Environmental Report 2014

Reducing Usage of Materials

In an effort to use materials more efficiently, measures that reduce the amount (percentage) that becomes waste after being introduced into the manufacturing stage are being promoted. An introduction to efforts at each site to use the main materials more effectively is provided below.

●Efforts at HAE site
HAE is focusing on reduction of the amount of materials used by reducing the width of metal materials used in presses and pin protection materials. The reduction of molding materials is being achieved by reducing unnecessary spoolers/runners that are discharged when extracting molded products; improving the number gates, mold shape, and positioning when designing molds; and switching from cold runners to hot runners. This reduces the amount of molding material used, while using recycled materials reduces the amount of newly purchased material inputs.

●Efforts at YAE site
Measures are underway for reducing the amount of materials used and waste generated by downsizing molds and revising the width of metal materials used in presses. In addition, reusing molding material leads to reduce input materials and making spoolers/runners more compact cuts down on the volume of materials used, which in turn results in significant CO2 reductions.

●Efforts at FAE site
Efforts to improve the reuse rate for copper alloy electrode material used in the manufacturing process for metal parts (discharge machining) are contributing to a dramatic reduction in the quantity of material used and the metal waste generated. Material usage was reduced by 261.0kg, exceeding the target of 200 kg.

●Efforts at SAE site
The SAE site continues to focus on self-production of machined parts and reducing cutting processes. These efforts contribute to reduced metal waste, as well as lower CO2 emissions during material production.