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Opening Ceremony for the Honda-Osaka Univ. Joining Technology Monozukuri Research Alliance Laboratories held
The Honda-Osaka Univ. Joining Technology Monozukuri Research Alliance Laboratories were established at Osaka University’s Joining and Welding Research Institute (JWRI) on March 1, 2024.
These research alliance laboratories aim to develop and commercialize the world’s first cold-spot joining technology and quality assessment methods with due consideration of ease of disassembly and material separation.
By combining JWRI’s world-leading joining and welding technology with Honda’s world class car body manufacturing technology, the both parties will also make efforts to academically develop, evolve, and diffuse Honda’s welding technology.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, these laboratories will promote the development of next-generation researchers and engineers in the industry through active personal interactions among OU researchers and students and engineers at Honda.
Cold spot joining (CSJ) is solid phase resistance spot welding," enabling metal-to-metal joining in the solid phase without melting the material. This technique allows for joining of high strength steel plates as well as joining of different materials (for example, steel and aluminum), reducing energy consumption for producing cars to half and leading to significant reduction of CO2 emission.
On June 4, the opening ceremony and commemorative lectures for the laboratories were held at Hankyu Railways-Sanwa Bank Hall at the Icho Kaikan on Osaka University’s Suita Campus.
At the opening ceremony starting with speeches by President NISHIO Shojiro (Osaka University) and Executive Officer ONUMA Takashi (Chief Officer, Automobile Production Operations, Honda Co., Ltd.), special guest Mr. SAKODA Kenkichi (General Manager, Industrial Collaboration Promotion Office, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) made a speech. Then, Executive Vice President KANEDA Yasufumi (Osaka University) spoke about the purpose of the laboratories.
These speeches were followed by the lectures:
- “Introduction to Welding Technology Developed by Osaka University” – Prof. FUJII Hidetoshi (Research Alliance Laboratory Director and Professor/Director, JWRI)
- “Car Body Production Technology at Honda and our Thoughts on the Research Alliance Laboratories” – Vice Director WATANABE Shinya (Chief Engineer, Honda Co., Ltd.)
The ceremony attended by some 90 participants, including business people, OU faculty, staff, and students, as well as press, ended on a high note. Starting with this opening ceremony, OU will strive to develop these laboratories into a hub for industry-university co-creation and will lead the joining and welding field through cooperation with Honda.
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President Nishio (left) and General Manager Onuma
(From left) Prof. Fujii, Executive Vice President Kaneda, President Nishio, Mr. Sakoda, General Manager Onuma, and General Manager Itoh
(Front row from left) Executive Vice President Kaneda, President Nishio, Mr. Sakoda, General Manager Onuma, and General Manager Itoh
(Back row from left) Executive Director Ikeda, Director Fujii, Visiting Researcher KAMIKURA Masanobu, Vice Director Watanabe, Specially Appointed Researcher TOYODA Hiroki, Visiting Researcher TAKAKI Sohei, and Visiting Researcher KOBAYASHI Haruhiko (Researcher Alliance Laboratories)