Daifuku Implements Teachme Biz to Standardize Global Procurement and Manufacturing Quality
Daifuku, a global leader in material handling, has adopted Studist's 'Teachme Biz' for its Auto Wash division to achieve international quality standardization through AI-assisted video manuals and visual instruction.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 15:55 (4h 23m after Collected)
Studist Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Satoshi Suzuki), a provider of lean operation solutions, is pleased to announce that the Auto Wash (AW) Division of Daifuku Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nishiyodogawa-ku, Osaka; President: Hiroshi Terai), a global leader in material handling systems, has implemented the visual manual creation and sharing system "Teachme Biz," starting full operations in late February 2026.
### Background and Challenges
Daifuku is currently a global enterprise with more than 70% of its sales generated overseas. Within the AW Division, which develops, manufactures, and sells car wash machines and related equipment, a global procurement system for related parts has been established. A significant challenge was how to share information and standardize production methods between Japan and overseas locations.
While they considered creating manuals using Excel or Word, the burden of creation was high. Furthermore, for overseas suppliers where language barriers exist, drawings and text alone could not fully convey the fine tips for manufacturing quality or the background behind procedures. This carried the risk of inconsistent quality due to worker turnover. Consequently, Daifuku decided to adopt Teachme Biz, which allows for the creation of video and image-based manuals that are visually intuitive, easy to operate, and less dependent on language.
### Key Reasons for Adopting Teachme Biz
The AW Division of Daifuku decided on Teachme Biz for the following reasons:
1. **Visual Clarity Using Videos and Images**: Visualizing the background of procedures and points to note that cannot be fully expressed by drawings alone, enabling accurate work instructions across language barriers.
2. **Reduced Manual Creation Burden via AI**: Automating the creation of manual drafts, significantly lowering the hurdle for creating manuals from scratch.
3. **Ease of Global Sharing and On-site Convenience**: Latest manuals can be shared instantly and expanded horizontally. Handheld devices can easily access manuals via QR codes, streamlining on-site verification.
### Main Initiatives and Expected Effects
The AW Division has begun full operations by simultaneously preparing manuals domestically and internationally.
- **Skill Transfer and Quality Stabilization**: With hundreds of part types and a previous reliance on drawings, work procedures were often not fully understood. By visualizing manufacturing steps and requirements with video and photos, Daifuku has created an environment where even new personnel can work accurately. This ensures consistent quality even at sites with high worker turnover, such as overseas suppliers.
- **Establishing Competitive Advantage through Accelerated Developmental Purchasing**: In the highly competitive car wash industry, the AW Division is focusing on "Developmental Purchasing," where the procurement department is deeply involved in the manufacturing process. Teachme Biz enables the visualization and accumulation of manufacturing processes and know-how, allowing for instant reference to past history and Q&A. This enhances response speed to defects and strengthens cooperation with suppliers, driving faster product improvement cycles and VA/VE (Value Analysis/Value Engineering) for developed parts to maintain and strengthen competitive advantage.
- **Operational Efficiency via AI**: AI is utilized in creating manuals for new material selection and supplier audit checklists. By starting from AI-generated drafts, communication with suppliers during meetings has become smoother. Sharing manuals with diagrams and photos during discussions promotes understanding and ensures smooth communication.
### Future Outlook
Lessons learned during the pandemic, such as the importance of finding alternatives when part procurement becomes difficult, have increased the importance of manual preparation from a BCP (Business Continuity Planning) perspective. The AW Division aims to establish a system where alternative production can be rapidly started at other locations or within Japan in case of an emergency by maintaining standardized manuals. Moving forward, Daifuku intends to further strengthen this mechanism to robustly provide "Daifuku Quality."
### Comment from the AW Division Representative
"The deciding factor for the implementation was that Studist provided clear solutions to our challenges. Actually implementing Teachme Biz has significantly lowered the hurdle for manual creation. Previously, it took a long time and updates were often postponed, but with the AI suggesting drafts, we can now spend more time on the essential point of 'how to communicate' effectively. In meetings with suppliers, it also helps align perceptions..."
### Background and Challenges
Daifuku is currently a global enterprise with more than 70% of its sales generated overseas. Within the AW Division, which develops, manufactures, and sells car wash machines and related equipment, a global procurement system for related parts has been established. A significant challenge was how to share information and standardize production methods between Japan and overseas locations.
While they considered creating manuals using Excel or Word, the burden of creation was high. Furthermore, for overseas suppliers where language barriers exist, drawings and text alone could not fully convey the fine tips for manufacturing quality or the background behind procedures. This carried the risk of inconsistent quality due to worker turnover. Consequently, Daifuku decided to adopt Teachme Biz, which allows for the creation of video and image-based manuals that are visually intuitive, easy to operate, and less dependent on language.
### Key Reasons for Adopting Teachme Biz
The AW Division of Daifuku decided on Teachme Biz for the following reasons:
1. **Visual Clarity Using Videos and Images**: Visualizing the background of procedures and points to note that cannot be fully expressed by drawings alone, enabling accurate work instructions across language barriers.
2. **Reduced Manual Creation Burden via AI**: Automating the creation of manual drafts, significantly lowering the hurdle for creating manuals from scratch.
3. **Ease of Global Sharing and On-site Convenience**: Latest manuals can be shared instantly and expanded horizontally. Handheld devices can easily access manuals via QR codes, streamlining on-site verification.
### Main Initiatives and Expected Effects
The AW Division has begun full operations by simultaneously preparing manuals domestically and internationally.
- **Skill Transfer and Quality Stabilization**: With hundreds of part types and a previous reliance on drawings, work procedures were often not fully understood. By visualizing manufacturing steps and requirements with video and photos, Daifuku has created an environment where even new personnel can work accurately. This ensures consistent quality even at sites with high worker turnover, such as overseas suppliers.
- **Establishing Competitive Advantage through Accelerated Developmental Purchasing**: In the highly competitive car wash industry, the AW Division is focusing on "Developmental Purchasing," where the procurement department is deeply involved in the manufacturing process. Teachme Biz enables the visualization and accumulation of manufacturing processes and know-how, allowing for instant reference to past history and Q&A. This enhances response speed to defects and strengthens cooperation with suppliers, driving faster product improvement cycles and VA/VE (Value Analysis/Value Engineering) for developed parts to maintain and strengthen competitive advantage.
- **Operational Efficiency via AI**: AI is utilized in creating manuals for new material selection and supplier audit checklists. By starting from AI-generated drafts, communication with suppliers during meetings has become smoother. Sharing manuals with diagrams and photos during discussions promotes understanding and ensures smooth communication.
### Future Outlook
Lessons learned during the pandemic, such as the importance of finding alternatives when part procurement becomes difficult, have increased the importance of manual preparation from a BCP (Business Continuity Planning) perspective. The AW Division aims to establish a system where alternative production can be rapidly started at other locations or within Japan in case of an emergency by maintaining standardized manuals. Moving forward, Daifuku intends to further strengthen this mechanism to robustly provide "Daifuku Quality."
### Comment from the AW Division Representative
"The deciding factor for the implementation was that Studist provided clear solutions to our challenges. Actually implementing Teachme Biz has significantly lowered the hurdle for manual creation. Previously, it took a long time and updates were often postponed, but with the AI suggesting drafts, we can now spend more time on the essential point of 'how to communicate' effectively. In meetings with suppliers, it also helps align perceptions..."