Home > Products > Research and Development > Technical Development Group
Technical Development Group
Introduction
The Kobe Steel Group brings together the basic and cutting-edge technologies developed by the Technical Development Group with the extensive technologies in the individual business units, which are closely linked to customers and production. This enables Kobe Steel to create “Only One” products as well as boost its manufacturing capabilities in separate businesses, such as materials, machinery, the environment, energy, and electronics.
The Technical Development Group serves as the R&D center of the Group. It effectively blends specialized technologies developed in its laboratories, while undertaking R&D activities that contribute to increasing profitability. It also engages in pioneering research on new products and technologies for the future.
Research & Development
Materials Research Laboratory
The Materials Research Laboratory bases its research on four technical fields: refining and solidification, materials design, mechanical working, and surface control. For the materials business, it is working to develop new high-performance products based on material and surface design and control, as well as optimize manufacturing processes. For machinery-related businesses, it focuses on creating differentiated products utilizing its expertise in materials. It also strives to develop new businesses based on high value-added products.
Mechanical Engineering Research Laboratory
At the core of the Mechanical Engineering Research Laboratory are the fields of structure, strength, dynamics, acoustics, fluid and heat transfer, combustion, advanced simulation technology in the chemical field, and testing, measurement and analysis technologies. This laboratory focuses on enhancing product performance and production processes, streamlining designs, and developing new products and technologies to improve product development capabilities in machinery, materials, the environment, energy, and steel structures.
Production Systems Research Laboratory
The Production Systems Research Laboratory introduces innovation to production technologies to bolster the Group’s manufacturing capabilities, utilizing cutting-edge technologies for measurement and inspection, control, production planning, information systems and signal processing. It also seeks to develop new lineups of products that have at their core the strong technologies it has cultivated.
Electronics Research Laboratory
The core technologies of the Electronics Research Laboratory include those related to thin-film materials, microfabrication and superconductivity. It plays a part in strengthening the Kobe Steel Group’s competitiveness in such growth fields as nanotechnology, the environment, and energy. In addition, it capitalizes on its electromagnetic design and electronic control technologies in its efforts to develop novel products in power electronics and to make inroads into new businesses.
Coal & Energy Technology Department
The Coal & Energy Technology Department is developing energy conversion technologies, such as upgrading low-grade coal through dewatering and deashing, coal liquefaction and hydrocracking of heavy oil. It is striving to find ways to effectively use the world’s untapped natural resources and contribute to securing stable and diversified energy sources for Japan.
