[Introduction Case] Kyowa Electric Industry Co., Ltd. | Good manufacturing is born from "relationships." Evolution of communication between bases supported by temi
■Kyowa Dengyo Co., Ltd./Yamagata Kyowa Dengyo Co., Ltd.
Kyowa Electric Co., Ltd., a pioneer in strain gauges, has supported industrial and academic progress in the fields of measurement, control, and analysis. The company is headquartered in Chofu, Tokyo, with capital of 17 billion yen, consolidated sales of 149 billion yen, and 541 employees (as of June 2025, 6, according to the company's website). The company is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market and is highly trusted by research and development and production sites both in Japan and overseas.
Yamagata Kyowa Electronics Co., Ltd. is a family company of Kyowa Electronics Co., Ltd., a comprehensive manufacturer of stress measurement equipment with the top domestic market share, and serves as a production base for strain gauges and sensors.
How to use: temi at production sites to make remote visits from headquarters to promote mutual understanding
Efforts are being made to bridge the understanding gap between design and manufacturing by having design staff at the head office (Chofu, Tokyo) patrol the production site (Yamagata) remotely using the videophone and remote-controlled movement functions of the telepresence avatar robot "temi" (hereinafter referred to as "temi"), checking the work environment, communicating in real time with on-site staff, and participating in meetings.
How can we reduce the “psychological distance” from the manufacturing site?
"Good manufacturing" in the manufacturing industry is not achieved by superior design and production technology alone.The quality of the relationships built between headquarters and production sites, design and the field, and between departments determines the quality of the products and the strength of the entire team. Kyowa Electric Industry Co., Ltd. focused on these invisible connections and decided to introduce temi with the desire to "narrow the distance between bases and departments."
The deciding factor for adoption: the new idea of "experiencing the work site" with temi
Against this background,"Isn't there a way to get a sense of what's happening on the ground on a more regular basis and in real time?"Temi is an autonomous mobile robot with a tablet-type screen that can be remotely controlled.You can move freely within the production site and check the situation on-site in real time from your own perspective.Designers and managers can operate temi from the Chofu headquarters to look around the production site, and by showing their faces on the tablet screen, they can talk to the on-site staff and check the whiteboard.You can feel as if you are actually visiting the place..
Background of the introduction: The "atmosphere on the ground" that cannot be conveyed by information sharing alone
Kyowa Electric, headquartered in Chofu, Tokyo, has a production base in Yamagata Prefecture as one of its bases. It has been making various efforts to strengthen cooperation between its bases. It has been sharing information to a certain extent through monthly video conferences and on-site visits, but these methods alone are not enough.There are limitations to understanding minute details about the manufacturing site, such as the actual work flow, the atmosphere, and even slight discomfort.In fact, small discrepancies that were not visible from headquarters, such as the "condition of the work bench" or the "layout of the equipment and work lines," sometimes led to miscommunication and friction.
temi is accepted as a “relationship-building entity”
This creates a sense that "someone is coming," and people at the site naturally start waving at temi and talking to it casually. This is different from the feeling of being "watched" like with a surveillance camera.Proof that temi is accepted as a “relationship-building device”The person in charge at the production site also commented that "the person who appears on temi feels like they're actually there with us on-site, so there's no sense of incongruity."
In the past, the installation of additional surveillance cameras was considered, but was rejected due to strong psychological resistance on the part of the production base.This was only possible because of temi, which allows both parties to express an equal relationship.
With temi, casual conversations that can’t be picked up in meetings naturally occur.
The biggest change after the introduction was the quality of communication itself. Casual conversation and the sharing of small observations, which were difficult to do in a video conference room, occurred naturally over temi, and the psychological distance between the site and the design team was greatly reduced."The unique benefit of temi is that it allows you to naturally discuss topics that are outside the meeting agenda."There was also a comment like this.
Future outlook: Possibility of expanding use and expanding to the entire design department
Currently, temi is still being used mainly by the members who led the introduction, but the person in charge expressed his hopes that "we will move in a better direction in the future by having other members of the design department use it more widely." temi is not just a tool, but is being positioned as a "starting point for mutual understanding" that will change the awareness and understanding of the site of the entire design department.
New use: Communicating the appeal of the workplace during training
The use of temi is also becoming more widespread. For example, during new employee training, temi can be used to show the atmosphere of the production site in real time, allowing employees to feel the appeal of the site and the working environment even when they are in a remote location. A person in charge said, "Another big benefit is that temi can convey our progressive corporate image."
Summary: temi reconstructs “understanding” and “relationships”
The existence of temi does not simply transfer information, but rather reconstructs "understanding" and "relationships." Head office and production base, design and the field. By reconnecting two locations that are supposed to be far apart through temi, it is possible that both product precision and organizational unity can evolve to a deeper level. We hope that the introduction of temi at Kyowa Electric will revolutionize communication between locations and serve as a catalyst for moving forward toward "better manufacturing."
