The lathe manufacturer Citizen Machinery Europe from Esslingen makes a successful model of the Miyano short-turning machines even more powerful: After the BNE series with two Y-axes already received a significant performance and flexibility boost, the next technological leap was presented as a world premiere at EMO 2025: With B-axis and ATC system (Automatic Tool Changer), the Miyano BNE-65 ATC becomes the first Miyano lathe with B-axis and automatic tool changer. The result: significantly more machining freedom, reduced non-productive times, fewer special tools, and a new level of efficiency for component manufacturers.
Quality, productivity, and sustainable manufacturing shape Citizen's self-understanding. With high-precision lathes, the company has established itself as a powerful system partner in industrial component manufacturing across numerous market segments.
Groundbreaking in-house developments continuously enhance the performance, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of the lathes. It applies: Whether Cincom long-turning or Miyano short-turning automatic machines – standard solutions are the exception. The focus is on precisely configured machine concepts tailored to the respective component spectrum, the desired level of automation, and the requirements of modern series production.
Key Citizen technologies include:
• LFV (Low Frequency Vibration Cutting) for chip break control and increased process reliability
• ATC (Automatic Tool Changer) for drastic expansion of tool capacity
• Automation through robot cells and customer-specific peripherals 'from a single source'
• Industry 4.0 control software for integration into ERP/MES structures, networking, transparency, and remote maintenance options
• EcoBalance for greater energy efficiency in machine operation
• Laser integration for ultra-fine structures and combined turning/laser processing in a single setup
ATC: The automatic tool changer as an efficiency booster
Automatic Tool Changer ATC stands for automatic tool change processes and significantly higher tool availability. Markus Reiβig, Managing Director of Citizen Machinery Europe GmbH: 'The idea behind ATC is as simple as it is effective: Make more tools available without setup times and without compromises in the machining strategy. The automatic tool changer significantly increases the number of tools and expands the machining spectrum – especially for complex components with many drilling, milling, and cross machining operations.'
In the Citizen world, ATC has so far been primarily at home in the Cincom long-turning machines – prominently in the Cincom L20-3M12B5 ATC. There, the system combines the high machining speed of the long-turning concept with a wide variety of tools. Especially in combination with a swiveling B-axis and simultaneous machining, front and back processes are efficiently overlapped with the clear goal of completing components in as few setups as possible.
Short-turning 'workhorses' for stable series processes
The Miyano short-turning machines are considered true 'workhorses' in industrial series production. This is especially true where consistently high forces, maximum stability, and reproducible μm precision are required. Their design is consistently aimed at process reliability in multi-shift operations in heavy machining of demanding materials. The basis for this is robust machine concepts with high thermal and mechanical stability as well as kinematics optimized for series processes.
With the models BNE-51MYY and BNE-65MYY, Citizen has specifically further developed the BNE series. Both machines feature two Y-axes. The consistently implemented equal parts concept ensures that both turrets are designed identically in terms of the number of stations and performance capabilities and have the same travel paths in the X, Z, and Y directions. The main and counter spindles are also designed as equal parts components, allowing workpieces up to 65 mm bar diameter to be completely machined without prior turning.
For additional productivity, the superimposed control in the so-called Super-Imposed mode ensures that up to three tools are engaged simultaneously. The process stability required for this is ensured by a continuous cast bed in combination with vibration-damping guides and a practically designed chip removal system.
For component manufacturers, this results in clear advantages: an optimal process distribution between the machining units, a high degree of simultaneous machining, and significantly shortened cycle times – while maintaining consistently stable quality and high process reliability.
ATC enters the Miyano world
Now the next step follows: Citizen equips the Miyano BNE-65 with the ATC principle, introducing it for the first time into the Miyano short-turning series and expanding the established 'workhorse' concept with a new level of flexibility. The core of the innovation is an ATC unit behind which up to 24 tools (e.g., drills, mills) can be stored. The tool change occurs automatically. This is where the productivity boost lies: More machining operations are possible without manual setup and without tool compromises.
Markus Reiβig: 'With the integration of the ATC unit, a B-axis is also introduced, which opens up new machining freedom for the Miyano short-turning machine. In this form, a B-axis has not been available in the Miyano models until now. For practical purposes, this means a significant increase in flexibility: Machining operations such as angled drilling or milling can now be realized without elaborate, rigid angle special tools. This significantly increases the proportion of complete machining. The goal is a ready-to-install component directly from the machine, without re-clamping and without subsequent additional operations.'
Also considered energy efficiency: BNE-65 ATC with EcoBalance
In addition to performance and flexibility, Citizen also focuses on energy efficiency in the new expansion stage: The Miyano BNE-65 ATC is equipped with the EcoBalance system.
With EcoBalance technology, Citizen Machinery sets new standards in energy efficiency and sustainability. By using fully servo technology that replaces hydraulic components, energy consumption is significantly reduced while improving the production environment. This is complemented by an intelligent idle shutdown that automatically deactivates unnecessary components such as fans, lighting, or servos as soon as the machine is idle. An optimized air control reduces compressed air consumption for spindle flushing and blowing air precisely as needed, without compromising machining quality. Furthermore, Citizen Control technology shortens cycle times, further minimizing electricity consumption. Overall, significant energy savings can be achieved. Markus Reiβig: 'This not only significantly reduces operating costs but also sustainably lowers CO₂ emissions. Thus, we offer our customers a state-of-the-art solution that consistently combines efficiency enhancement, resource conservation, and environmental awareness.'
Advantages for component manufacturers: Increased flexibility, reduced non-productive times, and more stable processes
With the combination of two Y-axes for optimal process distribution and high simultaneous machining, the ATC system for the availability of a large number of tools, and the EcoBalance system for a more energy-efficient machine operation, Citizen significantly shifts the performance limits of short-turning machines in series production. In everyday manufacturing, this interplay has an immediate impact on productivity, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness.
Due to the high tool availability, idle processes are noticeably reduced, downtime is minimized, and the machine remains consistently productive even in variant production. At the same time, the need for expensive special tools decreases, as complex machining can be flexibly realized. This saves costs and enables quicker and more straightforward responses to changes in component geometry or new customer requirements.
Since components can be completely manufactured on one machine, the number of process steps is reduced as well as the risk of setup errors. The result is more stable processes and consistently high component quality. Additionally, shortened cycle times are achieved through consistent simultaneous strategies, an ideal division of front and back side machining, and high cutting performance.
Last but not least, the EcoBalance system contributes to reducing energy consumption, especially during non-productive times. This lowers ongoing energy costs while simultaneously increasing the efficiency of production and supporting sustainable manufacturing concepts.
Platform thinking instead of island solutions
Markus Reiβig: "The development shows a clear line: Citizen consistently integrates key technologies such as LFV, digitalization, ATC, EcoBalance, and automation into series machines where they provide measurable advantages to component manufacturers. The fact that ATC has now also arrived in the Miyano short-turning world is more than just a feature update: it is a step towards short-turning machines that increasingly bridge the gap between classic short-turning automates and highly flexible turning/milling centers."
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