Japan and Indonesia
A multinational team at the technology hub EMTAC takes on the challenge of developing new technologies

The Ebara Manufacturing Technology Advanced Center (EMTAC) supports EBARA’s manufacturing activities across the Group by conducting research and development on various new technologies. Among them are overseas trainees. The team includes international trainees, such as Krisna Hutomo Aditya from Indonesia, who is involved in developing thermal spraying technologies. We position overseas trainees not as "people to teach" but as "members who work together on development," and we work together as a team to face new technologies.

We interviewed three members of the development team, Shunsuke Takigawa, Akinobu Arakawa, and Aditya from the New Technology Development Section, Manufacturing Technology Development Department, Production Process Innovation and Quality Assurance Department.

Takigawa: What we are currently working on is the development of micro-thermal spraying technology. Thermal spraying is a process in which materials such as metals melted at high temperatures are sprayed on the surface of products or machined products to coat them. Sometimes completely molten materials are sprayed, and sometimes semi-molten materials are sprayed. The sprayed material cools and hardens, forming a film that covers the surface.

Arakawa: There are several reasons for thermal spraying. For example, we may want to cover the surface with a harder material to increase the durability of the product, or cover the surface with a corrosion-resistant material. This technology is used in a variety of products, including Ebara's semiconductor equipment and pumps.

Takigawa: The micro-thermal spraying system we are developing is characterized by its compact size and ease of handling, and we use the word "micro" to describe its "smallness" compared to conventional equipment.

Arakawa: In terms of the role of the development team, Aditya is responsible for the detailed design and adjustment of the micro-thermal spraying equipment, and I analyze the surface film created by thermal spraying with the device. From there, I come up with conditions to improve the performance and give feedback to Aditya. Mr. Takigawa is in charge of these developments.

Takigawa: That's right. We do not regard overseas trainees as guests but as members of our team who work together with us on development. Aditya came here through the EBARA training program called the Global Career Development Program (GCDP).* Before the GCDP, the overseas training program only sent trainees from Japan to overseas offices for training. The training program, which was the predecessor of GCDP, was for EBARA head office employees in Japan to go for overseas training, but since becoming GCDP in 2022, EBARA Group employees from all over the world can go to training around the world, including Japan.

Aditya will come to Japan in the spring of 2023 and will be here for two years. This is the first time for us to accept an international trainee through the GCDP, but we are not trying to teach and pass on skills unilaterally. Arakawa and Aditya often work together, but they do not have a teacher-student relationship. Arakawa supports Aditya as a mentor when she works in Japan, but at work, they are flat "development members".

Arakawa: In fact, Aditya thinks for herself, makes plans, and gives her opinions. I don't feel like I'm teaching.

Aditya: For me, working at Ebara in Japan is really fun and fulfilling. I not only am able to learn about the thermal spraying technologies but also use the latest equipment in Japan. It's not uncommon to be amazed by the amazing factory automation system.

Above all, since I came to Japan, I have been exchanging information with engineers in Ebara from various countries. EBARA has group companies all over the world, and there are people from China, Vietnam, and other countries who have come to Japan through GCDP like me. I was bombarded with questions about the equipment and engineering of each country (laughs).

Takigawa: The reason why we came to think of the trainees as "members of the team who work together on development" was because of Aditya's proactivity. At first, I thought it would be better to teach the trainees in detail, but because Aditya was so proactive, I gradually changed my mind. In fact, we may have learned from Aditya's appearance.

Aditya: Ever since I was a student, I have had a dream of working in Japan someday. Japanese mechanical engineering, including the automobile industry, is incredible. I wanted to work for a while.

In 2018, I joined Ebara Turbomachinery Services Indonesia (ETSI) in Ebara in Indonesia and have been working as an engineer. I would like to bring the micro-spraying technology I learned in Japan back to Indonesia and use it locally.

Takigawa: At ETSI, we were also interested in micro-spraying technology. ETSI is mainly engaged in the repair of EBARA products, and we thought that it would be effective for those operations if they could utilize micro thermal spraying technology. Aditya's personal and ETSI's wishes matched, and Aditya was assigned to our team.

Arakawa: I wasn't very worried. While I cannot teach Aditya any skills yet, I felt it would be a good experience to work with him. I was worried about language differences, though. When she first arrived in Japan, Aditya could hardly speak Japanese.

Aditya: That was the hardest part for me as well. Since coming to Japan, I have been studying Japanese online and so on. I'm still not very good at it, but I'm gradually getting better at communicating.

Takigawa: I think it's amazing that I can speak Japanese now. At first, I interpreted mostly in English. I was embarrassed because of my poor English, but we had to communicate to move forward. On the other hand, Mr. Arakawa was like a young man, and he was making full use of a translation app on his smartphone (laughs).

However, when it comes to work and discussions, the heated discussions on the translation app cool down. In those situations, I encouraged him not to be shy and had him speak in English. Mr. Arakawa also began to speak in English desperately, and although he said that it was a language barrier, I thought that he could overcome it unexpectedly.

Arakawa: The content of the conversation was about thermal spraying, so even if my English was not enough, Aditya was able to understand the content and communicate with me.

Aditya: Not only was it valuable to learn about thermal spray techniques and Japanese, but also to experience the culture of Japan. The sense of time here impressed me. If there is a meeting set to start at 10:00, it usually starts around 10:05 in Indonesia, but it starts exactly at 10:00 in Japan. That's natural, isn't it? I thought this kind of culture was important for me to carry out my work.

Arakawa: While working with Aditya, he taught me the "knowledge of the field" that I lacked. I joined EMTAC right away as a new graduate, so I have no work experience in the field. Aditya has been involved in the field for a long time, so from that perspective, we were able to hear opinions such as "In fact, micro-spraying can be used for this work" and "It would be nice to be able to use it in this way at the site."

Takigawa: I think it was also important to experience foreign cultures up close. Aditya is a Muslim, so there is a month of fasting called Ramadan. Fasting is also practiced by Aditya, her family and their little daughter. I had heard of this culture before, but I gained a better grasp of its significance seeing it up close. As a member of EBARA, which is expanding its business globally, this is an important experience.

Aditya: I would like to make use of the thermal spraying technology I learned in Japan in Indonesia, and above all, I would like to work on various initiatives with the "new friends" I have made in Japan. If I run into challenges in Indonesia, I can consult with Takigawa, Arakawa, or the engineers in China and Vietnam that I have made connections with during my time in Japan. The head of ETSI is also Japan, so I would like to actively communicate in the Japanese I have learned.

Takigawa: When you have a problem with each other, feel free to talk to each other. It would be great if you can become a bridge between Indonesia and Japan. Even after the training period is over, I want to continue to have a relationship with them.

Arakawa: I would be happy if what I am doing now can be utilized in Indonesia, and I would like to accumulate knowledge and experience in other fields such as welding, in addition to promoting the development of thermal spraying.

Takigawa: Actually, since I joined the company, I have wanted to test myself overseas. Watching Aditya grow as a person has made that feeling even stronger. I not only want to gain new knowledge abroad; I also want to grow by experiencing the culture of that country. I was reminded that it is truly wonderful. From now on, I would like to take on the challenge of overseas fields.

*Global Career Development Program（GCDP）
A unique human resource development program in which young EBARA Group employees from all over the world undergo two-year training in various parts of the world, including Japan