June 2006

P. 6    Interview

Makoto Umehara: President, Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.

P. 17   Kaleidoscope

Plastics will be used extensively in future cars

P. 21    Detailed Reports

P. 21   Honda Motor scrambles to enhance its manufacturing capabilities by building new plants in Saitama Prefecture and North America

P. 23   Recycling of PVC waste produces recycled materials whose properties are equal to those of virgin materials

P. 27   Low-cost technologies at the forefront of die machining: New types of combined machining and longer-lived mold steel have been launched

P. 29   Preview of the Design and Manufacturing Solutions Exhibition in 2006

P. 32   Consolidated financial results for fiscal 2005 of companies in Japan are generally robust, thanks to the weaker yen and efforts to reduce costs

P. 34   Fujitsu applies thin client technology used for CAD to “OneSpace Designer”

P. 35   Adobe Systems of the U.S. has acquired Trade and Technologies France (TTF), the developer of a DMU tool named “Project Reviewer”

P. 36   Asprova Corporation launches “Asprova APS Version 4.0” priced at 0,000 upwards

P. 46  Feature: Whistle-Blowing -- Engineers are responsible for ensuring safety

P. 48 Part1: Letters to the editor
(1) Materials used as substitutes for asbestos: Manufacturers should verify their safety
(2) Electrolytic capacitors: A nightmare has returned

P. 56 Part 2: To protect whistle-blowers
Whistle blowing is not betrayal but a service in the public interest, as well as a key to ensuring safety

P. 62 Part 3: Case Studies
(1) Shoddy construction work of Japan Railways: Violation of passengers’ trust should not be permitted
(2) Use of unauthorized substances: Whistle blowers did it for their company's benefit
(3) False labeling of place of origin: Small and medium companies take a stand against great evil

P. 74   How to Select and Buy Low-Priced Parts in China

Part 6: The key to quality preservation of degraded liquid crystal panels is third parties within China

P. 82   New Ideas

Magnet lifts in which gaps between circular columns and circular cylinders are filled with magnets, etc.

P. 90   Search for Manufacturing

Procurement of parts from overseas: If a supplier has strong technological capabilities, the company can procure parts from around the world, regardless of where it is located

P. 95    Accident Investigation

The accident on the Yurikamome Line was caused when the hub that connects the axle and the wheel broke.  Why was the service on the line suspended for more than two days?

P. 101   Special Report

Sony is leading the industry in adoption of titanium cases based on the combined wisdom of Iwasaki-Seiki and Nippon Steel

P. 109   Special Report

Enhancement of the infrastructure based on the perspective of business operations: Use of evolving information technologies

P. 138     The Method

Seven tools for product planning (Part 3)
Methods for generating new ideas

P. 142   Toyota Production System and Its New Development (Part 6)

Application to made-to-order production of a wide variety of products in small lots

P. 147    Documentary

(How an SME became a listed company [Part 4]): Seesawing back and forth

P. 156   Introductory Course on Analysis for Designers

Part 6: Modeling of assembly analysis

P. 160   Material Dynamics Mandala

Part 18: The basics of screws that many people have not learned until now, to their surprise

P. 165   Outstanding SMEs

Toyoriko K.K./Seki Corporation

P. 263   The Master

Part 25: The public sector should support the private sector, and the private sector should support the public sector

P. 266   Frank Opinion

“Product” manufacturing capability is based on the ability to generate innovations.  We should focus on the difference from the capability to manufacture “goods”