SHINZU KOGYO Co., LTD.
A modern factory built around Mazak machines for advanced production
Techno Labo, a new factory run by SHINZU KOGYO Co., LTD. (Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture), a manufacturer of precision parts, began full-scale operation in January 2024 with the aim of massproducing optoelectronic components, and is progressing smoothly. The spacious factory, which is centered around Mazak machines, is filled with an atmosphere reminiscent of a laboratory, as its name suggests.
Focusing on manufacturing based on the local industry
SHINZU KOGYO Co., LTD. was founded in 1959 by President Hiroshi Kimura’s father and became a corporation in 1997. The business, which began with metal processing for local Hamamatsu products such as motorcycles and musical instruments, has expanded to include IT and semiconductor-related parts and medical equipment in response to changes in the market.
Most of the machinery and equipment used is Mazak, with over 40 machines in operation at the main factory, including the VCN series vertical machining center. “Most visitors are amazed when they open the factory door and see the neatly arranged Mazak machines before their eyes,” says President Kimura. When the company was founded, they also used machine tools made by other companies. President Kimura states, “when we introduced a vertical machining center in the late 1980s, we were astonished by the ease of use of the MAZATROL. Its excellent usability and easy-to-learn system also translates into operator training, so Mazak is our go-to choice for cutting machines.” The company’s current sales consist of 60% transportation equipment parts, robot parts, and semiconductor-related parts, 25% optoelectronic components and medical equipment, and 15% others. Mazak machines are deeply involved in the manufacturing of all of these products.
VCN and Ez LOADER contribute to labor-saving and automation
The company’s products made by Mazak machines have been highly praised for their precision and delivery time. However, one day, one of the major clients of the company came and requested manufacturing of “massproduced products with a tolerance of ±1 μm.” The existing production system was not enough to meet this request. To meet this stringent precision requirement, the company decided to open Techno Labo.
The aim of opening Techno Labo is to improve the processing efficiency of high-precision optoelectronic components and establish a mass production system in response to the requests of the company’s main client. The key to this is “advanced production through high-speed machining, automation, and 24-hour operation.” To achieve this, Techno Labo currently has seven VCN-460s, two VARIAXIS j-500s, and the collaborative robot Ez LOADER 20. “We introduced the VCN-460 because high precision and high-speed machining are required for mass production of optoelectronic components. The Ez LOADER 20 contributes to automating workpiece loading and unloading. By automating the process, there is no need for people to be constantly there at the production line. It can operate continuously 24 hours a day, making it possible to ‘stock up’ production at night,” President Kimura says.
By combining VCN-460 with Ez LOADER 20, the processing time per optoelectronic component housing has been reduced. In addition, the amount of processed products per day increased by 1.8 times. By eliminating the operators’ waiting time, Techno Labo has also been able to further reduce the number of staff required.
Mazak machines that captured the hearts of high school girls
A year has passed since Techno Labo has started its full operation, and it has been steadily achieving success in terms of production with the VCN-460 and Ez LOADER 20. It is also achieving success in the current tough hiring environment. The average age of the company’s employees is 30, which is young for a Japanese company. This is because there are a number of high school graduates, including female students who do not major in engineering, join the company each year.
”They were in awe of the clean, air-conditioned interior, the young employees, and the way Mazak machines were used, which they saw in the factory tour. By using MAZATROL, even novice workers can enjoy machining as if it were a game.“ Kimura expresses. It was said that those girls were so interested in controlling MAZATROL, that they asked the tour staff if they can try machining the materials themselves. Now, those girls work as employees at the company, operating MAZATROL and engaging in machining tasks daily at Techno Labo.The proactive introduction of equipment, systems that realize highprecision machining, and the continuous development of human resources who can use them, will be the driving force for SHINZU KOGYO Co., LTD. to meet the needs of its customers.
SHINZU KOGYO Co., LTD.
| President | Hiroshi Kimura |
| Head Office | 248-1 Yutakacho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan |
| Toyota Factory | 125 Tomigaoka, Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan |
| Techno Labo | 3191 Yutakacho, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan |
| Number of employees | 42 |