NIKKEI Monozukuri March 2006

Feature
Let's Defy Common Sense

Part 1 : It is necessary to have black-box technologies if you want to beat competitors
Part 2 : 2D drawings do not disappear
Part 3 : Factories cannot be operated without regular employees
Part 4 : The methods for manufacturing products and for making prototypes are different
Part 5 : Iron is susceptible to rust
Part 6 : The motivation of operators can be improved by introducing cell
p roduction in their plants

Frank Opinion

Meet your clients three times a week and offer your business card as often as needed

Kaleidoscope

An engine with cylinders that rotate

Detailed Reports

Consumer electronics makers rush to get out of the follow-the-crowd mentality and apply new
approaches to energy- and water-saving products
Surprisingly, ammonia is hailed as a promising medium for storing and transporting hydrogen
Fujitsu provides a CAD function through the Internet
Meiki develops a technology for producing large transparent plastic roofs for cars
The positive effects of the yen depreciation lead to strong performance, and record high results may be
realized thanks to the effects of cost reduction
The revised Industrial Safety and Health Law will be enforced in April 2006

Introductory Course on Analysis for Designers

(Part 3) Bolts or adhesives, which of these two should be used? A decision on fixing conditions
should be made by answering this question

New Ideas

Automatically discharging residues left in the presses

Search for Manufacturing

Education of newly-hired employees

Special Report

Mitsubishi Electric has used a crisis as leverage to strengthen its FA business
End of asbestos use : From magic material to evil material

The Method

Taguchi Method (Final Part) Techniques other than parameter designing

Toyota Production System and Its New Developments

(Part 3) Leveled production, small-lot production, and flow production

Documentary

A story about an SME whose shares were listed on a stock exchange (Part 1) From heaven to hell

Material Dynamics Mandala

(Part 15) Bending stress for beams made of more than one material

How to Select and Buy Low-Priced Parts in China

(Part 3)Bolts or adhesives, which of these two should be used? A decision on fixing conditions
should be made by answering this question

Outstanding SMEs

Fulta Electric Machinery Co., Ltd.
TOKI Corporation

The Master

(Part 22) Welcome to a machine tool museum that is making money

Accident Investigation

An aircraft engine stops in flight

Interview

Tamotsu Ueno: President, Tosei Electrobeam Co., Ltd.

MAGAZINES IN ENGLISH	MAGAZINES IN JAPANESE
NE Asia fulfills your needs by offering articles covering a wide spectrum of topics. In addition to the English edition, the local editions for Taiwan and Korea now offer editorial sections written by local editors. Magazine Subscription Information	You can subscribe to the magazines of NikkeiBP from outside Japan at the same price as in Japan! Magazine Subscription Information The NE ASIA News Update e-newsletter
Nikkei Electronics Asia (monthly) We are offering a magazine monthly to qualified engineers and managers free of charge. In-depth Articles from Nikkei Electronics Asia Cover Story SSDs Challenge HDDs, but Quality a Problem Solid-state drives (SSD) using NAND Flash memory are beginning to show up in a variety of equipment as storage devices. Prices are dropping as semiconductor technology continues to evolve, accelerating adoption of the drives, but manufacturers must also deal with eroding quality. Analysis Expanded Use of Silicon Tuners Transforms Tvs With analog television broadcasting slated for the axe in about two years in Japan, TV broadcast tuners are evolving rapidly, replacing old radio frequency (RF) analog circuits with new integrated circuits (IC) called silicon tuners. Signal demodulators are evolving with them, and by tracing the direction of their evolution it is possible to delineate the shape of tomorrow's TV. Convenience Stores Lead in Energy Conservation Convenience store franchises are moving to slash energy consumption following the revision of the Japanese Act on the Rational Use of Energy, and are rapidly becoming showcases for cutting-edge energy-conservation technology. The technologies honed here will spread to other firms in the distribution industry, office buildings and more, eventually worldwide.	Nikkei Electronics (biweekly) The magazine for electronics designers and managers. Cover Story Electronic Books: Opening the Door to Major Participants Nikkei Monozukuri (monthly) Design You Won't Regret - How to Reduce the Risk of Accidents Cover Story Time to Focus on Human-Resources Development Nikkei Microdevices (monthly) The most comprehensive technical journal for makers and users of LSIs and LCDs. Cover Story Optical interconnection on electronic equipment Nikkei Automotive Technology (bimonthly) The comprehensive automotive technology magazine. Cover Story Impact of Honda Insight

MAGAZINES IN ENGLISH

MAGAZINES IN JAPANESE

NE Asia fulfills your needs by offering articles covering a wide spectrum of topics. In addition to the English edition, the local editions for Taiwan and Korea now offer editorial sections written by local editors.
Magazine Subscription Information

You can subscribe to the magazines of NikkeiBP from outside Japan at the same price as in Japan!
Magazine Subscription Information
The NE ASIA News Update e-newsletter

Nikkei Electronics Asia (monthly)

We are offering a magazine monthly to qualified engineers and managers free of charge.

In-depth Articles from Nikkei Electronics Asia

Cover Story SSDs Challenge HDDs, but Quality a Problem

Solid-state drives (SSD) using NAND Flash memory are beginning to show up in a variety of equipment as storage devices. Prices are dropping as semiconductor technology continues to evolve, accelerating adoption of the drives, but manufacturers must also deal with eroding quality.

Analysis Expanded Use of Silicon Tuners Transforms Tvs

With analog television broadcasting slated for the axe in about two years in Japan, TV broadcast tuners are evolving rapidly, replacing old radio frequency (RF) analog circuits with new integrated circuits (IC) called silicon tuners. Signal demodulators are evolving with them, and by tracing the direction of their evolution it is possible to delineate the shape of tomorrow's TV.

Convenience Stores Lead in Energy Conservation

Convenience store franchises are moving to slash energy consumption following the revision of the Japanese Act on the Rational Use of Energy, and are rapidly becoming showcases for cutting-edge energy-conservation technology. The technologies honed here will spread to other firms in the distribution industry, office buildings and more, eventually worldwide.