1992 Reports

Innovation and technical development in the Japanese steel industry

Ohashi, Nobuo

The historical background of the steel industry in Japan and particularly its development since the Second World War is discussed with an emphasis on technology. Although this background includes the factors related to political, economic, labor, management and technical staff capabilities, the continuous effort to improve technology and the modernization of facilities have been the fundamental forces behind the development of the Japanese steel industry. The production technology and product features of steel sheet, especially for automotive applications, are presented here by way of practical example. An extensive application of computer engineering in both of business- and process-control systems is introduced as a typical background of recent modernization of total manufacturing technologies. The research and development activities which support the improvement of technology and future tasks are also discussed.