The basis for Murata's manufacturing is “absolute safety and quality first.” In emphasizing this approach, we focus on establishing quality assurance systems for product and process design, that we deem key elements for safety and quality. Product design stresses determining materials and structures, which balances product functionality and safety, while process design focuses on determining production methods without disparities in quality.

In product design, we deploy quality assurance and other specialized staff to simulate the generation of malfunctions and formulate quality evaluation standards by market. These processes are conducted from a variety of standpoints, including the production systems of customers and conditions of use by end users. The results are then used in daily design work. For example, we build in quality to the product design of components used in mobile phones by simulating such actual usage conditions as the intense heat of being shut in a car during summer and the humidity of being carried in a breast pocket.

Furthermore, in process design it is important to design and utilize production and inspection facilities equipped with functions that can realize to the greatest extent possible the quality targeted in product design. Accordingly, Murata does not outsource such production and inspection work; its product and manufacturing process expert technicians carry out almost all design on this front to facilitate built-in product quality maintenance to production processes.

Information technology is pivotal in applying Murata's long years of accumulated expertise to its product and process design. For example, information on past raw materials and production lots, production facilities, operators, manufacturing conditions and other parameters is fed into a database, and this Murata “PRASS System” is used in the event of any malfunction as a reference for enquiries and swift detection and resolution for problems.

However, regardless of the systems that are in place and the IT technologies employed, final quality is determined by personnel. Therefore, in addition to establishing the systems, educating personnel is the crux of Murata's approach in focusing on educating the operating staff. Furthermore, we have cultivated a workforce of several hundred specialists to maintain production facilities, who are deployed on our manufacturing lines.

Through such initiatives, Murata has assembled an army of specialized technicians to manage all processes from development through to mass production, from the standpoint of quality, and is pursing continually the introduction of new lines and improving existing facilities.

Murata's charge goes beyond supplying its customers with products that are all inspected to ensure they are free from faults. We consider the provision of various data to ensure safety during use as a part of its responsibilities as an electronic components manufacturer. To this end, we dispatch engineers from our Mounting Technologies Center to our customers to confirm intended end-usage conditions and actively propose methods of use to promote safety and optimize functionality of our products.

Moreover, we continually utilize feedback data from customers to improve and upgrade products. In particular, we have established a Failure Analysis Center, independent of the Automobile Reliability Section that is responsible for long-term reliability assurance technologies, to focus on components supplied to the automobile industry, where product malfunction has life-threatening potential. This body analyzes malfunction data to determine risk of failure and improve products. Identifying the root causes of failure can then be directly linked to quality assurance during development and mass production.