BACKGROUND

Founded in 1921, Komatsu, Ltd. is a major Japanese manufacturer of heavy construction equipment, industrial machinery, electronics and other products. It also is expanding in materials engineering, computer software, financial services, and other areas.

Komatsu usually hires its engineers with MS degrees. Some PhDs are hired each year, but the majority (60) are MS students. Komatsu has internships for its staff to spend time at universities such as Stanford University and Imperial College.

Komatsu's research and development effort is carried out in the Research Center, and in the research and development departments in the construction equipment, electronics, engineering, and other divisions, such as:

• Research Center, Research Division
• Construction Equipment Research Center, Construction Equipment Division
• Manufacturing Engineering Research Center, Manufacturing Division
• Electronic Systems & Component Division, Electronics Division

In total there are about 2,000 engineers and technicians at Komatsu, 7,000 employees non-consolidated, and 27,000 employees consolidated. In philosophy, Komatsu relies on available technology and often buys proven technology for its needs. Table 2.1 reviews the history of manufacturing systems at Komatsu.

Mr. Imanishi in his presentation also outlined the preconditions for Komatsu to apply the Japanese-style manufacturing system, as shown in Table 2.2.

In concluding his presentation, Mr. Imanishi noted that mechatronics made such rapid progress in Japan in part due to lack of competition between the electrical and mechanical engineers. There was no obstruction of ideas or interchanges between the two communities.

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