FANUC CORPORATION plays a pivotal role in factory automation. Known for its yellow robots, the Japanese company also works on less visible but essential components: the numerical controls that operate machine tools, servomotors and drive systems. Its technologies serve industries including automotive, electronics, metallurgy and plastics processing. Its positioning is based on close integration between control, motion and material processing, with priority given to equipment availability in production.
From numerical controls to industrial robots
FANUC’s history began in 1956 within Fujitsu, with the development of numerical control technologies under the leadership of engineer Seiuemon Inaba. This business became an independent company in 1972. The name FANUC reflects its origins in numerical control, a field that remains at the heart of its industrial identity.
Building on this foundation, the company expanded its expertise into servomechanisms, then robotics and production machinery. Its site in Oshino, in Yamanashi Prefecture, brings together research, development and manufacturing functions. The group also relies on an international network of subsidiaries and services to market its equipment and support its operation. This local presence matters in an industry where a machine stoppage can disrupt an entire production line.
An offering that connects machines, robots and software
FANUC’s activities are organized around three complementary areas. Industrial automation includes numerical controls, motor systems and equipment associated with machine tool control. Robotics covers operations such as material handling, welding, painting, assembly and palletizing. Collaborative robots, particularly the CRX range, expand integration possibilities in workshops where humans and machines can share certain tasks, subject to an appropriate risk assessment.
The third area brings together specialized machines: ROBODRILL machining centers, ROBOSHOT electric injection molding machines and ROBOCUT wire electrical discharge machines. This diversity allows the group to address several stages of the same manufacturing process, rather than limiting itself to robotic arms.
Programming and simulation software, vision capabilities and equipment monitoring tools round out this portfolio. Their benefits are tangible: preparing a robotic cell, facilitating its setup and detecting signs of deterioration before a breakdown. Training, spare parts and maintenance extend this relationship with customers.
What next?
FANUC operates in a market driven by productivity needs, recruitment difficulties and the search for more flexible processes. The challenge is to make automation accessible to more workshops while preserving safety, precision and continuity of service. Simplified programming, the use of industrial data and vision integration are important areas of focus. In the face of investment cycles and international competition, its ability to reduce installation complexity and the total cost of ownership will remain decisive.