{"id":5287,"date":"2024-03-19T17:41:22","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T08:41:22","guid":{"rendered":"urn:uuid:77882997-68ac-4bf6-8b6e-3fc2ea2fb70b"},"modified":"2024-08-08T10:09:28","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T01:09:28","slug":"sekisuiheim","status":"publish","type":"case_study","link":"https:\/\/kawasakirobotics.com\/asia-oceania\/case-studies\/sekisuiheim\/","title":{"rendered":"Case Study “Robotic House Construction\u2014Sekisui Heim\u2019s Pursuit in Combating a Housing Industry Labor Shortage”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sekisui Heim is the world\u2019s first company to construct houses using the Unit Construction Method. The company\u2019s production process has been and still is a continually evolving pursuit of quality and efficiency, and in its Kyushu factory, \u201crobotic house construction\u201d utilizing industrial robots is happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kyushu factory is located in Tosu City, Saga Prefecture in Japan and robots are implemented on the housing unit assembly line. These are industrial robots built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, or Kawasaki. The intention behind this application of robots was to realize strict quality control and to deal with aging factory workers and labor shortage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are numerous options for bespoke houses when it comes to room layout and exterior design, depending on the customer\u2019s lifestyle and personal tastes.
\u201cFactory-automating all of that must have been very challenging…\u201d With that thought in mind, we toured the Kyushu factory while interviewing with Mr. Satoshi Kurahashi, the Engineering Division manager and Construction Division manager of Kyushu Sekisui Heim Industry Co., Ltd., who, from the very beginning, led the project of establishing a factory with active robot workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the factory, robots play a role assembling unit frames<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Kyushu factory is approximately 77,000 square meters. On this site with an area equivalent to one-and-a-half times the Tokyo Dome where it can hold 55,000 people, sits the Heim Production Building, where \u201chouses are assembled by robots\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Unit Construction Method, a method in which factories manufacture box units, and builders on the actual housing site assemble these units, has been in use at Sekisui Heim since 1971. At this factory, fully completed housing units\u2014with frames assembled, and exterior and interior walls, floors, stairs, windows and sashes all installed\u2014are built and shipped out. Just joining these units together is all that is required at each housing site. Thanks to this method, the work at housing sites can be finished in a day. There are no unassembled units left out in bad weather, leading to a guaranteed quality product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The way the production line is set up is said to be inspired by car factories. The industrial robots from Kawasaki are utilized on the unit assembly line, working on gable frame assembly, and overall assembly to connect the ceiling, floor and gable frames.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The overall process of the production line described in the Houses Constructed by Robots. Sekisui Heim\u2019s New Factory leaflet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Taking a closer look at the robotic automation process, shows that it can be divided into 4 parts as illustrated below. Kawasaki robots are used in processes 02\u201304.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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These processes used to be handled manually. So then, why are robots handling these tasks today? And what results have the application of robots brought? We interviewed Mr. Kurahashi, who was the driving force behind the introduction of robots into the factory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sekisui Heim\u2019s house-building improved through robot implementation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Mr. Satoshi Kurahashi, Engineering Division Manager and Construction Division Manager of Kyushu Sekisui Heim Industry Co.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014\u2014Could you explain the reasoning behind introducing robots?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welder shortage was a serious issue for us. Before automating our spot-welding process, three welders were required. But as they aged, securing welders on a stable basis became difficult. Due to the lack of workers, if someone was off sick, our production and quality would not be guaranteed. Therefore, when the factory was due for a renewal, we decided on the installation of robots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014\u2014What sorts of changes have you seen as a result of deploying robots?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First of all, productivity improved. The factory renewal we\u2019ve undergone has led to an increase in the number of units we are able to produce per day from 55 units to 65 units. Even in factories without robots, the process for constructing houses is the same as it is at the Kyushu factory, and generally, there is an average of 11 to 12 units produced per factory. While factory automation through the application of robots or other methods has cut down the number of workers required for unit assembly by 20 compared to before, we\u2019ve relocated staff replaced by robots to take on tasks which require human hands. In other words, the manpower saved by the streamlining has shifted over to other value-adding tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014\u2014Why did Sekisui Heim choose to partner up with Kawasaki?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we first started conceptualizing this robotic house-building system, we contacted several companies but no one took us seriously since the concept sounded like a dream at that time. No one except Kawasaki. Kawasaki went as far as to simulate the concept and worked with us to the point where we confirmed that it was a technically feasible plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kawasaki was great because they stuck with us and listened to our science fiction-like story. Ordinary companies would first tell us the reasons why they couldn\u2019t take our request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014\u2014How were the robots eventually introduced into the Kyushu factory?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When this project first started out, we had housing business in Thailand and established a joint company with local companies. A new factory was planned for construction, so we took the opportunity to develop component technologies required for factory automation at the new Thailand factory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new factory in Thailand was completed in 2013. Since the technologies developed in Thailand were brought as-is to our Kyushu factory, production lines for both factories are quite similar. We call them brother factories, with the Thailand factory being the older brother and the Kyushu factory the younger one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It took 10 years to embody the concept, but the number of skilled workers will continue to dramatically decrease. In order for us to survive as a house manufacturer, I think the Unit Construction Method is the only way to go. Just for reference, the amount of money we\u2019ve invested into this robot implementation can be paid off within three years, according to our calculations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014\u2014How far do you think factory automation can go with robots in the near future?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My wish is that it further reduces necessary manpower and makes the building operation easier. Although we passed on it for this factory, automating the welding of floor frames is also possible. Research and development of other component technologies is ongoing and I think making screwing automated is possible as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, automating the handling of exterior walls is difficult. The amount of variation that can come from customers\u2019 orders is almost infinite, making it very challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most crucial part of implementing robots was securing the precision of units. I believe that the fundamental first phase has been set with this operation, and I\u2019d like to see young people being nurtured and moving on to the second and third phases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014\u2014Did putting robots to work have any other effect apart from the improvement in productivity?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have seen a rise in awareness of our company thanks to increased media coverage. The number of school trip visits to our factory has gone up as well, and we\u2019ve received comments like, \u201cIt\u2019s so amazing to see moving robots,\u201d or, \u201cThe workers are cool!\u201d Those comments by students make our factory staff very happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some staff members even voiced that they have \u201cgrown to become proud of working at this factory\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has also brought positive influence on our sales. With this renewal, we\u2019ve created a factory visitation route and proactively invite customers who come to see the model houses to visit the factory. Having customers see how the robots construct houses certainly seems to make them more comfortable in their decision to make a purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2015\u2015Thank you very much for these valuable stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, here are some reports on how the robots operate in the factory after taking the factory tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gable Frame Assembly\u2014Robots can effortlessly handle materials up to a maximum weight of 200kg<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kawasaki\u2019s large BX200L robot carries four pieces of steel\u2014previously welded posts and beams\u2014and sets them up on the machine laid out like a frame-like configuration. It handles materials up to a maximum weight of 200kg precisely, within a 0.2mm margin of error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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