We're looking for a way to bring the assembly process back to Japan, without knowing the overseas market rates.
Due to tariffs, the cost of exports from overseas has increased.
We received an inquiry from a company that wanted to outsource only the assembly process to a company within Japan.
I couldn't figure out how much the overseas market price differed from the domestic market price.
I don't know if they'll be able to assemble it the same way if I just hand them the drawings and instructions.
This was the situation that led to the consultation.
Even if you provide the drawings exactly as they are, it doesn't guarantee that they will be assembled with the same precision.
Drawings and procedures created for overseas factories are
These documents are often written based on the assumption that the work is done locally.
Even if you hand it over to a Japanese assembly partner as is,
It's impossible to determine whether the assembly process and precision can be the same simply by looking at the documentation.
As the supplier of parts changes, and the workers' familiarity with the procedures also changes,
We needed to check whether the drawings and procedure manuals contained sufficient information.
Adjustments made by fitting the parts to the actual object are often not documented in drawings or procedure manuals.
If only the supply of parts and assembly are outsourced,
The way processes are divided and inspection standards are written can vary from factory to factory.
Some factories record an entire process together, while others divide it into smaller steps and record them separately.
The tricky part is getting the formatting right.
If adjustments are being made on-site based on on-the-spot judgment,
These adjustments are often not recorded as numerical values in drawings or procedure manuals.
When a worker makes adjustments based on experience, such as "I'll just file this down a little to make it fit,"
Simply providing the document makes it difficult to reproduce the same results.
First, check to what extent the tolerances and inspection standards are written down.
For this consultation, we had several engineers compare the drawings and procedure manuals.
The following points were checked at each stage of the process:
- To what extent are tolerances clearly defined as numerical values?
- Are the inspection standards written in a way that anyone can understand?
- Where are the parts that are being adjusted by trial and error?
Based on this confirmation, the process can be transferred domestically using only document information,
We separated the processes that would require on-site adjustments.
We identified the processes and restructured them into units that would be easier for the Japanese side to assemble.
We reviewed the drawings and procedures for each step of the process, and proceeded while confirming any unclear points with the engineers.
Instead of simply using the same process division method as in overseas factories,
We considered a method to restructure the process into units that would be easier for the Japanese side to assemble.
For parts that were previously adjusted by trial and error, we have to create new jigs to meet the requirements.
We also considered methods such as rewriting the inspection criteria as numerical values.
When bringing overseas production back to Japan, the focus remains the same.
In situations like this, where overseas production is being brought back to domestic assembly, or where new contract manufacturers are being sought,
I believe this provides a useful perspective for checking the extent to which drawings and procedures are documented.
When the factory changes, the way parts are supplied and the workers' familiarity with the process also changes.
If you separate the information written in the documents from the parts that rely on on-site judgment,
This makes it easier to decide whether to change the outsourcing partner.
From dividing the process to selecting the assembly site.
MACHICOCO has partnered with engineers in Higashi-Osaka.
I am responsible for project management in bringing products to fruition.
We do not own large facilities in-house, and our work involves checking drawings and procedures, dividing up processes, etc.
We will proceed with the selection of an assembly site in consultation with engineers.
We are involved from the prototyping stage and handle everything up to the consideration of processes for mass production.
Even without drawings, you can consult with us if you have the actual product and can explain the procedure.
To expedite the process, please send us the following information when you come for a consultation.
- The drawings and procedures currently in use
- Photos and videos showing the assembly procedure.
- Actual sample
- Expected quantity and desired timing
Drawings are not required.
Even before the assembly method is finalized, we can consider manufacturing methods while looking at drawings and actual samples.
