Japanese Contractors Research Articles

開発機械 深層地下資源開発用ボーリングマシンの開発

One of the most important goals for drilling contractors is to reduce drilling costs while maintaining strict safety standards.In Japan, contractors usually use spindle type core drills for mineral resources and rotary table rigs for geothermal or oil & gas drilling. Recently, there have been several Japanese contractors who have tried to use top drive machines imported from the U. S. A. or Canada to drill hot spring wells.These contractors have met with good results in shortening drilling time.As a result of our efforts to improve drilling efficiency and safety, we have developed the newly designed Speed-SPA-Drill “SSD-Series” drilling machines.The top head drive Speed-SPA-Drill has made possible remarkable reductions in working times for rigging up as well as tripping of drill pipes and casings.Time reductions of about 40% and fewer drilling crew members when compared to conventional method are just a few of the major advantages of the new Speed-SPA-Drills.

Education and Research in Japan's Construction Industry

The paper reports some general observations and specific examples on technological innovation in Japan’s construction industry. Educational background and scientific contribution of contractor-based researchers is addressed. With regard to university education, the difference between the disciplines of civil engineering and architecture and the relationship between university graduates and industry are discussed. With regard to research, the reasons that justify the existence of research-and-development (R&D) capabilities are given. The contribution of R&D efforts from general contractors to the advancement of technical knowledge in the form of papers and presentations is discussed. The organization of a specific technical research institute is shown as an example. The construction industry in Japan offers positive work conditions and is innovative rather than reactive to market demands. It is apparent that much could be gained by U.S. professionals by more closely monitoring Japanese technical output. R&D collaboration between U.S. and Japanese contractors should also be pursued.

Construction field operations and automated equipment

This paper will present the panel's observations of Japanese construction firms' field operations and fielded technologies, and will briefly discuss the development of automated equipment by and for the larger construction firms in Japan. Recognizing that one week is far too short a time to visit even a small percentage of the construction projects underway by the major Japanese contractors' firms, this paper includes information gathered from selected presentations and papers delivered by others: Japanese, US, and European. Panel members of the JTEC visited high-rise buildings and heavy civil projects such as airport and bridge construction on this visit to Japan. There were no visits to electric power production or process facilities under construction. Likewise, the corporate research centers visited were sponsored by firms which emphasized engineering and construction in the high-rise and heavy civil areas. However, the research certainly has applicability to other areas of design and construction. Throughout this chapter references will be made to six major Japanese construction firms known as the Big Six. This group consists of Shimizu, Kajima, Taisei, Takenaka, Ohbayashi, and Kumagai Gumi. These six firms have been ranked among the largest construction firms in Japan, with the 1989 contract volumes listed in Table 1 (Ref. [3]). These firms were also the prime contacts in Japan for project site and contractor laboratory visits and have had previous contacts with many of the panel members.

A STUDY OF THE BACKGROUND OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND THE DIRECTION OF ITS POSSIBLE SOLUTION

Recently three major problems have cropped up concerning international conflict in the construction industry in Japan—The opening up of the domestic construction market to the American contractors, friction with the peoples of countries where Japanese contractors undertake construction projects, and the employment of foreigners to be the work force of the construction projects in Japan.The common background of these three problems is the globalization of the world economy as well as the incredible progress of Japanese industries.Before determining the process of finding a solution, every endeavor shall be made to ensure mutual understanding. Also, some changes in traditional Japanese society and governmental regulations should be considered.

Comparison of U.S. and Japanese Practices in Public Construction

Research conducted on public construction contracting practices in Japan and the United States is discussed. A comparison is made of contracting practices in Japan and the United States by examining how a major Japanese construction company functioned on two representative public contracts in Japan and on two public contracts in the United States. The paper makes recommendation for changes in procedures by American contractors seeking to do business in Japan and for Japanese contractors seeking to perform work in the United States. These changes may be necessary before contractor organizations from both countries can take full advantage of each other's construction market potential.

Robotics in construction: implementation and economic evaluation

This paper presents a review of current worldwide efforts in automation and robotization for construction. Over a dozen countries are currently involved in such research efforts to overcome mainly declining productivity, increasing labor costs, hazards in the workplace, and scarcity of skilled labor. Research and development progress of Japanese contractors is emphasized, as they are aggressively introducing robots on site. A number of their leading contractors are visited, and applications of robotic equipment utilized on building construction sites in Japan are summarized. The Canadian construction industry, existing in a harsh climate and affected by shortages of skilled labor and high labor costs, needs to carefully consider construction robotics in order to meet its changing needs. The characteristics of the Canadian environment are presented and factors that have a direct bearing on the feasibility and implementation of robotics are emphasized. Different methods for the evaluation of the value of a construction robot are presented and applied to a numerical example. Comparisons are then made between the U.S. and Canada. It is believed that, given existing technology, economical constraints will either force or impede the implementation of robotics. Key words: Canadian construction industry, construction robot, automation, building construction, productivity, feasibility.

Prototype Robotics in Construction Industry

As a key technology, construction robots are expected to improve working conditions, reduce accidents, and increase construction productivity. Robotics in the construction industry is a young and fast‐growing interdisciplinary field. However, it is only recently that the subject has begun to emerge as a coherent but multidisciplinary activity. Although the construction industry so far has managed to develop highly productive systems without the help of robots, there are specific areas of application in which robots could benefit the industry. This paper describes prototype construction robots developed by a Japanese contractor in the areas of rockwool spraying, concrete and wall finishing, silo lining, and radioactive concrete cutting. Application of these robots in traditional construction sites, and their implementation in new construction fields are discussed. To obtain the full benefit of robots, it is necessary to change the whole construction system like factory automation did in the manufacturing industries. Newly developed construction systems should achieve the building design and construction planning just suited to robots.

Japanese Construction R&D: Entrée into U.S. Market

The research and development (R&D) laboratory and several of the most recently developed and successfully used construction technologies of Japan's “Big Five” general contractors are described. These technologies include the seismic or dynamic floor system that neutralizes the effects of earthquakes, robotic steel beam and column erectors, and a robotic concrete distributor. The system mechanics, performance record, and cost and/or maintenance of each innovation have been described. The paper identifies the direct benefits being derived from such intensive R&D efforts: revenues generated by private consulting, licensing arrangements, and increased contract awards—both domestic and overseas. There appears to be a direct correlation between such intensive R&D expenditures and increased overseas market share as evidenced by the recent emergence of Japanese contractors in the U.S. market, where they have parlayed their technical expertise in tunneling (shield‐pressure tunneling technology) and dams (deep diap...

Japanese immigrant labor contractors and the northern pacific and the great northern railroad companies, 1898–1907

(1980). Japanese immigrant labor contractors and the northern pacific and the great northern railroad companies, 1898–1907. Labor History: Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 325-350.