SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS FROM THE VISIT TO JAPAN

The Japanese aerospace industry does not possess superior manufacturing technologies for composite structures. Most, if not all, of the manufacturing technologies the Japanese possess are the same as, or are variations of, those possessed by the U.S. aerospace industry. Yet, using the same manufacturing technologies, the Japanese companies are capable of making production parts of better quality, on schedule, and with less cost in many cases. Why? The answer may be found in areas other than technology:

• Japanese companies develop fabrication techniques and know-how and then voraciously implement them. For example, one company developed a bagging technique to conform specifically to a complex part and then created a detailed procedure for repeatability and producibility.
• People are considered the most important asset in a Japanese company.
• Production workers are trained, tested (sometimes in writing), and retrained and retested to increase their skill level and value.
• Higher standards and goals are set. For example, less than one percent error was not considered good enough and they are now working toward the goal of zero defects.
• The Japanese have a policy of putting money and effort up front to prevent problems down stream. They spend time, money, and effort on tooling, process, procedures, systems, and people to virtually eliminate production and in-service problems.
• When the Japanese decide to incorporate a certain technology, they do so with determined thoroughness and voracious detail. That's their culture and the way of thinking.
• Manufacturing/production gets the highest priority. When a production problem arises it gets the immediate attention of all the concerned departments.
• Their production area management is superior. One company incorporates a streamline/batch management system for increased efficiency and improved morale.
• Long range outlook is considered more important than short range profit. Unlike in U.S. companies, manufacturing engineers and workers are allowed sufficient time and budget to perfect fabrication techniques.

Although the manufacturing technologies observed in Japan are similar to those in the U.S., there are a few potentially cost-saving technologies worth mentioning:

• Large scale co-curing to reduce part count, fasteners, and assembly time
• Omega stringer reinforced panel
• Curved pultrusion
• 3-D and 2.5-D weaving, textiles, preforms
• Continuously formed thin-walled tubes

A qualitative evaluation of how each company fits into the composite picture is shown in Figure 1.14. The three "heavy industries" companies (MHI, KHI, FHI), which represent the Japanese aerospace industry, have essentially equal focus but have slightly different emphases. Because of Japan's small aerospace market there is little opportunity for domestic production; thus, the Japanese are dependent on the global aerospace market. Well developed, long term, focused, applied research will eventually result in lower cost composite assemblies.

Figure 1.14. Composite Focus by Institution Extrapolating from Japan's current status and effort, thermoplastic and RTM/preformed structures may become cost-effective in Japan before they become cost-effective in the U.S., where the effort in those areas has slowed down in recent years.

Automation may take the form of slow, but highly reliable, low man loaded machines which can be run for 24 hours a day without any human intervention. This type of slow automated machine is acceptable in aerospace applications, where production rates are small, and high quality reliable products are required.