Mazda 2016 Annual Report Download - page 27

Maintaining press molds
Mazda’s “artisan skills” create forms that are filled with KODO design’s sense of vitality in units of 1/1,000th of a millimeter
technology was created to achieve a three-dimensional
form befitting a sports car.
One of the major changes made on the manufactur-
ing line was to alter the form of procurement for alumi-
num from the previous sheets to coils. Also, by bringing
the aluminum cutting process in-house and setting up a
sophisticated cutting line prior to the pressing of the
front fenders, we were able to increase yields*1 15%.
With regard to the aluminum cutting line, capital
expenditure was kept to a minimum by remodeling the
previous steel cutting line so that it could handle both
steel and aluminum. Some of the many difficult issues
stemming from the different properties of steel and
aluminum that needed to be resolved when carrying
out this line remodeling were that aluminum is softer
and scratches more easily than steel, it is not magnetic,
and more shavings are created when cutting, making it
more difficult to maintain molds. These issues were
overcome through workplace knowledge and ingenuity,
and the line remodeling was successful.
As a result, lightweight fenders that improve vehicle
performance were created in a cost-efficient manner.
The success achieved in the new MX-5 is applied to
other models and contributes to making Mazda’s entire
lineup more lightweight.
*1 The ratio of material that actually becomes product. A higher yield means lower
costs and also helps to reduce the energy used in recycling the unused portion.
Kimio Dojo
Artisan for press mold maintenance
Checking the quality of a pressed aluminum front fender
Work related to restoring the shape of a molded product
CLOSE UP
Design Divisions Manufacturing Divisions
In order to create an automobile that conveys the rich expressions
and strong vitality that can only be found in living things, Mazda’s
KODO design is insistent on artistic forms that can only be created
by human beings.
Pressing based on very minute calculations and using highly
precise molds is indispensable in creating forms full of vitality
developed by designers and engineers from various areas and
using these forms to produce piece-by-piece body parts that
achieve the desired form.
With the shape of press-molded body parts such as front
fenders, a difference of only 1/1,000th of a millimeter caused by the
wear from abrasion with the aluminum, steel, or other material
being pressed can directly affect the beauty or quality of the body.
When these minute changes are detected in a mold, various tools
are used to produce the desired shape. This is the job of Kimio Dojo,
the on-site staff member responsible for press mold maintenance.
To reproduce the highly precise, flowing shape of KODO design,
which consists of continuous curves, the final step of mold mainte-
nance is performed by sight and touch alone. The delicate skill of a
worker surpasses the ability of high-precision measuring equipment.
Dojo notes:
“KODO design involves sharp contrasts of light and shadows, with
an uninterrupted flow of beautiful reflections of scenery. To con-
tinue to preserve this design, therefore, I strive to maintain continu-
ous, completely fluid, beautiful curves, without any compromise.”
MAZDA ANNUAL REPORT 2016
25 Drivers of Value Creation
Message from
Management
Review of Operations
Foundations Underpinning
Sustainable Growth
Financial Section
Contents