The uniqueness and thoughts of a long-established heat-treatment company amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Established in October of 1977, the company of Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry first started as a provider for their hometown the heat treatment technology, with hopes that anyone could have easy access to the practice. From such humble beginnings, they have gradually come to expand their organization so that they can deliver the service to all people who are in need of these metallurgy processes.
With 45 years of heat treatment experience as their strongest assess, Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry is also dedicated in presenting to their clients the top-notch process performed by the masters of the art, all of whom have successfully acquired the recognition in handling the heat-treatment skills, (also called 金属熱処理技能士 Kinzoku Netsushori Ginoshi – Technician of Metal Heat-Treatment Process). There are currently 01 Special Level heat-treating technicians working in their factory, along with other 11 technicians of the 1st Level and 07 ones of the 2nd Level.
The company owns 02 factories: one in Kanagawa and one in Iwate. Both are offering the same services and capable of performing any heat treatment service that their clients wish for.
Index
How to define the heat-treatment process as ‘unique’?
The intricacy of the handicraft.
Not so many people understand what heat treatment is. Well, no need to mention the technique, not so many people even understand the word itself.
To start with, how about you take a look around your environment right now? Do you find any metal-made object insight? Have you ever wondered how could the object be this hard and last this long? Or do you simply just think that all metal materials are already strong and hard because they are metal, not needing any procurement to prolong their lifespan?
Metals in general are very hard and could last pretty long if they get taken care of properly. However, when being treated with heat, they will become harder and tougher, more convenient for us to handle and survive finely even in harsh environment. Let’s imagine the structure of metal is millions of metal grains forming a lattice structure. The gaps between the grains are often large and therefore may be separated easily.
When getting treated with heat, the heat will force the regions to move around, reshaping their gaps and structures. The heat treatment process helps to rearrange the gaps and make them become smaller, therefore transforming the metal properties, make them more tough and lasting.
To affect a material on that level of atomic bond is quite a difficult feat. If not done right, the final product risks the prospect of being quickly broken and dulled. The technician has to understand which type of heat treatment is the most suitable for each type of metal, the time spent on treating it, and all of the technically detailed data that come with managing the process.
If the metal object is not treated with heat, it cannot survive long.
The hardship of the process.
In order to maintain such precise processes is already a hardship in itself. One glance away from the monitor may give ways to under-qualified products. Because if you don’t follow the correct process, you will not get the product you want.
However, upon hearing the word ‘heat treatment’, many people must have thought of extreme working conditions due to the intense heat that technicians have to face. The reality is right so, not to mention many other complications involving the machinery as well as technical errors.
Knowing that, this problem has come to our mind: How do heat treatment factories process all of their services while it’s such a difficulty?
Curious to know more about this, we have been invited to the online tour of both factories of Mutoh Heat-Treatment Industry!
How to get to the tour
Readers of this article who take interest in the heat treatment factories can register for booking the online tour, arranged by Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry, through the link on their website; or through our DiaGate Live page!
Once you have access to the site, please take a look at the sample tour to get the first look of the trip. When you have finished the registration form at the end of the Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry or DiaGate page, the link to the Zoom Meeting Room for The Factory Observation tour will be sent to your email. Then, you may access the Meeting Room for the visit.
Please know that the tour can be viewed through any smart device: be it your smartphone, tablet or laptop. Not only that, Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry also offers the experience on multiple devices at once! Yes, that means you can access the tour on your smartphone, tablet and laptop at the same time. The experience can be shared within a group of people interested in the subject!
Furthermore, since Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry owns two factories at two different sites, they also arrange the trip so that the visitor can observe both factories simultaneously. You will be able to view the Kanagawa factory on your smartphone while having the Iwate factory displayed on your laptop!
There is more to this: you may interact with your tour guide, ask questions and require information. The personnel from Mutoh factories are more than happy to answer any of your inquiries, so please do not hesitate.
You may also contact Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry Company here if you have any questions about this factory tour. Feel free to!
The exciting trip that got us amazed at the art of heat-treatment
The first Kanagawa factory
The Kanagawa factory is located in the Yamato city of Kanagawa prefecture, in the area called Shimosoyagi that is not too far from the heart of Yamato, but still stays near to the Tomei Expressway.
The first factory, and also the headquarter of the Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry Company, looks so humble with plain gray walls outside and a neatly organized interior. The inside is packed with machinery and tools.
The second Iwate factory
With a glance, the visitor can spot the white huge tanker tucked to one side of the entrance. The Factory Deputy Chief of the Kanagawa factory – Mr. Suda – kindly explained to us that it is used to store the liquid necessary for the sub-zero heat treatment process.
The camera glances to the side of the entrance. There, we can easily spot the calligraphy of the word ‘Heat Treatment’ written with such bold strokes, and a signboard displayed proudly to let people know that the factory has been granted the ISO 9001 approval for Quality Management.
The second Iwate factory
The second Iwate factory is located in the area of Aisaricho of Kitagami city, close to the Tohoku Line. Next to the factory, there is also another metal processed plant from another partnering company.
At the time this article gets published, the second Iwate factory is adding a second building to its complex. The construction is expected to be finished at the end of September, 2021. With one glance, one may suspect that this second factory is larger than the headquarter in Kanagawa. Along with the new expansion, the second factory is indeed marching on a determined future ahead.
Since both factories perform the same treatments and processes for the clients, only differing in size and the number of instruments, we decide to save the details of each location to your real visit. For the moment, let’s see what kind of metallurgy specialty is being executed in Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry!
How are all of the services getting done
Mutoh Industry offers a wide range of heat treatment services, including:
- Vacuum Heat Treatment (specialized)
- Quenching and Tempering
- Annealing and Hardening
- Sub-zero Heat Treatment
- Carburised Quenching
- Nitriding Treatment
- High Frequency Heat Treatment
- Flame Quenching
And other specialty heat treatment processes.
They also perform further metallurgy services such as machining and polishing, plating and surface modification.
All services named here can be found being practiced at both factories.
The machinery
Mutoh Industry offers a wide range of heat treatment services, including:
- Vacuum Heat Treatment (specialized)
- Quenching and Tempering
- Annealing and Hardening
- Sub-zero Heat Treatment
- Carburised Quenching
- Nitriding Treatment
- High Frequency Heat Treatment
- Flame Quenching
And other specialty heat treatment processes.
They also perform further metallurgy services such as machining and polishing, plating and surface modification.
All services named here can be found being practiced at both factories.
The machinery
The most eye-catching machinery at both factories must be the vacuum heat treatment contraptions, due to their large size and quantities (the Iwate factory has four of them!). This is understandable as the specialty of Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry is indeed the vacuum heat treatment process.
The Factory Deputy Chief carefully showed us around the inside of the Kanagawa factory with one slow sweep of the iPhone 10th. There, we could see many other appliances such as the strollers used to carry products around, large machinery for other heat treatment processes that we had not gotten introduced to, tables with metal quality assessment tools, computing screens and so on.
The Factory Deputy Chief carefully showed us around the inside of the Kanagawa factory with one slow sweep of the iPhone 10th. There, we could see many other appliances such as the strollers used to carry products around, large machinery for other heat treatment processes that we had not gotten introduced to, tables with metal quality assessment tools, computing screens and so on.
We took notice of the weird-looking, seemingly metal baskets lurking in the background.
Our tour guide – the Factory Deputy Chief – helpfully explained that the baskets are specially made to bear the hardship of heat treatment, as the metal materials will be put inside them and then brought into the machines.
The large baskets are for large products, small ones are for small products.
They also gave us a demonstration as to how the metal goods are brought inside the vacuum heat treatment machine. You have to jump to the Process part if you want to see it now!
The Deputy Chief further took us to the wall on the far side of the room. We are plenty surprised to see a compact of computer screens there, showing graphs and data that we have no idea of. Mr. Suda then described to us that they are used for monitoring the heat treatment process that is going on inside the contraptions.
‘This is our metal assessment corner, the tools here are used to check the quality of a metal object, its hardness, toughness, durability,…’ said Mr. Suda.
Then he showed us a piece of document. ‘This is the result. All evidence about the object will be printed to a document and returned to the client.’ We happened to notice some strange-looking devices next to the scales. When being asked, the Deputy Chief said, ‘Ah, those are for big objects that need to be evaluated.’
All of the data and process are connected to an app, which clients may use freely to design and supervise the practice themselves, so that their products will come out following their best wishes.
All of the data and process are connected to an app, which clients may use freely to design and supervise the practice themselves, so that their products will come out following their best wishes.
‘Such a thoughtful and convenient way!’, we were all amazed by this. But while our awe had yet to cease, the camera cleared to another table. Neatly set up on the table were two objects that looked like a scale of some kind.
‘This is our metal assessment corner, the tools here are used to check the quality of a metal object, its hardness, toughness, durability,…’ said Mr. Suda.
Then he showed us a piece of document. ‘This is the result. All evidence about the object will be printed to a document and returned to the client.’ We happened to notice some strange-looking devices next to the scales. When being asked, the Deputy Chief said, ‘Ah, those are for big objects that need to be evaluated.’
‘It is used to evaluate the hardness of parts of the object, if the product is too big.’ That’s neat, we can’t help but think.
After the evaluation, the factory will produce a piece of documentation full of details on the properties of the object. It will also get sent to the clients via email.
As a team of marketing agents and part-time journalists, we would never be able to plan out such many technologically intricate appliances for every single detailed requirement. To be able to understand which tool or which machine goes for which process is a feat of itself, not to even mention operating them on a daily basis. And so far, we are only introduced to a small part of what the factories regularly do.
All machinery and tools kept in both factories are in fine condition: orderly and poise. In every Japanese novel that the writer of this article has read, there is always this type of Japanese practice, ‘Have a gentle heart when handling any thing’. I can feel the sense of those words so vivid despite watching through a screen.
The process
Now this was a fun session. We had been shown around the factories and got introduced to many equipment, but had yet to witness a real heat treatment process. But this problem was soon to be resolved.
While going back to the stroller and baskets, Mr. Suda said that he would demonstrate how the products get put inside a vacuum heat treatment contraption.
We saw the basket that contained the metal objects needed to get treated loaded on a stacker. The vehicle then approached the vacuum machine and slowly raised the basket up, to the level of the contraption so that it could steadily slide the basket inside.
Mr. Suda told us that once the machine door is closed, the treatment may go on for several hours, sometimes it even takes half a day, all depending on the materials and how the clients wish for the final result, which can be clearly monitored through the app that we were shown.
‘Well, that seems easy and doesn’t contain any labour hazard.’ If you readers are thinking that right now, please follow us and our guides to the process of quenching.
The technician was managing what looked like a metal object freshly came out of the annealingprocess. ‘Mr. Suda, what is this practice usually for? This is such a common asked question’, havingheard that, Mr. Suda gave out a laugh and responded, ‘Indeed. The quenching process is mostly for maintaining the metal’s hardness, so that it won’t be easy to break. Quenching is cooling down the metal in the oil like this.’ Mr. Suda casually told us while the technician instructing the red hot metal object into the oil tank.
We were pretty scared when the flame suddenly came up once the product touched the oil, but the technicians remained calm through every step.
‘Then you just need to move it carefully up and down like this to cool it as evenly as possible.’ Mr. Suga said while executing the process with a hook.
This reminded us of the conversation with Mr. Nakamura, the personnel-in-chief of the Factory Observation tour. ‘The condition of working inside the heat treatment factory is not always the best. There is the heat, but it can be fixed with coolers, yet there are also long-processing hours as well as complications.’ We were only attending the operation through a screen, so it was so hard to imagine how the condition really was inside both factories, but the heat and flame were real, and the calm and mindfulness of the technicians were ever present.
‘Because the customers are god’
There is a saying known all around the world when it comes to dealing with clients and customers. ‘Because the customers are god.’ The notion here is to dedicate all your abilities and strengths into fulfilling the demands of the clients. No industries can survive outside this mantra.
Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry is not an exception. They never stop upgrading their machinery, the skills of their technicians and the quality of their services, all in hope to satisfy a client’s wish.
‘It’s a rare business, the heat treatment process. I don’t think there are many specialized heat treatment companies out there,’ said Mr. Nakamura in a quiet voice.
Yet, it’s such a crucial step in bettering our daily lives. ‘Imagine all metal or even plastic objects around you, thanks to heat treatment, they retain their shapes, hardness and toughness’, Mr. Nakamura proudly explained to us in an interview after. We personally cannot picture our life in which all things and stuff are so fragile.
The equipment and machinery in both factories are highly operated to cater to every clients’ wish and need. Unfortunately, when the goods are too large to be processed in their factories, Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry will have to send the goods out to other factories within their network in order to get them treated.
Still, this is a minor inconvenience, considering that the demands of the clients are nevertheless being carried out.
The tour of the factories has ended with our new found appreciation for the craftsmanship of the heat treatment industry. We understand that due to us not being in this specialty field, many explanations and practices have been simplified. Despite that, we were still able to comprehend their works, such as what is this equipment for, why should that process be necessary,… Mr. Nakamura hopes that many more people can come to visit and recognize the beauty of the heat treatment industry, as well as its importance.
It would be so different when the workers and experts in this industry visit the tour. The conversation would be even more lively as the personnels at Mutoh Company are happy and willing to answer all questions about the treatments. If you are interested in getting more knowledge about this field, please do not hesitate to contact Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry here for further inquiries!
The long-established Heat-Treatment Learning Group that hopes to carry on the legacy
The online Factory Observation Tour idea was brought to life due to several requests from Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry’s clients and partners. ‘Are you still doing the factory tour? It’s definitely impossible during this pandemic, isn’t it?’ Mr. Mutoh then thought to himself, ‘But why not? The tour should be quick, just fifteen minutes without any hassle.’ And this idea proved to be a success as the tour is well received by Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry’s customers.
Following that, the next thing he thought about was the Heat Treatment Learning Group of the company, which was facing the risk of getting postponed amid the pandemic. Yet, with the original purpose of preparing people who wish to achieve the title of being a recognized Heat Treatment Technician, Mr. Mutoh is reluctant to close down the Course even temporarily while the JAVADA (Central Vocational Skills Development Association – 中央職業能力開発協会) is still moving forward with their heat treatment qualification exam.
But thanks to the wonder of the internet, Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry has found a way to maintain the Learning Group: by bringing it online, just like how they do with the Factory Observation tour.
• “People just simply do not understand that heat-treatment is a difficult and time-consuming process. They seem to take things for granted.”
Mr. Nakamura, the personnel-in-charge of the online programs at Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry, told us in the interview. After witnessing the activities of the heat treatment factories, we also have come to understand this. It is indeed true that before the experience, we just assumed that in this advanced time, all processes are getting done fast and convenient, while the reality cannot be more far from the truth.
Nonetheless, heat treatment is still a crucial part in the daily life of heavy industries. It needs technicians and experts who are able to comprehend each full process with great details. And there are many people each year trying their best to get into this industry, with such hopes of contributing to the society, bettering their lives, gaining more knowledge,…
• “It is already difficult enough for us technicians, then what about the amateurs out there?”
Despite that, heat treatment is still requiring new technicians every year, as the production industries and the heavy industries are progressing steadily.However, new workers jumping into the field are going to face grave dangers when they have no idea how to handle the operations correctly and safely. Pitiful situations always happen in factories, how to eradicate them should be the main focus of every company.
With that in mind, Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry believes that along with improving the workers’ skills and knowledge, such accidents will cease to exist and bring a fresh future for them.
What you need to know
• The purpose of the Learning Group
As mentioned before, Mr. Mutoh started this program to help the workers in the heat treatment industry striking to achieve the Technician title. Think of it as a prep school, but instead for the university entrance exam, it is for the JAVADA certification exam.
• Details of the course
The Heat Treatment Learning Group has a full schedule of 40 classes with one class each week, so that makes a total span of 40 weeks to attend the full program, with assessment exams and practice sessions.
Readers who are interested in the program may access the site for the Learning Group on Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry website for more details and contact methods. Before that, please kindly refer to the full schedule written below:
- Properties and uses of tool steels and structural steels
- Names and composition of tool steels and structural steels
- Classification of heat treatment General heat treatment and surface treatment – What is hardness? | What is softness?
- General heat treatment and the iron-carbon equilibrium diagram – No. 1
- General heat treatment and the iron-carbon equilibrium diagram – No. 2
- Quenched structure (austenite to martensite)
- Slow cooling microstructure (pearlite, ferrite and cementite)
- Tempering structure and isothermal transformation (sorbite and fine pearlite)
- Carburising, nitriding and soft nitriding
- Metallographic structure Carbides and nitrides
- High frequency quenching and flame heat treatment
- Equilibrium state diagram of the iron-carbon system and metallography – No. 1
- Equilibrium state diagram of the iron-carbon system and metallography – No. 2
- Appearance of martensite and pearlite – No. 1
- Appearance of martensite and pearlite – No.2
- Emergence of martensite and pearlite – No. 3
- Suitable and unsuitable steels for heat treatment – Classification by steelmaking method
- Appearance of 0.4% C in different steels by heat treatment – Quenching and high temperature tempering
- Surface treatment after quenching and high temperature tempering – High frequency heat treatment and low temperature tempering alloy steels (SCr440, SCM440 and SNCM439)
- Quenching and high temperature tempering – Effect of content on properties | H steel
- Steel for carburizing with less than 0.2% C
- Heat treatment methods and properties of carbon tool steel (SK85)
- Heat treatment methods and properties of spring steel (SUP)
- Heat treatment methods and properties of high carbon chromium bearing steel (SUJ)
- High Speed Tool Steels and Alloy Tool Steels – Tempering | Low temperature tempering and high temperature tempering
- Secondary hardening – Sub-zero treatment (deep cooling) | Stabilisation treatment
- Types and properties of stainless steels – Martensitic properties | Properties of ferritic steels
- Properties of austenitic steels & Properties of precipitation hardening systems
- Surface treatment – Chemical surface treatment methods | Carburising treatment | Nitriding
- Nitrocarburizing treatment & (Extra) Homo treatment – Physical surface treatment methods | High frequency treatment | Flame heat treatment
- Heat treatment equipment – No.1
- Heat treatment equipment – No. 2
- High pressure gas for heat treatment
- Metal material testing – Hardness testing | Microstructure testing
- Tensile testing – Hardenability testing | Spark tests | Non-destructive testing
- Quality control
- Machine construction methods – Machining Lathe milling machines | Other machining methods | Welding Casting Plastic working Forging
- Drawing and Drafting
- Health and safety – Safety measures for heat treatment | Electrical safety measures | Safety measures for environmentally hazardous substances
- Spare days
The fees for attending the entire program is 60,000 Yen (~545 USD).
• The masters behind the course
All teachers of the program are experienced technicians at Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry. Themain instructor is going to be Mr. Kimura Eiji – Chairman of the Heat Treatment Section of the Society for Materials Chemistry.
He has been a researcher at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology of the Tokyo University, and also an associate professor at the Polytechnic University of Tokyo.
He has provided technical guidance on heat treatment to shipbuilding, automobile and automobile parts manufacturers.
• The teaching language
The main teaching language in the Learning Group is Japanese, since the JAVADA exam is entirely written in Japanese. However, since pupils of the Group will receive the curriculum beforehand, they can do research pre-course and translation for parts that they do not understand.
While studying, the teachers will also actively take notice of the pupils’ comprehension and help them when needed. Just do not hesitate to raise your hand in class and be active!
• What to anticipate when you enter the Study Group
The participants of the program should be workers in the industry, who wish to advance their career path. You must have thought to yourselves, ‘Well then why don’t they just ask their own company to train them instead?’, we did have similar question and had asked Mr. Nakamura about this, of which he answered, ‘When the factory is too small and there is so much works, the labourers are often ignored and left to themselves. Not that the company is irresponsible, just that there is not enough time to attend to each person carefully. Therefore, the labourers often do not get properly educated in their factories.’
Because of that, once you enter the program, please pay the utmost attention to your learnings. The heat treatment industry is a dangerous occupation despite its essential role. The program is scheduled so that pupils may absorb the knowledge fully and surely. Make a determination and commit to the program and you will see your progress.
How to participate
You may access the site for this Heat Treatment Learning Group here, at Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry website. After that, you will see the full details of the program as well as the register form at the end of the page. Once you have completed filling the form, Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry will send further instruction email to you shortly.
If you have other inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact them directly via this link.
But why this Study Group? Why now?
It is expected that the post-pandemic economy will be facing with big booms and large spendings into long-term investments, new business ideas and entrepreneurship (according to Business Insider), then why should you spend your time idly and wasting while you can hone your skills and learn new things, get ready for the time when chances will be flooding your life?
The courses offered by Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry are the perfect tools for those who already have experiences in the field but hope to advance their techniques and knowledge in order to expand their chances. It is great for nurturing one’s ability and thinking when it comes to such specialty technical fields like heat treatment.
The present might seem uncertain, but the future is still waiting for you!
Please contact Mutoh Heat Treatment Industry here for further inquiries.
Company info
| Company Name | Mutoh Industry Ltd., Co. |
| Address (headquarter) | 242-0027 825-4 Shimosoyagi, Yamato City, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| Contact Info (headquarter) | Tel. 046-261-8057 Fax. 046-261-2137 |
| Website | https://www.mt-k.com |
Related article
- Mechanical engineering design that can provide ideas for non-manufacturers
- Narahara Auto Technical supports optical experimenters by manufacturing optical …
- The market scale had dropped to one-seventh compared to its peak. Let’s revive t…
- Robots that support production sites and new forms of interaction with humans ～F…
