TOKYO, Japan, November 7, 2013 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today hosted the premiere open house at its Yorii Plant of the Saitama Factory (in Yorii-machi, Osato-gun, Saitama, Japan). The open house was attended by many dignitaries, guests, representatives from the local governments, Mr. Kiyoshi Ueda, the Governor of Saitama Prefecture, as well as Honda executives, including Takanobu Ito, president & CEO.
Designed under the concept of "producing the world's cleanest products at the world's cleanest plant," the people-friendly and environmentally-responsible Yorii Plant strives to become the world's top class energy saving plant through the adoption of Honda's most advanced production technologies and establishment of a highly efficient production system.
At the Yorii Plant, which features innovative technologies and will lead Honda plants around the world, Honda will further increase the efficiency of its production system through centralized production of the Global Compact Series including the all-new Fit as well as small-sized SUV and sedan which will be introduced to the market in the future.
Honda will continue delivering products which fulfill the needs of customers in each region, with speed, affordability and low CO2 emissions by evolving technologies and know-how cultivated at Yorii Plant to other new Honda plants which will soon begin operation in countries such as Mexico, China, and Brazil.
＜Production technologies＞
Stamping:
- The industry's top-class stamping volume was realized through a high-speed servo stamping press and adoption of high-speed die change. The efficiency of the stamping process was improved by approximately 40%.
Welding:
- Minimization and globalization of capital investment were made possible by reducing production equipment
- For the main body assembly equipment, the conventional large-sized jig was replaced by a smaller-sized robot jig. Through modularization, reduction of the equipment was realized making it possible to standardize the equipment on a global basis.
- Press-hemming which previously required a large-sized stamping machine was replaced by roller-hemming which is done by small-sized general-purpose roller equipment.
- An inner general welding machine forms the body framework by consolidating frame components, which realized a reduction in vehicle body weight.
- Automation was adopted for heavy-lifting processes such as mounting of hood and doors.
Assembly:
- Reduction of heavy-lifting processes, improvements in the precision of installing components and a reduction in manpower through automation were realized.
- Assembly of the instrument panel, glass, engine, suspensions and tires were automated.
＜Technologies that reduce the environmental footprint＞
Painting:
- Honda S.E. Paint system (Honda Smart Ecological Paint) was adopted
- The amount of energy consumed during the painting process was reduced by 40% through the elimination of a middle coating process from a commonly used 4-coat/3-bake painting process to realize a 3-coat/2-bake painting process.
Synthetic resin:
- Bumper painting process adopts Japan-first* absorptive removal of paint mist using calcium carbonate instead of water
Facility management:
- Status of energy use is visualized through FEMS (Facility energy management system)
Suppliers:
- Efficiency of logistics was significantly improved by a parts consolidation center which was realized through cooperation with suppliers
- By locating suppliers' parts consolidation processes within the Honda plant site (corporate park), a direct link between parts processing to automobile production plant is established, which largely contributed to the significant improvement in the efficiency of logistics and a reduction of CO2during the transportation.
- *Honda internal research
Welding process at Yorii Plant/Saitama Factory
Assembly line of Yorii Plant/Saitama Factory
| ＜About Yorii Plant, Saitama Factory＞ |
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| Location: | 2354 Ooaza Tomita, Yorii-machi, Osato-gun, Saitama, Japan |
| Lot size: | Approximately 950,000m2 (including 280,000 m2 of nature conservation area) |
| Production capacity: | 250,000 units / year |