The Moscow Machine Tool Institute was established by Order No. 1647 of the Presidium of the Supreme Economic Council of the USSR dated July 12, 1930, with the aim of training specialists in the field of machine tool engineering. The foundation of such a specialized university was dictated by the urgent need to have qualified personnel in the country for the machine tool industry, the foundation of the domestic engineering industry. The photo shows the founder of the Moscow Machine Tool Institute, Ya. F. Kagan-Shabshai.In 1932, the first graduation of engineers took place - 29 people.From 1933 to 1941, 824 engineers were trained. Among the graduates of the first years were A.I. Efremov, Minister (People's Commissar) of Machine Tool Industry in 1941 and 1942-1949, and since 1949, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR and A.I. Kostousov, Minister of Machine Tool Industry of the USSR (1949-1953).

Already in the first five years of its existence, the institute proved that it is a university that meets the requirements of socialist construction. At the first and second rounds of the All-Union VTUZ Competition, the Machine Tool Institute was awarded certificates of honor.