-1978 Change and Development
- 1979-1988 Transition into a Comprehensive Motor Manufacturer
- 1989-1995 Evolution and Expansion
- 1996-2000 Advancement and Pioneering
- 2001-2005 Responding to Developments
- 2006-Present Transformation and Leaping Forward
1885-1950 From Inception to Incorporation
We began by selling pharmaceutical and medical equipment in Nihonbashi and eventually began making motors.
- 1885
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- 1902
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- 1909
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1/8 hp Single-Phase Commutator Motor WA-CSV
Working Scene
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- 1917
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- 1922
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- 1923
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1/30 hp Commutator Motor
A-CSV
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- 1926
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Working Scene From 1935
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- 1940
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Products From the 1940s
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The Oldest Extant Catalog, Dating From 1943
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- 1950
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Working Scene
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- 1885
- Business starts in Nihonbashi
Oriental Motor was founded in 1885 by Yasutaro KURAISHI in Nihonbashi Honmachi, Tokyo, as a manufacturer and distributor of electrical and medical equipment. 24 years later
- 1950
- Toyo-Dendoki Co., Ltd. is incorporated with 5 employees
In February 1950, Toyo-Dendoki Co., Ltd. was established in Kojima-cho, Asakusa. 5 years had passed since the factory was destroyed in a fire during the Bombing of Tokyo. The company started over on a small scale, with only 5 employees. At first, we focused mainly on synchronous motors, induction motors, and control motors, keeping an eye on the next era of electric motors they knew was sure to come.
1951-1957 Promoting Standardization and Building Foundations
This period saw the standardization of motors, which had previously been made to order.
By allowing customers to select from a catalog, the company achieved low prices and short delivery times.
- 1951
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H Series
Gearhead 2G
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Work Scene in the 1950s
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- 1952
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Promoting Standardized Products
Magazine Artisement (1952)
- 1953
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- 1955
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Bed-Type Synchronous Motor (5006)
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- 1956
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MT2K-A
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- 1957
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Desk Calendar
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General Catalog #1 (1957)
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- 1951
- Promoting Product Standardization
In the 1950s, Toyo-Dendoki Co., Ltd. worked to standardize its products. We pioneered the business of allowing customers to select products from a catalog to suit their equipment, and Oriental Motor's compact AC motors, delivered quickly and at reasonable prices, became the de facto standard in the industry.
- 1953
- Development of Sirocco Fans
Oriental Motor's fans started out as sirocco fans (centrifugal blowers). The MF6 was developed to be delivered as a finished product, eliminating the need for customers to make their own fan blades. Our desire for our motors to be used in optimum conditions is alive and well in our product development.
- 1953
- Company Name Changed to ORIENTAL MOTOR CO., LTD.
In 1953, "Toyo-Dendoki Co., Ltd." changed its name to "ORIENTAL MOTOR CO., LTD."
With the changing times that began to diversify the types of products that were required and needed to be created, we sought to brand our products by matching the product name with the company name.
1958-1978 Change and Development
With the development of Japanese industry, motors changed from signal motors for communication equipment to high-power motors, which require high torque and strength. Motors became a device that "turn in any direction," "stop instantly," and "change speed."
- 1959
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- 1960
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- 1962
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- 1963
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Q Series
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- 1966
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K Series and
Gearhead GK type
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MRQ12
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- 1967
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- 1971
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SB51
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- 1974
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- 1978
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(Upper right) 8-inch floppy disk
(Bottom right) 3.5-inch floppy disk
(Left) Floppy disk Drive Unit
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- 1959
- Exhibited for the first time at the First Motor Show
Oriental Motor first appeared at a public exhibition in June 1959 at the First Motor Show held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Hall (hosted by the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun). Although the exhibition space was only 9 square meters, we were able to create an exhibit with a strong presence. We continue to exhibit at numerous national and international trade shows for a wide range of fields.
- 1962
- Toyoshiki Plant is constructed in Chiba to handle mass production lines
In 1962, in order to meet the growing demand for motors, Toyoshiki Plant was built in Kashiwa, Chiba. We introduced the latest large-scale machinery, including dedicated case processing machines, high-speed presses, and specialized gear case processing and shaft processing machines, and established a mass production system with the goal of "integrated production."
- 1966
- Launch of the K Series
In the mid-1960s, motor applications were shifting from signaling to power, and high torque and strength were strongly desired. In response to this need, the K Series was launched in 1966. The K Series, developed by synthesizing the latest technologies of the time, has become a long-selling product as the standard for compact AC standard motors.
- 1966
- First issue of the technical magazine "RENGA" is published
In March 1966, we launched a technical information magazine to provide our customers with useful technical information and updates on our research and development efforts. The title "RENGA" (brick) was chosen to reflect that bricks have long been an early example of a standardized material, that Oriental Motor's products are standardized, and that red brick is used in many of Oriental Motor's company buildings.
- 1967
- Private exhibition and the Motor Fair held for the first time
The first Oriental Motor Fair was held on July 8, 1967, at the Agricultural Cooperative Building in Otemachi, Tokyo. The basic idea of the event as a place to communicate directly with customers and provide hospitality remains unchanged, and the event is held annually near customers in various regions of Japan.
- 1974
- Developed AC Speed Control Motors
In 1974, Oriental Motor introduced its first speed control circuit, the "SS31" speed control pack. This made the motor a flexible power device that "turns in any direction," "stops instantly," and "changes speed."
- 1978
- Established local subsidiary in the U.S.
Oriental Motor's first overseas expansion was to the United States. In 1976, we opened a representative office in San Francisco, and in 1978, we established a local subsidiary in Los Angeles. We started by selling motors for floppy disk drives, and later developed our business to provide a wide range of products to a wide range of customers.
1979-1988 Transition into a Comprehensive Motor Manufacturer
The 1980s was a time when the number of products we handled expanded rapidly. The need for motors in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry, medical equipment industry, and other industries was increasing, and the expansion of our business overseas progressed greatly.
- 1980
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- 1981
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PH566
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- 1982
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OM Europa (Germany) Headquarters, circa 1985
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- 1983
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Technical cooperation with Papst of Germany.
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- 1984
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- 1985
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UPD Series
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- 1986
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- 1987
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New K Series
New K Series Brochure
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- 1988
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MD410
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- 1982
- Established local subsidiary in Germany
Oriental Motor's globalization began with the establishment of locations in the United States, followed by Europe and Asia. In October 1979, a representative office was established in Düsseldorf, Germany, which later became a local subsidiary in 1982, followed by sales offices in the UK and Italy in 1996 and France in 1997. In Singapore, we established a production location in 1982 and a sales location in 1996.
- 1985
- Released the UPD Series, a 5-phase stepper motor and driver package
Launched in 1985, the UPD Series was the industry's first "package" concept, combining a new driver with a 5-phase stepper motor. The convenience of being able to purchase motors and drivers in bulk was well received, and many customers, mainly in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry, adopted our products.
- 1987
- Responded to the need for noise reduction. Launched the New K Series
Launched in 1987, the New K Series was developed in response to customers’ requests for lower noise levels. Through continuous research and experimentation to improve the precision of the gears, we were able to achieve lower noise levels.
- 1988
- Released the world's smallest (at the time) DC axial flow fan
As equipment became smaller, the need for smaller fans had also increased. Against this backdrop, the MD Series was released in 1988 as the world's smallest DC axial flow fan (at the time).
1989-1995 Evolution and Expansion
We developed linear motion mechanism products that pre-combine motors with linear slides and cylinders, to create a product which realizes linear drive. Stepper motors spread mainly to the medical equipment and food packaging equipment industries, while DC input board type drivers were launched for photocopiers, printers, fax machines, plotters, and other industries. Needs changed to higher precision and output, and we expanded our gear product line for control motors accordingly.
- 1989
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- 1990
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FP Series
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FP Series Advertisement
(1993)
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Technical Fair '90
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- 1991
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- 1992
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UPK Series
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"New Motion"
First Issue
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- 1993
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- 1994
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- 1995
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- 1990
- Launched the FP Series, the first in the compact motor industry to be IP certified
As AC motors were increasingly being used in environments subject to water, high-level dustproof and waterproof motors were required. Developed in 1990, the FP Series conforms to the IP65 protection rating and was the first product in the compact motor industry to be labeled "IP certified". We invited industrial designer Hans Muth to design the exterior, and we launched the series as a new and unprecedented product.
- 1995
- Launched the servo motor AIP Series as "DiMER"
Launched in 1995, the AIP Series "DiMER" (DiMER) is a new concept servo motor that allows feedback control without an encoder. The winding for the sensor that detects the rotor position is built into the motor to achieve encoder-less operation. The absence of an encoder improved convenience for the customer, including making the motor size more compact, saving space, and reducing wiring.
1996-2000 Advancement and Pioneering
We launched products compliant with global standards and established a system for stable supply and service growth in the USA, Europe, and Asia, matching that provided in Japan.
- 1996
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MHK Series
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Soma Plant Opening Ceremony
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- 1997
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FPW Series
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Hollow shaft RH type
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- 1998
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αSTEP AS Series
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αSTEP
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- 1999
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- 2000
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RK Series
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- 1996
- Soma Plant begins operations
The Soma Plant was completed on February 28, 1996, at the Soma Core Industrial Park in Fukushima Prefecture, as our seventh plant in Japan. When the plant was first established, its role was mainly to transfer manufacture of products that had been manufactured at other plants and supply them to other plants, but it is now a mass production base for stepper motors and circuit products.
- 1998
- Launch of the new generation stepper motor αSTEP AS Series with closed-loop control
The αSTEP AS Series was launched in 1998. Oriental Motor's proprietary αSTEP system attaches a thin resolver (which converts the motor's rotation status into a signal) to the stepper motor and uses the signal, via the resolver, to provide feedback to prevent the stepper motor from falling out of step. The closed-loop control system provides stable operation while maintaining the responsiveness and ease-of-use of conventional stepper motors.
- 2000
- Launched the 5-phase stepper motor and driver package RK Series
In 2000, we commercialized the new 5-phase stepper motor and driver package RK Series equipped with a smooth drive function that enables microstep drive without changing the input pulse frequency, utilizing the microstep technology we had cultivated in our product development to date. While inheriting the functions of the previous models, the new models further improved functionality, reduced costs, and increased reliability.
2001-2005 Responding to Developments
Promoted environmental response activities amidst difficult circumstances following the burst of the IT bubble. The semiconductor, medical equipment, ticket-vending machine, and other equipment industries sought compliance with safety standards, and regarding linear-drive products, we introduced new products with concepts based on ease of use.
- 2001
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EZS Series
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DG Series
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Takamatsu Kozai Plant Completion Ceremony
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- 2002
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MRS25
PK Series Catalog
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- 2003
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- 2004
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Established a local subsidiary in Shanghai
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- 2005
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CRK Series
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International Robot Exhibition, 2005
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- 2001
- Hollow Rotary Actuators DG Series is launched
In 2001, we launched the DG Series of hollow rotary actuators, featuring a rotary table to which arms and other loads can be directly attached and a large hollow shaft. This is a new electric actuator that eliminates couplings and other fastening components to save space, reduce assembly workload, and achieve high precision.
- 2004
- Established a local subsidiary in Shanghai
Oriental Motor's business in China began in earnest with the opening of its Shanghai representative office in 2001, followed by the establishment of Shanghai Oriental Motor in 2004. We developed a direct sales network in China, where we can serve our customers and talk with them directly.
2006 and BeyondTransformation and Leaping Forward
In recent years, the network transformation of FA equipment has accelerated, and we are also developing motor products that are compatible with upper-level systems. In 2006, we changed our brand mark to reflect the image of powerful evolution, responding flexibly to the needs of the times and proposing new motion systems in a speedy manner.
- 2006
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Brand Mark
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Tsuchiura Plant Precision Machining Building
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- 2007
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AR Series
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- 2008
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EZlimo Advertisements
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- 2009
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BLE Series
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Tsukuba Plant
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- 2010
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Tokyo Showrooms
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- 2011
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- 2012
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KII Series
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Takamatsu Kokubunji Plant
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- 2013
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AZ Series
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BMU Series
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- 2014
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KIIS Series
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EAS Series/EAC Series
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Tokyo Showrooms
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- 2015
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BLE2 Series
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EMR Series
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- 2016
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Newspaper Advertisements
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Reliability Testing Building
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- 2017
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FSC-24
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Kurumin Mark
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- 2020
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70th Anniversary Logo
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- 2006
- Brand mark change
In 2006, Oriental Motor's brand mark, which had been used for almost half a century, was redesigned. The new brand mark is a symbol of our activities to evolve toward a new era, responding flexibly to changes in the times and our customers, and it represents our strong determination to meet our customers' trust and expectations more than ever.
- 2007
- Released the highly efficient stepper motor and driver package AR Series
Launched in 2007, the αSTEP AR Series hybrid control system is a motor that achieves a significant reduction in heat generation and enables continuous operation. The high energy-saving efficiency and originality of the product were highly evaluated, and it received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award, the top prize, at the 29th Outstanding Energy-Efficient Machinery Awards (hosted by the Japan Machinery Federation) in 2008.
- 2009
- Tsukuba Plant begins operations
The Tsukuba Plant, Oriental Motor’s research and development location, began operations in 2009. At the plant, we develop products, such as AC motors, brushless motors, stepper motors, servo motors, fans, and control circuits, in addition to developing production technology and underlying technology and evaluating, analyzing, and measuring various products.
- 2011
- Development begins on FLEX, which is compatible with upper-level systems
In 2011, amid the growing trend toward network transition of equipment, a new product concept called "FLEX" was born. FLEX is the collective name for products such as control motors that support single driver I/O control, Modbus (RTU) control, and FA network control via network converters. It also reflects our desire to contribute to the overall design of our customers' equipment through flexible connectivity.
- 2012
- Takamatsu Kokubunji Plant begins operations
The Takamatsu Kokubunji Plant, which began operations in 2012, is a production base for compact stepper motors such as the PKP Series, which has a line-up starting with frame sizes of 20 mm. Located in the same city of Takamatsu, the plant is responsible for supplying processed and manufactured parts to the Kozai Plant, which assembles finished products.
- 2013
- Released the stepper motor and driver package αSTEP AZ Series equipped with a battery-free absolute encoder
In 2013, we launched the αSTEP AZ Series equipped with a battery-free absolute encoder (ABZO sensor). This product has the features of "no battery required" and "no return-to-home required." This product has been well received for changing the concept of positioning.
- 2016
- Reliability Testing Building Completed at Tsukuba Plant
In 2016, construction of a reliability testing building was completed at the Tsukuba Plant. Various environmental response tests and precise measurement inspections are conducted at the Tsukuba Plant, our research and development location, enabling speedy evaluation and analysis in collaboration with the engineering and quality assurance departments.