Mayekawa Manufacturing Holds Internal Welding Competition to Enhance Skill Transfer and Quality

Mayekawa Manufacturing, a producer of industrial refrigeration machines with over a 40% global market share, as well as various industrial machinery, plant design, and construction services, held its 36th internal 'Welding Competition' at its Moriya Factory on May 18-19 to enhance skill transfer and product quality.

The competition featured the first-ever level-mixed 'team battle.' In addition to visual and non-destructive inspections by five internal judges, the company introduced a proprietary image-recognition AI system for skill assessment, presenting a new form of technical succession that fuses traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology.

■ Competition Categories
Three categories were conducted to evaluate individual skill and team cooperation:
- T-1F: Manual welding of 3mm steel plates in a flat position.
- SC-2P: Root pass TIG welding + semi-automatic welding on 8.6mm thickness 100A pipes using a positioner.
- T-2P/6G Fixed: TIG welding on 6.0mm thickness 100A pipes fixed at a 45-degree angle, where the welder moves around the pipe.

■ Key Features and Implementation
To balance production and skill development, the competition was managed practically, with participants competing alongside their regular duties.
- 'ALICE' Assessment System: Applies latest generative AI technology to provide instant judgment of welding appearance and concrete improvement advice.
- Lottery-based Cross-departmental Team Battles: Encourages voluntary participation and fosters communication.
- Asset-building: Aggregates field know-how into 'manuals' as future educational assets.
- Mutual Peer Evaluation: Participants observe and vote on others' work to foster a culture of mutual learning.

■ About Mayekawa's Welding Technology
Welding is essential for producing industrial refrigeration machines that withstand cryogenic environments and high-pressure gas loads. In 2024, the company held an internal 'Global Welding Competition,' inviting technicians from overseas factories to promote technical standardization.

■ Future Outlook
The company will continue to advance technical standardization across global sites, passing on the world-class 'Maekawa Quality' to the next generation. Final results are scheduled to be announced on Friday, July 10.