The First R&D Division, being in charge of the development of systems and products such as fuel tanks and sunroofs mounted on mass production vehicles of automobile manufacturers, has the environment in which it can quickly perform R&D activities from materials development to product design and function evaluation tests.
Regarding the fuel tank development, Yachiyo develops the fuel tank as a constituent part and a system, and regarding the sunroof development, Yachiyo carries out R&D activities toward the expansion of product variation and the development of new sunroof systems.
Moreover, in the fuel tank development, Yachiyo will establish a base for creating high quality and high value-added products that respond to domestic and overseas customers’ demand by “the enhancement of development capabilities” including the expansion of various testing machines. For example, Yachiyo introduced 3D driving simulation testing machines (HEXaDRIVE) capable of evaluating the performance of fuel tanks under the actual driving situation first in Japan.
Tochigi R&D Center (The First R&D Division)
3D driving simulation testing machines (HEXaDRIVE) are introduced first in Japan
The Second R&D Division has the system that can “quickly manufacture, confirm, test and analyze” planned and designed products by locating the trial manufacturing division in the same facilities to quickly conduct basic development. The Second R&D Division plays the roles of conducting the research of next-generation technologies and the development of products to be proposed to customers.
Furthermore, Yachiyo conducts unique R&D activities by utilizing its technologies and facilities of automotive functional parts manufacturing cultivated so far. Yachiyo challenges new fields such as the development of the lightweight “LPG composite cylinder” (LP gas cylinder made from resin) having excellent durability.
North America R&D Center in charge of design, test and research of sunroofs and fuel tanks manufactured in North America was established in July 2008 in the premises of Yachiyo of America Inc. (YOA) in Ohio, U.S.A.
In recent years, there is a growing tendency among automobile manufacturers to “start manufacturing simultaneously in every country”, that is, to start manufacturing new automobiles at global bases without time differences, and, in order to reflect the needs of each country’s automobile demand, automobile manufacturers now focus on developing and manufacturing automobiles overseas.
Yachiyo will improve the R&D efficiency by enhancing cooperation and coordination with manufacturing and R&D bases of domestic and overseas automobile manufacturers and quickly responding to customer needs.
North America R&D Center and a Part of Test and Research Facilities