The General Manager of Urahoro Test Site talks about real world quality assessment

Hitachi Construction Machinery's products have earned a strong reputation from customers for their durability and operability.
The Urahoro Test Site supports this trust in the final stages of product development.
Here we report on the role and significance of the Urahoro Test Site.

Key facility for quality assurance

The Urahoro Test Site is located in the magnificent natural backdrop of the northern part of Urahoro Town, Tokachi-gun, about two hours by car east from the center of Obihiro City. The vast site, which is approximately 428 hectares, is equipped with laps, ramps, and rough roads that simulate bumpy terrain. Since its completion in 1992, the facility has tested and evaluated the performance and reliability of actual equipment for more than three decades.

Rigid dump trucks roar up the slope, and in contrast to them, small wheel loaders drive around with a cloud of dust and smoke. This is a rare sight to see.

One of the purposes for which the Urahoro Test Site was established is to verify the adequacy of design and development quality. The facility’s main task is endurance testing for drilling and driving. Tests can be conducted not only during the daytime, but also 24 hours a day.

 “Here, we conduct tests in a real-world environment close to that in which the machines will actually be used. It is our mission to eliminate defects before the machines reach our customers. Urahoro Test Site is a key facility for assuring the quality of Hitachi Construction Machinery,” says Hiroyuki Yaguchi, General Manager of the Urahoro Test Site, explaining the significance of the testing facility.

In addition to testing at the prototype stage, the facility also evaluates the effectiveness of countermeasures taken in the event of a defect.

Safeguarding quality with the sangen philosophy

With the recent evolution of digital technology, simulation and virtual reality are increasingly used in the design and development process of manufacturing. Why does Hitachi Construction Machinery still possess such a vast testing facility and position it as the cornerstone of quality assurance?

“For example, when conducting an engine endurance test, the meaning of the test is completely different if the engine is only run in a factory than if it is run in an environment where it will actually be used. The purpose is not to conduct tests, but to prevent defects from occurring at the customer's job site and to eliminate defects. That is the purpose of the test. In this sense, we believe that the so-called sangen philosophy* of seeing the actual product in the field to better understand the reality will remain unchanged in future manufacturing,” says Yaguchi.

Of course, the spread of digital technology has also brought many benefits. Today, using photo and video data, detailed on-site conditions can be shared in real time with distant factories and design/development departments. Yaguchi notes, “Our response to any problems has been greatly sped up. The fusion of digital technology with a commitment to the sangen philosophy has led to thorough and early problem solving, which in turn has lead to improved customer satisfaction.

*sangen philosophy : a way of gaining a better understanding of the reality of operations by viewing the actual machine at work in the real world.

Awareness of why tests are conducted

Yaguchi has experience working in development testing, quality control at a factory, and even in the service department, where he was responsible for improving products after delivery to customers. Yaguchi is always aware of the purpose of his work. This attitude has not changed at the Urahoro Test Site, where Yaguchi became its 10th general manager since inception.

At weekly meetings held with the staff of the test site, he discusses the tests conducted the previous week and those scheduled to be conducted this week. Even then, he poses the questions for whom and for what they are doing them. In addition to understanding the purpose of the tests, Yaguchi believes it is also important to always have a new point of view when approaching the tests.

“For example, let's say you are instructed to replace a part. Simply replacing a part is enough, but in reality, when and why would you replace it? Was the replacement easy or difficult? Even for the same task, changing your perspective can give completely different information, which is sure to lead to customer satisfaction.”

To continue satisfying customers, we must respond to various needs and actively take on the challenge of new technologies. In such a situation, the role of the Urahoro Test Site will become even more important.

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