DMG MORI and The University of Tokyo are set to establish the Machining Transformation Research Center (MX Center) on April 1, 2026, aiming to tackle critical challenges in the manufacturing industry, including efficiency, energy consumption and labor shortages, with a long-term vision toward 2050.
The new center will be housed within the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo. Ahead of its official launch, the two partners held a joint press conference on March 9 at Yasuda Auditorium on the university’s Hongo Campus, outlining their shared ambitions for next-generation manufacturing.
Machine tools remain fundamental to modern industry, enabling high-precision and efficient production across sectors. Through its Machining Transformation (MX) concept, DMG MORI has been promoting a shift toward more sustainable and digitally integrated manufacturing. The initiative combines green transformation (GX), driven by process integration and automation, with digital transformation (DX), aimed at optimizing production processes. One of its long-term goals is to reduce the number of active machine tools worldwide from 5 million to 1 million units by 2050, a target that requires continuous technological innovation.
The University of Tokyo, guided by its UTokyo Compass policy, is simultaneously advancing research in sustainability and digitalization. By strengthening its research infrastructure through endowment-backed initiatives, the university seeks to foster deeper collaboration between academia and industry. The MX Center is expected to serve as a key platform for such cooperation, bringing together expertise to develop cutting-edge manufacturing technologies.
Designed as a hub for interdisciplinary research, the MX Center will focus on enhancing the long-term value of machine tools while driving innovation across fields such as mechanical and precision engineering, materials science, control engineering, mathematical sciences and data science. The center will collaborate not only with various research divisions within the university but also with industry players, government bodies and international research institutions.
Research activities will include process-based studies in cutting, grinding and additive manufacturing, as well as efforts to improve the visualization and modeling of machining phenomena. The center will also explore digitally enabled design, control and operational strategies to enhance machine tools and manufacturing systems. Beyond traditional metal processing, the research outcomes are expected to be applied to high-growth sectors such as energy, aerospace, medical technologies and semiconductors.
In addition to research, the partnership will emphasize human resource development. Through joint programs including On-the-Research Training (ORT), seminars and internships, DMG MORI and the University of Tokyo aim to cultivate highly skilled professionals with advanced technical knowledge and a broad, interdisciplinary perspective.
The MX Center will be funded through a dedicated endowment established within the University of Tokyo Fund, supported by donations from DMG MORI. This funding model is intended to ensure long-term stability, enabling sustained research advancement and talent development while promoting real-world application of academic outcomes.
By integrating academic research with industrial needs, the MX Center is expected to strengthen Japan’s global competitiveness in manufacturing and accelerate the transition toward more efficient, automated and sustainable production systems.
