Achievements

Iwasaki Quality Supporting “K” Supercomputer

The “K” Supercomputer was jointly developed by RIKEN (National Research and Development Agency) and FUJITSU LIMITED.
The “K” supercomputer, the world's most powerful computer from 2012 to 2019, was widely used by many researchers and companies, and helped deliver many wonderful achievements.
Iwasaki contributed greatly to the development of “K” with our cable and harness processing and manufacturing expertise for data transfer between servers.
Here we introduce our journey to gaining the title of world’s best for our ability to minimize trouble even in the event of earthquake disasters.

Project Background

Reason coaxial cables were selected for “K” development

Optical cables would normally be the best solution for high-speed data communication. However, optical cables at that time had low durability, and replacement work could be hard when the cables degraded. The solution to this was coaxial cables, which can be used for longer, and can be replaced more easily.

Challenge for Iwasaki Communication Industry in its pursuit of technological growth

Iwasaki was consulted on coaxial cables by a connector manufacturer who had had past dealings with both ourselves and FUJITSU LIMITED.
The degree of technological difficulty in realizing the performance required by “K” was high, and this presented a major challenge for Iwasaki at the time.
Not only that, but “K” required hundreds of thousands of coaxial cables, an enormous amount. The manufacturing work on the coaxial cables was to be split between ourselves and two other companies. Even then, this was a massive project for Iwasaki to take on.

One of our corporate philosophies is a “spirit of thanks and gratitude”.
Based on the concept of “hardship is an excellent opportunity for happiness”, we realized that this chance for technological growth was a plus, and the entire company took up this huge challenge as one.

In the Face of Many Issues, it was Iwasaki Quality That Overcame Them

The amount that was scheduled to be manufactured by three companies was ultimately left to one company.

The project was forecast to proceed smoothly, but was stricken by various unexpected issues.
To begin with, the hundreds of thousands of components that were initially scheduled to be manufactured by three companies were to be handled by Iwasaki alone. This was a Japanese national project that required massive equipment investment as well as an extra 100 workers, and all would be lost if this were still not enough to pull it off. With a project involving such risk, it was inevitable that some companies would pull out.

Iwasaki’s proprietary equipment and manufacturing lines

It would have been difficult to meet deadlines with the method we originally anticipated. We then increased the capacity of the equipment and manufacturing lines we had intended using in order to deliver the performance and volume that the project demanded. We were unable to meet requirements simply by combining existing equipment, so we came up with our own ingenious methods for creating the equipment and manufacturing lines that would meet the necessary requirements. We had had a track record of building our own equipment with components that were not existing equipment in order to meet customer requirements, but it was an immense source of pride that we were able to put together the equipment needed for such a large project.
In the end, we achieved a level of quality in which there were virtually zero shipping defects.

Overcoming the Great East Japan Earthquake

The Great East Japan Earthquake struck at 14:46 on March 11, 2011. Company buildings at our Headquarters Plant and Kurikoma Plant in Miyagi Prefecture were all undamaged, but we were unable to resume operation of our equipment immediately, meaning that our lifeline and distribution system had both come to a stop. Not only that, but some of our employees were unable to commute to work.
Would we be able to manufacture and ship our products? Would “K” be the world’s fastest supercomputer? It was a race against time in which each and every one of our employs were united in meeting our goals.

Manufacturing system recovery

Once our lifeline has been restored, we immediately confronted the problem of ensuring a rapid recovery. As a result of the efforts of every one of our employees in restarting our manufacturing lines, we were able to get our hands on a large bus and gasoline to help those who were unable to get to work of their own accord. In anticipation of risks on a daily basis, we had maintained appropriate levels of raw materials and inventory, ensuring a smooth necessary supply of materials and components. We were forced to search for alternative shipping routes, and were able to adapt quickly by finding a new transport company.

Never-ending Iwasaki Communication Industry Challenge

Iwasaki Communication Industry was highly evaluated by research institutes and industry around the world for the important role we played in developing the “K” supercomputer. “K” contributed to unprecedented scientific and technological progress, and one of the secrets of the project’s success was the flawless accuracy and reliability provided by Iwasaki. “K” required the highest levels of quality in order to process massive volumes of data quickly and accurately. Iwasaki leveraged its thorough quality control and technical strengths to clear strict standards in which even the slightest error was not permitted in the manufacture of precision components.

This track record is not only due to our ability to provide products, but is also a monument to our unwavering faith in our quality, and the technical capabilities we have cultivated over many years. As also indicated in our corporate philosophy, we continue to take on new challenges with a “spirit of thanks and gratitude”, no matter how difficult, support further technological innovation, and cherish the growth of each and every one of our employees. We at Iwasaki will continue to support the development of cutting-edge technologies, and continue to tackle new challenges in order to carve out a greater future for all.

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