东京讯——由于供应商纷纷努力满足芯片及其他人工智能硬件生产设备的需求，日本机床制造商的订单量达到了历史最高水平。
TOKYO -- Japanese machine tool makers' order books are the fullest they have ever been as suppliers race to meet demand for equipment to produce chips and other artificial-intelligence hardware.
日本机床工业协会周五发布的数据显示，9月份机床订单总额达2232亿日元（约合14.1亿美元），较去年同期增长了60%。这已是订单量连续第15个月实现增长，并创下单月订单额的新纪录。
Machine tool orders totaled 223.2 billion yen ($1.41 billion) in September, the Japan Machine Tool Builders' Association (JMTBA) reported Friday, up 60% from the same month last year. This marks the 15th consecutive month of growth and sets a new single-month record for orders.
除了芯片制造行业的需求外，航空航天领域的订单也表现强劲，该行业对小型飞机的需求持续旺盛。
In addition to tools for chipmakers, orders also came in from the aerospace sector, where demand for small aircraft is strong.
海外订单额同比增长67%，达到1592亿日元。美国和欧洲的航空航天需求旺盛；在印度，与汽车及摩托车相关的机床订单量也居高不下。日本国内订单额则增长46%，达到639亿日元。
Overseas orders rose 67% to 159.2 billion yen. Aerospace demand was robust in the U.S. and Europe, while in India, orders for car- and motorcycle-related tools were high. Orders from Japan increased 46% to 63.9 billion yen.
截至8月底，日本机床制造商面临的待执行订单总额达1.06万亿日元，同比增长45%。这一数值也创下了自2016年开始统计以来的最高水平之一。
Machine tool makers face a steep backlog of orders, totaling 1.06 trillion yen as of the end of August, up 45% on the year. That is one of the highest levels in data going back to 2016.
津上机床与岛津制作所均表示，其待执行订单量较去年几乎翻了一番。这两家机床供应商均从人工智能及航空航天领域的强劲需求中获益良多。
Tsugami and Shibaura Machine reported that their order backlogs have roughly doubled compared to the previous year. The two machine tool suppliers are benefiting strongly from AI- and aerospace-related demand.
8月份，德国马赫迪莫里公司的订单量较去年同期增长了约40%。
DMG Mori saw a roughly 40% rise in orders by volume in August compared to the same month last year.
各企业正竭尽全力应对不断激增的订单需求。德国马赫迪莫里称，目前交货周期平均延长了约一个月，具体时长则视产品型号与规格而定。
Companies are struggling to keep up with the ever-increasing number of orders. DMG Mori said delivery times are being extended by roughly a month, though the length varies depending on the model and specifications.
各供应商正全力提升产能。岛津制作所计划在本财年内将大型专用机床的产量提高50%，这类机床在能源、航空航天及造船行业的需求十分旺盛。
Suppliers are ramping up production. Shibaura Machine aims to expand output of large, specialized machine tools by 50% this fiscal year. Such tools are in high demand in the energy, aerospace, and shipbuilding sectors.
西铁城精密机械也计划通过推进既定的资本支出计划，在本财年内将产量提升约50%。
Citizen Machinery aims to boost production roughly 50% this fiscal year by pushing forward planned capital expenditures.
DMG Mori将允许部分机型在多家工厂进行生产。为应对产量提升的需求，该公司还增加了用于生产的零部件仓储能力。
DMG Mori will enable certain models to be manufactured at multiple plants. To accommodate increased production, the company has raised its storage capacity for components used in manufacturing.
尽管如此，产能依然跟不上需求。“虽然我们在提高产量，但仍无法满足订单增长的速度，目前处于极度紧张的状态，”一家大型机床制造商的高管说道。
Despite these efforts, capacity still lags. "Although we're increasing production, we cannot keep up with the pace of orders, and we are in a state of panic," said an executive at a major machine tool maker.
预计对机床的强劲需求还将持续。不过，一些新出现的难题可能会阻碍产能提升的进程。
The strong demand for machine tools is expect to continue. But new challenges have emerged that could slow efforts to raise output.
“随着订单积压不断增多，人们开始担心无法及时采购到所需的零部件，”日本机床工业协会会长、岛津制作所社长坂本重友说道。
"As the backlog of orders is increasing, concerns are beginning to arise about the inability to procure necessary parts in a timely manner," said Shigetomo Sakamoto, chairman of the JMTBA and president of Shibaura Machine.
轴承和直线运动部件属于供应情况尚不稳定的两类产品。一家机床制造商虽已确保了今年生产所需的零部件，但用于测量工具的设备的供应短缺迹象已开始显现。
Bearings and linear motion components are two categories clouded by supply uncertainty. One machine tool manufacturer has secured parts for this year's production, but signs of a supply shortage are beginning to appear for equipment used to measure tools.