Improving the quality of EBARA's "castings" globally
Growth of young people brought about by human resource development programs

As part of its globalization efforts, the EBARA Group has implemented a unique training program called the Global Career Development Program (GCDP). Do Van Nghiem, who came to Japan from Ebara Vietnam Pump Company Limited (EVPC) in Vietnam in 2023, is one of them.

Training is conducted at the Ebara Manufacturing Technology Advanced Center (EMTAC), the EBARA Group's manufacturing base.

EMTAC's Narita and Itabashi teams, which accepted the program, built their own system (radar chart) so that they could see the degree of growth over the past two years. We interviewed three people involved in the training, Takayuki Narita, Yosuke Itabashi, and Nghiem, from the Prototyping and Site Collaboration Promotion Section of the Manufacturing Technology Development Department of the Production Process Innovation and Quality Assurance Management Department, about their thoughts on castings.

Nghiem: The work I do at EVPC in Vietnam is to check the quality of the finished castings (*products made by pouring metal melted at high temperatures into molds and cooling them to harden), checking for defects and scratches, and measuring the size. I came to Japan because I wanted to improve these skills. Then, I was assigned to Mr. Narita's and Mr. Itabashi's team to conduct training.

Narita: In our section, we are working on rapid prototyping of development prototypes required by each division and supporting the resolution of problems in the field in cooperation with our bases. Nghiem and Itabashi are on the casting team. Casting is a process for making castings in which metal is melted, poured into a mold, and then allowed to harden. Mr. Itabashi is involved in the "3D measurement" of the finished castings.

Itabashi: Casting consists of many processes, and small differences in each process have a big impact on the final product. For example, even if the same type is used, there will be a difference in what is born* due to slight changes in conditions and environments at that time. * So, we measure the dimensions of the casting and see if there are any errors between the post-machining shape and the designed shape. By performing these measurements with a special machine, 3D measurement ensures that the inspection results do not depend on the competence of the operator and greatly shortens the inspection time.

Narita: At EMTAC, our goal is to deliver the prototypes required by each division in three days. Shortening the measurement time is also a necessary technology for quickly making prototypes.

Itabashi: EVPC in Vietnam also has 3D measurement equipment, so I would like Nghiem to learn how to do 3D measurement and how to inspect and evaluate castings, including other methods, and pass it on to the local people.

Narita: Until now, EBARA employees in Japan have been trained at overseas group companies, but from 2022, GCDP started as an interactive training program that allows EBARA employees from all over the world to go to Japan and other countries. We want to send out more young employees who desire the training, and by accepting trainees, we can create global friendships. It is very meaningful that people with the same aspirations are born at each base.

In particular, castings are born with many factors that affect quality* and items that need to be managed, so there are probably bases around the world that are facing problems and issues. As we mentioned earlier, even if the same mold is used and the metal is poured in the same way, there will be slight variations in the finished product. In addition, bases that manufacture many one-of-a-kind products or small quantities of many different products require detailed adjustments each time. In this context, I think it is important to have more friends like Nghiem and to be able to share issues and solutions with the world.

In addition, I would like to expand the use of 3D data in addition to 3D measurement at each site, and use it to consider in advance how to design and manufacture so that defects do not occur. In addition to the manufacturing process and measurement after manufacturing, it can be used for simulations and analysis before manufacturing. To that end, we aim to increase the number of colleagues and make effective use of 3D data at each site around the world.

In the EBARA Group's casting, the quality determined by the process from molding, mold covering, melting, and casting, which is distinguished from the quality that meets the specifications, is called "born quality." We are working on this "born quality" while being aware of how we can eliminate later processes (repairs, etc.).

Narita: We created a radar chart so that we could visualize the level of growth of Nghiem during the training period. A radar chart has multiple axes, each representing a different variable; the data points are plotted along their axis to form a polygon. It is similar to a spider chart, often used for analyzing a team's strength. For example, if we divide the level of technology required for inspection into five levels, we thought about how far we could go to level 2 and what we needed for level 3.

I would like Nghiem to acquire knowledge and skills as an inspector, including 3D measurement, in two years. Our hope is that he will be able to inspect castings to the point where he can not only find defects but also predict the cause and the process in need of improvement based on the condition of the defect. It may be requesting too much, but we created a radar chart with that much in mind. We measured Nghiem's technical level at the time of his arrival in Japan and thought about the curriculum necessary for him to improve to what level he would improve in two years.

However, although I have a long career in foundry, I do not specialize in inspection or metrology. Itabashi is also familiar with 3D measurement, but there are many things that we do not know about inspections performed manually. In the midst of all this, it was difficult to make a radar chart of my skill level as an inspector. Mr. Itabashi did a really good job.

Itabashi: Regarding the manual inspection and measurement part, we talked to an employee who is currently doing inspections. There are also areas of the curriculum that our team is unable to teach on its own. Therefore, we had Nghiem learn inspection techniques at the Futtsu factory in Ebara for about two months.

Nghiem: In Futtsu, I learned a lot from everyone who enthusiastically taught me various things. I was nervous, but it was a valuable experience to be able to see the inspection process in Japan and the performance test after completion up close.

Narita: I think this radar chart can be applied to the GCDP in the future when accepting other trainees or to provide technical guidance to new employees.

Itabashi: I thought that I couldn't teach Nghiem unless I had a deep understanding of it, so I studied hard by looking at literature and other sources. In addition, in order to deepen their understanding of castings as much as possible, we had them learn by moving their bodies, such as actually experiencing the casting process.

If you have a deep understanding of the process, you will develop the ability to predict which work in which process is the cause and where to improve when you find a defect during inspection. That's why we have prepared this curriculum.

Nghiem: I was able to understand the process of making castings and learn that there are many different tasks. I am also glad to have gained a broad understanding of the different types of defects. Now I am thinking of keeping them in mind one by one and using them for inspection.

Itabashi: I was able to make up for my lack of knowledge in terms of manual inspections and the casting process. This time, while teaching Nghiem and making a radar chart for it, I feel that I have learned a lot for myself.

Narita: Originally, in this training, we wanted Nghiem to grow and Itabashi to grow at the same time. I feel that it is taking shape.

Nowadays, there is a growing trend to use data and technology to create products through simulations and other means. 3D measurement is one such example of this, and Itabashi has gained knowledge about 3D measurement and the related data. However, I do not want trainees to become people who cannot work without data or technology. Not understanding the knowledge and skills being used on-site and only being able to understand the digital side of things leads to a disconnect from manufacturing sites. This also leads to a divergence from the manufacturing site.
　
I would like them to learn technology after knowing how to create a site and the principles, and I would like them to learn both. I feel that GCDP has given Mr. Itabashi an opportunity to learn both.

Nghiem: While I am in Japan, I would like to learn about 3D measurement and inspection and spread it at the factory in Vietnam. Even after returning to Vietnam, I would like to ask you if there is anything I don't understand.

Narita: That's right. I think that Nghiem bringing the skills with him back to Vietnam will lead to improvements in inspection quality in Vietnam. Personally, I hope to contribute to lifting up the entire EBARA Group as a whole by engaging in human resource development through GCDP and other opportunities. In today’s world, doing the obvious is no longer enough. It is important to make further efforts to produce good products while also reducing our impact on the environment. These themes are common all over the world, so I would like to work on them together with the people at each site.

Itabashi: I would like Mr. Nghiem to make use of what he has learned here in Vietnam, and I will always be able to work with him. As for my own goals, I want to continue learning about casting techniques. In particular, I want to acquire on-site knowledge similar to what I experienced this time around. Casting truly is difficult, and the results vary widely depending on just small changes in the conditions. That's why I want to deepen my knowledge by seeing the site.

Narita: Casting is certainly a difficult world. That's why I hope that young workers, including Itabashi, will work hard to learn how to get better without giving up because it is difficult. I would like to build a team like that.