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Standard Automation — In-Machine APC
Automatic Pallet Changer Installation & Repair
Independent installation and repair for Okuma’s Automatic Pallet Changer (APC) — including the pallet transfer mechanism’s control electronics, sensors and the OSP integration behind it.
Photo coming soon
Photo coming soon
Photo coming soon
What an Automatic Pallet Changer Is
An Automatic Pallet Changer (APC) is a two-pallet system built into a machining center, vertical lathe or double column, letting an operator load and unload a new workpiece on one pallet while the machine keeps cutting on the other. When the current cycle finishes, the pallets swap positions on the same plane — a fast exchange that keeps spindle idle time to a minimum, which matters most on die and mold work where a single job can run for hours.
Okuma’s APC is genuinely available both ways: it can be factory-integrated when you order a new machine, and it’s also explicitly designed to be retrofittable onto existing machines. The Pallet Pool Control (PPC) that manages pallet movement is fully integrated with the machine’s OSP control, so there’s no separate system to learn.
We install APCs on compatible machines and repair the electronics on units already in service. We are an independent service provider — see our retrofit & modernization and testing & diagnostics services for more on how we approach this kind of work.
2 Pallets
Standard in-machine APC configuration
Same-Plane
Fast horizontal-axis pallet exchange
PPC / OSP
Pallet Pool Control fully integrated with OSP
Retrofit Ready
Available factory-integrated or added later
What’s Included
An APC is more than just the pallets themselves. Here’s what’s inside the system, and what we support on each piece.
Pallet Transfer Unit
The mechanism that physically swaps the two pallets between the load station and the work zone.
Stationary Pallet Stands
Hold each pallet securely in position, both at the load station and inside the machine.
Pallet Pool Control (PPC)
Manages the exchange sequence and displays status directly through the OSP interface.
Position & Clamp Sensors
Confirm each pallet is correctly seated and clamped before the machine resumes cutting.
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What We Repair on an APC
Because the Pallet Pool Control shares its interface with the OSP, most APC faults trace back to a specific sensor, drive or board rather than the pallets themselves. Here’s what we work on.
Pallet Pool Control (PPC) Boards
Manage the exchange sequence and communicate with the OSP. Faults here typically show up as a pallet exchange that won’t start or won’t complete.
Transfer Unit Drives
Drive the mechanism that physically moves pallets between the load station and the work zone.
Position & Clamp Sensors
Confirm a pallet is correctly seated and clamped before cutting resumes. A fault here can trigger false alarms or, worse, let cutting start unsafely.
Position Encoders
Report exact pallet and transfer-unit position back to the control. A failing encoder causes misalignment that’s easy to mistake for mechanical wear.
Load Station Display
Shows pallet and job status directly at the load station through the OSP interface. We repair the display and interface boards behind it.
Power Supply Units
Regulates voltage to the APC’s control and drive electronics — one of the first things we check on any fault.
Common APC Faults
Pallet exchange won’t start or complete
Usually traced to a PPC board or communication fault with the OSP rather than a mechanical jam — we test the control path first.
Pallet not fully seated or clamped
Typically a position or clamp sensor issue rather than pallet damage — worth checking electronically before inspecting the pallet itself.
Power outage mid-sequence recovery issues
A common real-world scenario — the APC recovery procedure exists precisely for this, and we can help if recovery doesn’t go cleanly.
Load station display unresponsive
Display and interface board faults are common on units that have been running for years — usually repairable at board level.
See our fault analysis service for more on how we approach an APC diagnosis.
Compatible Okuma Machines
APCs are available across a wide range of Okuma vertical lathes, machining centers and double columns.
How APC Installation & Repair Works
New installation and repair follow different paths, but both start the same way: tell us what you need.
1
Tell Us the Goal
New installation on a compatible machine, or a fault on an existing APC — plus your OSP control generation.
2
We Scope the Work
For installs, we confirm machine compatibility and pallet configuration. For repairs, we identify the faulty board or sensor.
3
Install, Commission or Repair
On-site installation and PPC/OSP integration, or component-level bench repair — whichever the job calls for.
4
Tested Before Handover
Verified running real pallet exchange cycles, not just powered on, before we call it done.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. We are an independent service company, not an authorized Okuma dealer, distributor or service partner. We install, retrofit and repair APCs on compatible machines.
Yes — Okuma’s APC is explicitly designed to be retrofittable, not just factory-integrated on new machines. If your machine is on the compatible list, we can scope an installation.
The standard APC is a two-pallet, in-machine system. A Pallet Pool extends the same underlying design to 4–12 pallets in a linear or transverse layout for longer unattended runs. See our Pallet Pool & Tower APC page for details.
There’s a documented APC recovery procedure for exactly this situation. If recovery doesn’t complete cleanly, we can help diagnose whether it’s a sensor issue or something deeper.
Our repair focus is the control electronics, drives, sensors and interface boards — the parts of an APC fault that are almost always the root cause. We don’t perform structural pallet repairs.
Ready to Add an APC, Or Need One Repaired?
Tell us your machine model and what you need — a new installation, or a fault on an existing unit — and we’ll help you figure out the right next step.
