Entering Japan: A low-cost automation training journey in Japan

2025-07-02 15:37:33

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Project Background

During periods of declining growth rates, the planned mass production method in the United States no longer works. After the outbreak of the oil crisis in the autumn of 1973, companies were at a loss. At this time, although Toyota's profits have decreased, they are still higher than other companies, which is quite noticeable. From 1975 to 1977, Toyota's profits increased year by year, gradually widening the gap with other companies. As a result, Toyota's production method began to attract close attention from people.

In the Toyota Production System, "completely eliminating waste" is the basic idea, "reducing costs" is the goal, and LCIA is an important way to reduce costs!

Not only Toyota, but all manufacturing companies generate profits through cost reduction. The combination of cost and profit determines product prices, and the practice of transferring costs to consumers through prices is not feasible for modern manufacturing enterprises. Products are subject to scrutiny from consumers in a free and competitive market. Consumers rarely consider the cost of a product, they are concerned about whether the product is valuable to themselves. If the pricing is expensive due to high costs, consumers will not be interested. For manufacturing enterprises with strong sociality, reducing costs is the best strategy to survive in free competition. During periods of high-speed economic growth, it is not difficult to reduce costs by increasing production. However, during periods of low-speed economic growth, no matter what form is taken, reducing costs is not an easy task, or in other words, there is no clever way to reduce costs.

Low cost intelligent automation is called Karakuri (からぐり) in Japan, also known as a simple device. Although there are different names, what we are talking about is actually the same - low-cost intelligent automation. It is composed of lean management and spare parts, incorporating leverage and gravity to achieve low cost, labor-saving, labor-saving, and eliminate unnecessary waste (8 major wastes). In the wave of Industry 4.0, if enterprises want to find their own unique path, low-cost intelligent automation is the first step.

November 9-15, 2025

7 days and 6 nights

Low cost Automation Training Tour in Japan

Take you into Nagoya, the industrial hub of Japan.

Live

LCIA event at the level of the Hanover Industrial Exhibition in Asia

Zero distance disassembly LCIA improvement principle,

Link to Chinese and Japanese enterprise resources.

Two Big Shot Courses

Plan an exclusive automation path for the enterprise.

Going deep into Toyota's benchmark enterprises

Witness low investment, high quality, reduced personnel and increased efficiency

The implementation method of automation!

Itinerary Features

Going deep into Japan's industrial core cities and taking the first step towards low-cost intelligent automation
Nagoya, a major industrial hub in Japan
Visit LCIA Low Cost Automation Exhibition in Japan, link resources, and seek common development
Hanover Industrial Exhibition in Asia - LCIA Low Cost Automation Exhibition in Japan
Big Shot Classroom, Striking at the Essence of Low Cost Automation in Japan
Learning the Essence of Low Cost Automation Theory - "General Theory of Lean Management"
The Tool for Enterprise Transformation and Upgrading - Toyota Improvement and Low Cost Automation
Benchmark visit, witnessing the implementation of automation with low investment, high quality, reduced manpower and increased efficiency
The benchmark for implementing automation in small and beautiful Japanese enterprises - Royal Shipbuilding Industry
TPM Equipment Full Staff Security and Improvement Benchmark - AVEX New Factory
Providing high-precision molds for equipment manufacturers within the Toyota system - Sasahara Gold Mold
Showcasing Toyota's latest technologies in various fields - Toyota Industrial Technology Memorial Hall
Deep cultural experience, experiencing the collision of traditional and modern Japanese culture
Nagoya Castle and Nagoya Business District Sightseeing

Scheduling

November 9th

set out

Departure: Fly from China to Nagoya

November 10th

Overview of Low Cost Automation

Morning: Teacher Lingcun's "General Theory of Lean Management"

Highlight: By analyzing the TPS system through a practical expert system, the key concepts and practices that need to be emphasized and implemented in the process of enterprise promotion are reorganized.

Noon: Lunch

Afternoon: Visit to Royal Ship Factory

Highlight: Rapid mold change and quality assurance system within the process

Evening: Dinner

November 11th

Low cost automation and digitization

Morning: Visit AVEX new factory

Highlight: Equipment maintenance and automation improvement with full participation of all staff

Noon: Lunch

Afternoon: Visit Sasahara Kaneki

Highlight: Promotion methods and achievements of 2S activities at the mold manufacturing site

Evening: Dinner

November 12th

Exhibition Overview

Daytime: Attend the LCIA Low Cost Automation Exhibition in Japan

Highlight: Leading Chinese enterprises to observe LCIA improvement principles/works up close, learning the essence of automation, while drawing on the practical experience of LCIA production innovation in Chinese enterprises, planning a blueprint for the introduction of low-cost automation in enterprises, promoting the implementation of LCIA production methods in enterprises, and achieving labor-saving, labor-saving, and cost saving.

Evening: Dinner

November 13th

Low cost automation improvement

Morning: Teacher Ikemoto's "Toyota Improvement and Low Cost Automation"

Highlight: Toyota's basic improvement ideas and KARAKURI improvement method

Noon: Lunch

Afternoon: Dojo Practice: Low cost Automated Dojo Experience

Highlight: Toyota style training method, which deeply experiences the principles and functions of low-cost automation through practical operation; Improving techniques without the need for power, installing safe and low-cost equipment, reducing equipment costs, and enhancing production efficiency.

Evening: Dinner

November 14th

Graduation&Low Cost Automation Culture

Morning: Toyota Industrial Technology Memorial Hall

Highlight: Dynamic demonstration of automotive mechanical principles, which can be operated and experienced by hand; Real process simulation of modern automotive manufacturing technology; Gather all representative models of Toyota Group.

Noon: Lunch

Afternoon: Cultural Experience: Nagoya Castle Sightseeing&Station Business District Inspection

Highlight: Nagoya Castle is a perfect fusion of history, culture, and modern charm.

The Nagoya Station business district is a comprehensive area that integrates transportation, shopping, dining, entertainment, and culture, and is an indispensable part of exploring Nagoya.

Evening: Graduation Banquet

November 15th

Return to China

safe arrival

*The specific itinerary is subject to actual conditions

Exhibition Profile

2025

LCIA Low Cost Automation Exhibition in Japan

Date: November 12-13, 2025

Location: Port Messe Nagoya Exhibition Hall 3

Exhibition Introduction:

Low Cost Automation (LCIA) is an annual world-class improvement conference in Japan, known as the "Hanover Industrial Exhibition of Asia". From 1994 until now, the 30th exhibition is about to be held. So far, 8116 examples have been received from 1670 companies at the exhibition. This exhibition has been developing year by year and now attracts exhibitors from overseas. It is widely regarded as a place for everyone to learn and is utilized by many enterprises.

Teachers Introduction

Teacher Lingcun

Mainly engaged in on-site management/TPS work, responsible for vehicle production and production process management
Mainly engaged in on-site management/TPS work, responsible for vehicle production and production process management. Responsible for introducing Toyota's production methods in countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States
He is the only person in charge of comprehensive vehicle management at Toyota
Familiar with the essence of Toyota Kanban production method, skilled in new factory construction, TPS promotion and introduction
Guided on-site improvements for Hyundai, Samsung, Sany Heavy Industries, and others in South Korea
Teacher Lingcun
Formerly worked in the Production Equipment Department at Toyota Motor Corporation. Responsible for production line design, production line configuration, equipment maintenance, equipment safety, TPM, equipment electrical preservation, and equipment on-site management
Responsible for Toyota's production technology, equipment development, management, improvement, production line design, and TPM guidance throughout China and within the Toyota system
Proficient in new factory construction, equipment management, equipment preservation, production process design, establishment of factory automation system, production management, logistics management, promotion and introduction of TPM

Enterprise Introduction

Royal Shipbuilding Industry

Yushuan Industry is a company specializing in stamping, welding, assembly, and mold manufacturing of automotive parts, and is one of Toyota's core secondary suppliers. Yushuan Industry has always adhered to the corporate spirit of "accumulating small gains" and the company tradition of "continuous improvement", thoroughly implementing Toyota's lean concept, and committed to constantly refreshing the best results in quality, price, delivery time, and other aspects. For example, it has up to 2500 types of products and produces at least 8 million pieces per month, but its product defect rate is less than one in a million, far higher than the level of Six Sigma.

Sasahara Gold Type

Sasahara Kinki Co., Ltd. is a multinational stamping die company headquartered in Japan, founded in 1968. The company mainly produces high-strength material stamping molds and aluminum alloy stamping molds, providing high-precision molds for equipment manufacturers within the Toyota system. The high precision and one-time processing qualification rate of its molds are in a leading position in the same industry.

Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology

The location of the Toyota Industrial Technology Memorial Hall was originally an abandoned factory of Toyota Textile, which was the predecessor of Toyota Motor Corporation. The Toyota Industrial Technology Memorial Hall has three exhibition halls, namely the Weaving Machine Exhibition Hall, Die Casting Laboratory, and Automotive Exhibition Hall. The Weaving Machine Exhibition Hall records the development history of Toyota's weaving machines, and dozens of devices in the hall present the real and intuitive history of Toyota. In addition to showcasing the development history of various important components of automobiles, the car exhibition hall also displays representative models of Toyota from different periods. Here, you can understand the basic principles of automated production, just in time production, and Toyota hybrid production.