207

Mie Prefecture

N. P. W. Technical Laboratory Co., Ltd. (Ise City) Manufacturer of wire seam welders capable for high-speed continuous

welding of thin plates

HME Co., Ltd. (Kuwana City) Surface finishing technologies indispensable to pipelines of

semiconductor equipment

Hikari Seiko Co., Ltd. (Kuwana City) Manufacturer of high-precision universal joints with micron-level

grinding and polishing technologies

Okitsumo Incorporated (Nabari City) Manufacturer of heat-resistant coating used for the protection of rocket

launch pads

Kawamura Sangyo Co., Ltd. (Yokkaichi City) Precise processing technologies supporting the LCD display industry

Suehiro EPM Corporation (Yokkaichi City) Manufacturer of screwpress expellers utilizing processing technologies

to materialize its know-how

208

Manufacturer of wire seam welders capable for

high-speed continuous welding of thin plates

N. P. W. Technical

Laboratory Co., Ltd.

89-4 Sochi-cho, Ise City Mie Prefecture

Established in 1982

TEL +81-596-39-1133

http://www.npw.biz

Takeshi Yamamoto President

N.P.W. is the only manufacturer of wire seam welders in Japan, holding 70% of the domestic market of industrial can manufacturers.

Trend towards smaller orders for industrial cans with greater variety

Manufacturers of industrial cans (e.g. 18-liter cans and pail cans for fuel and paint) require not only faster manufacturing but also measures to deal with the demands for smaller lots of various products. User-friendly product development utilizing wire seam welding technologies

Utilizing its patented welding technologies with copper electrode, N.P.W. has developed technologies corresponding to users’ demands for faster manufacturing of smaller lots of various cans, while emphasizing maintenance check and emergency service unavailable from overseas makers. Among the few (4) makers of wire seam welders, N.P.W. is the only one in Japan. Manufacturer of 70% of industrial can manufacturers in Japan

N.P.W. has held 70% of the domestic market of industrial can manufacturers (e.g. 18-liter cans and pail cans), while expanding its business overseas, including China and Southeast Asia. As a future plan, N.P.W. has been considering making inroads into other businesses, e.g. automobiles and household appliances, making use of the features of wire seam welding, e.g. beautiful finishing and flexibility to secondary processing.

Can production (with wire seam welding) Wire seam welder (for industrial cans)

209

Surface finishing technologies indispensable

to pipelines of semiconductor equipment

HME Co., Ltd.

425-1 Rengeji-Sosaku,

Kuwana City Mie Prefecture

Established in 1991

TEL +81-594-21-7850

http://www.hme.ne.jpKazuya Hattori

President

HME’s engineers skilled in complex grinding technologies are capable of finishing the inner pipelines of semiconductor equipment, which should be kept quite sanitary.

The inner pipelines for gas and liquid transfer should be kept at high level of cleanliness.

Gas and liquid used for semiconductor manufacturing should be very clean: if not, the quality of the semiconductor could be affected. When the interior of transfer pipelines has dimples the gas and liquid will stick there and the cleanliness will be damaged. That is why high-level finishing for the inner surface of the slender pipes is necessary. Surface finishing developed by the tenacious efforts of skilled technicians

There are two types of inner surface finishing: buffing with abrasive and electro-polishing that dissolves the irregular surface in electrolyte. It was pointed out that abrasive for buffing might remain in the pipeline. To solve the problem, HME’s skilled engineers examined several combinations of different types of finishing. They finally established the best finishing combination of several technologies including electro-polishing and compound chemical finishing. HME’s finishing technologies have played an important role to supply ultra-clean gas in manufacturing the most-advanced semiconductors. Application to the common rail system for the diesel cars popular in Europe

HME’s best finishing technologies are also applied to the common rail system that supplies fuel to diesel engines with a pressure of 1,800 atmospheres. The inside of the common rails should be very clean, to avoid system breakdown by uneven air pressure caused by a crack or projection on the rail.

Mirror polished products Available for inner surface polishing of injection needles

Special micro polishing

210

Manufacturer of high-precision universal joints with micron-level grinding and polishing

technologies

Hikari Seiko Co., Ltd.

806 Kakizuka-Shinden,

Kuwana City Mie Prefecture

Established in 1947

TEL +81-594-22-3155

http://www.hikariseiko.com

Kenichi Nishimura President

Based on its “cutting-edge” technologies of bearing manufacturing, Hikari Seiko has developed high-precision universal joints that hold 54% of the market in Japan.

Universal joints, essential part of automobiles

Universal joints, essential automobile parts that transmit engine torque to rear wheels, require high precision and intensity. Integrated production centering micron-level grinding and polishing technologies

Based on its technologies of bearing manufacturing acclaimed as “cutting-edge” in 1954, Hikari Seiko has developed and produced high-precision universal joints with its micron-level grinding and polishing technologies. Another strength of Hikari Seiko is its original production facility that improves the precision and quality of its products, while cutting costs. Excellent technologies good in the global market

Hikari Seiko has established its position as one of the leading experts in manufacturing automobile functional parts in Japan. While its technologies for developing universal joints have been highly acclaimed, Hikari Seiko has also advanced into manufacturing parts of engine and transmission that also require high precision. Now Hikari Seiko has expanded into overseas markets including the U.S. and China with its technologies capable of meeting the various demands of global customers.

Universal joints, Hikari Seiko’s main products Hikari Seiko’s original universal joint manufacturer

211

Manufacturer of heat-resistant coating

used for the protection of rocket launch pads

Okitsumo Incorporated1109-7 Kuramochi-cho-Shibade,

Nabari City Mie Prefecture

Established in 1945

TEL +81-595-63-9095

http://www.okitsumo.co.jp

Shigeharu Yamanaka President

With its R&D and support system closely connected to user demands, Okitsumo has 50% of the market for heat-resistant coating in Japan: it is the top maker of heat-resistant silicone coating of the world.

Various customer needs for heat-resistant coating

There are two major functions of coating, that is, color-painting and material protection. Heat-resistant coating is a specialized product with heat protection. For sufficient heat resistance, coating manufacturers require high technology and customer support to be capable of changing the product specifications to match each customer and material to be coated.

Okitsumo has become the No.1 coating maker via continuous R&D closely related to user demands

A quarter of Okitsumo’s workforce is engineers who are united in their R&D efforts to create improved technologies and are capable of producing custom-made specifications of coating for each customer. Such efforts by the engineers have contributed to Okitsumo’s success, with over a 50% share of the heat-resistant market in Japan, as well as the top share of heat-resistant silicone coating in the world. Development from heat resistant coating to coating with special functions

“Special coating” with various functions including radiation, antibacterial, deodorization and self-cleaning, has become popular recently. Utilizing its know-how and competence for development, Okitsumo has successfully developed “Cooltech,” the coating with a 20% radioactive effect at high temperatures around 500 C.

Rocket launch pad with Okitsumo’s heat-resistant coating (Photo provided by JAXA)

Heating test with burner (coating for aluminum)

Dissolved by heating for 1 minute

Uncoated product Undissolved by heating for 10 minutes

Coated with “Cooltech”

212

Precise processing technologies supporting

the LCD display industry

Kawamura Sangyo

Co., Ltd.

330 Nishi-Ogane-cho, Yokkaichi City

Mie Prefecture

Established in 1967 TEL +81-593-37-1122

http://www.kawamura-s.co.jp/

Hisashi Watanabe President

Based on its technologies built up through precise processing of electrical insulating paper for motors and transformers, Kawamura Sangyo has supplied TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) material for LCD display in the global market.

Top runner in the world market of processing TAB, which is the core component of LCD displays

TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) is a thin film IC package used for image controlling of LCD displays. Kawamura Sangyo processes and produces copper foil as well as copper clad laminate foil used for TAB, holding 40 – 50% share in the world market. High technologies and skills capable of meeting custom needs

Since its establishment, Kawamura Sangyo has built up high technologies and skills through precise processing of electrical insulating paper for motors and transformers. Utilizing these technologies, Kawamura Sangyo has been precisely processing materials for TAB in the clean rooms where cleanliness is strictly controlled. Great stride from a subcontractor to a manufacturer of original brands

Started as a subcontractor to a major electrical appliance maker, Kawamura Sangyo has now developed original brands, continuing to produce electrical insulating products though the material has changed from paper to film, in accordance with current market tendencies. Additionally, Kawamura Sangyo has promoted its overseas activities: a Korean subsidiary was established to expand its LCD display components business.

Precise processing in the clean room Material and finished product of TAB

213

Manufacturer of screwpress expellers utilizing processing

technologies to materialize its know-how

Suehiro EPM Corporation

2-4 Suehiro-cho, Yokkaichi City

Mie Prefecture

Established in 1953 TEL +81-59-353-7551

http://www.suehiroepm.co.jp Hiroshi Sakuma

President

Various forms of screw are required for screwpress because of its many purposes. Suehiro EPM’s expellers, holding 90% of the market in Japan, are produced based on the know-how and processing technologies built up for many years.

Getting its start by copying foreign products, Suehiro has established original brands that hold 90% of the market in Japan.

To develop domestic screwpress expellers, Suehiro started by copying foreign products. After trial and error, however, the sales staff realized how necessary it was to have original brands. By developing its original screwpress expeller, Suehiro has now won 90% of the market in Japan. Accidental start of the development of extruders, a product with high sales potential.

It was a fortunate accident for Suehiro to become aware of the extruder, a multifunctional machine (grind, mix to extrusion) by undertaking repairs of an imported machine belonging to a neighbor feed manufacturer. Recognizing its sales potential based on market information, Suehiro decided to develop original extruders. Utilizing its technologies and know-how built up through developing expellers, Suehiro succeeded in producing the first extruders made in Japan. Fearless management strategy for new opportunities to materialize its technologies

Suehiro believes that any knowledge and know-how acquired through R&D will be utilized in some way, even if the original project was unsuccessful. That is why Suehiro has been fearlessly challenging new markets, confining its efforts to the edible oil industry. Suehiro has been releasing part of its technologies for networking while recognizing the importance of intellectual property rights, to enter into new businesses including vegetable and fruit juice, residual fuel, sludge dehydration and sterilizer.

Screwpress expeller Double-shaft extruder Products by extruder