Not just doing what you’re told, but being able to do “work” is what makes it worthwhile.

I’ve been with the company for 10 years, and I’ve been doing assembly work almost all this time. About halfway through, I spent a year and a half studying machining, and I also had the opportunity to experience machining using simple NC milling machines and NC lathes. (milling machines and lathes that can perform machining under numerical control using programs).

I receive the finished parts from the machining department, assemble them into the product shape, inspect them, pack them, and ship them to the customer. Sometimes I also go to the customer’s site to install the products on their machine tools. I also go overseas to install products, not just in Japan.

In addition, I also maintain and repair Kawatatec products that are sent to us by customers and send them back.

I learned how to assemble parts and finish products by thinking for myself based on the blueprints and asking around to the more senior staff.

At Kawatatec, if you have any questions, you can go and ask the more senior workers around you, regardless of which department you are in, so I never had to stand alone on the factory floor. I find it satisfying to be able to think for myself and work out how to assemble each product.

In addition, I was taught how to use the measuring instruments used for inspections directly by the manufacturer of the measuring instruments.

I feel that the fact that I was taught properly by my senior colleagues on site, from how to operate the crane to how to use the tools and the techniques for assembling the products, is useful for my current work.

I majored in mechanical engineering, and I learned about machining through welding, lathe practice, and various other technical training courses.

Practical lathe training helped me to make my own jigs (parts and components that make machining and assembly work more efficient) and to improve the efficiency of assembly and measurement.

I think it’s the fact that we make products that are unique and of a high quality. We make a lot of custom-made products as well as catalog products, so I enjoy figuring out how to assemble the parts with their complex mechanisms.

I feel a great sense of satisfaction from imagining the final product shape and then creating each product that has been entrusted to me, rather than just following a set procedure and just doing what I’m told.

Well, Kawatatec often produces one-off products with special specifications, so you have to think for yourself and be creative in how you put things together, rather than just relying on the manual.

This is two sides of the same coin as the sense of fulfillment I mentioned earlier, though. The first step is to think for yourself and get your hands moving, and then you can consult with other people to see whether you’ve put things together according to the drawings and complete the product. There are also many cases where you have to assemble things based on your own interpretation of the drawings.

Yes, it is. There is some physical work, and it is hot in the summer. Also, because metal parts expand and shrink due to changes in temperature, when assembling the exact same parts, it can be difficult to get them to fit together smoothly the next day, even though they fit together easily the day before.

The tolerances are very small, so I don’t think you can tell just by looking at them. When the parts expand, we have to be careful not to damage them as we repeat the adjustment process over and over again until we finally get it right. When we make large products, we have to approach our work with a delicate, precise, and sincere attitude.

In terms of business, when we ship products overseas, we have to get the work done in time, from assembly to shipping, before the ship sets sail. When we do that, we work with a sense of urgency, knowing that we absolutely have to get it done on time.

We make many custom-made products, and we manufacture one-of-a-kind products to meet the detailed requests of each customer. There are very few companies in the world that can make large, precise custom-made products, so you can take pride in your work.

Compared to other companies, I think it’s a fairly free and easy place to work.

The timing and length of breaks other than lunch breaks are not clearly defined, so I feel that the employees are trusted and able to work as they please. Also, I think this depends on the person, but I also think that it’s a good thing that it’s close to home.

I would recommend that you take action before you start worrying. I don’t think you can find a company that suits you just by looking at one company. If possible, I think it’s a good idea to attend information sessions and selection processes at various companies.

Above all, I think it’s important to consider whether the work content suits you, rather than focusing on the size or name recognition of the company. I also hope that you can find a company that suits you without overworking yourself.