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Alicia Bowers
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FANUC Produces 5 Millionth AC Servo Motor, Achieving Industry Record
Servos Set Standard for Reliability in Machine Tools, Industrial Robots, Injection Molding Machines

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - March 8, 2004 - FANUC LTD and GE Fanuc Automation have announced the production of more than 5 million FANUC AC servo motors - a record number in the industry. Launched in 1982 with the S Series, FANUC AC servo motors have become a standard for reliability in machine tools, industrial robots, and electric injection molding machines. FANUC has introduced many subsequent models and expanded production by launching the a Series servo motors, which feature high speed, high precision and less power consumption, and the ai series with high resolution pulse coders for nano control.

Since launching its AC servo motors in 1982, FANUC's production reached 1 million AC servo motor units in 1991, 2 million in 1995, 3 million in 1998 and 4 million in 2001. Recently, the production has increased significantly, having reached 1 million units every two years from 2002 to 2004, more than 40,000 units a month or 500,000 units a year.

The FANUC AC servo motors, particularly the main medium models between 1 and 5 kW in output, are used in machine tools and industrial robots. Due to superior speed and precision, the motors are used in approximately 75% of the machine tools in Japan and 55% in the world. In the Americas, FANUC servo motors are available from GE Fanuc Automation Americas, Inc., a joint venture between FANUC LTD and General Electric.

In addition to the main medium models, FANUC has experienced a rapid increase in shipment of medium to larger AC servo motors between 5 and 100kW for injection molding machines. Application of the AC servo motors is also expanding to new areas, such as for press machines, due to energy-saving capabilities.

The MITI Minister's Award for Outstanding Energy Saving Equipment was given to FANUC's best selling a Series AC servo motors with a record shipment of over 2.7 million units.

The FANUC AC servo motors are produced in Japan at the company's highly automated servo motor factory with 360 robots. Intelligent robots are used extensively to detect position and condition of the parts through vision sensors. The factory also uses GE Fanuc's CIMPLICITY® software to visualize and manage production status and quality data.

Pulse coders, the most important parts of the servo motors, are produced in the Hayato Factory in Kagoshima, on automated lines equipped with small FANUC robots, electric injection molding machines and a network system.

About GE Fanuc Automation
GE Fanuc Automation, a joint venture between GE and FANUC LTD of Japan, delivers automation hardware and software designed to help users reduce costs, increase efficiency and enhance profitability. With solutions and services catering to virtually every industrial segment, GE Fanuc Automation provides a diverse array of capabilities and products, including controllers, embedded systems, advanced software, motion control, CNCs, operator interfaces, industrial computers, and lasers. Headquartered in Charlottesville, VA, GE Fanuc Automation is a part of GE Infrastructure and combines the diverse global strengths of the GE family with the local presence customers need to design, develop and maintain their automation investments.

For more information, visit www.gefanuc.com or contact: GE Fanuc Information Center, P.O. Box 8106, Charlottesville, VA 22906, Phone: (800) GE FANUC, Fax: 434-978-5205, e-mail: gefanuc@gefanuc.com.