Site:               IHI R&D
                    Materials Technology Department
                    Tokyo Technical Center
                    3-1-15 Toyosu, Kotoku
                    Tokyo 135, Japan
                    Tel: (81) 03-35343393; Fax: (81) 03-35343388

Date Visited:       January 9, 1996

WTEC Attendees:     M.C. Flemings (report author), P.H. Mikkola, C. Uyehara

Hosts:              Dr. Shigemitu Kihara, Materials Technology Department
                    Dr. Masaki Kitagawa, Manager, Administration Department
                    Hiroki Yoshizawa, Manager, Materials Technology Department
                    Nobuhiko Yunoki, Materials Technology Department
                    Shigeyuki Sato, Materials Technology Department
                    Yasunori Kuroki, Materials Technology Department
                    Dr. Tohru Tanaka, Chief Research Engineer

BACKGROUND

Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) is a major conglomerate with sales of approximately $11 billion per year. Areas of activity include jet engines, large LNG tanks, nuclear pressure vessels, fluidized bed equipment, tunnel drilling equipment, automobile warehousing, and large rotating machinery. In the foundry and solidification area, IHI is developing a twin roll, thin strip, continuous caster and titanium aluminide intermetallic turbine blades.

RESEARCH

IHI research activities are carried out by 300 researchers and about 150 technicians. Research areas include low pressure infiltration of metal matrix composites, low pressure castings, directional solidification, and titanium aluminide.

IHI Research Institute has a large, well-equipped laboratory for foundry research. In addition to analytical facilities, the WTEC team saw furnaces for low pressure infiltration of metal- matrix composite castings, low pressure casting, directional solidification, and titanium aluminide casting.

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Specifically in the casting field IHI has a subsidiary company for investment casting that produces jet engine blades and veins and components for nuclear and thermal power plants. This company is now broadening its activities into areas of medical parts and titanium golf clubs. Sales of this company are approximately $60 million per year. In addition to this company, Ishikawajima Mass-Produced Machinery Co. Ltd. produces aluminum investment castings for impellers and superchargers. Other activities in the foundry field include a joint venture in the United States for turbochargers and a joint venture in Italy for turbochargers.

REFERENCES

Development. IHI profile.

IHI 1995 Annual Report.

Research and Development. IHI profile.

This is IHI. IHI profile.