Kozo Nakayama is the only craftsman at Itoki's Kanto Factory who is responsible for advanced TIG welding. We take a closer look at the professional work techniques that ensure the quality of welding, hone his skills by learning from failures, and continue to pursue quality through the accumulation of small, detailed work.

The high-pitched sound of welding reverberates throughout the Kanto Factory. This is proof that Nakayama is TIG welding (a technique that uses inert gas to weld beautifully without sparks) the lower frame of the ADRED movable partition. ADRED is a high-end product among Itoki's products, and is made from aluminum to reduce its weight, requiring advanced welding techniques.

Aluminum is a difficult material to handle due to its heat conductivity and melting characteristics, making it difficult for welding rods to penetrate and prone to holes. Unlike steel, once the surface melts, it is difficult to repair, so welding requires a delicate eye and sense. Nakayama is the only person at the Kanto Factory who can perform TIG welding, and says that the responsibility is great.

"There is an ideal angle for inserting the welding rod, and it's up to your eyes and senses to determine that," says Nakayama clearly.

Even the slightest change in temperature on a given day can affect the degree of melting, so he joins the aluminum pieces in silence, carefully considering the expansion rate of the aluminum. With the experience he gained at the Kyoto factory as his foundation, he has mastered the technique for about 10 years since he began working in earnest.

Nakayama's style is to just keep repeating the process until he gets it right. When he first came to the Kanto factory, he accidentally drilled holes in one panel upside down, left and right, which meant he had to remake dozens of panels. The Kanto factory was unable to meet the deadline on its own, so he had to ask for help from other factories. The cause was a mistake in the program settings, but he says that this bitter experience has made him more particular about his work.

"I didn't want to fail. So when I first started TIG welding, I practiced almost every day in my spare time." After experiencing failure, Nakayama's commitment to craftsmanship has deepened, and he is also particular about the appearance.
A cover is attached to the bottom of the Adred, so the plate processed by Nakayama is not visible from the outside, but as one of the craftsmen involved in manufacturing, he is still particular about the finish so that the joints are not noticeable.

One special order required welding at an 80-degree angle, which is usually done at a 90-degree angle, making it impossible to use standard jigs. Nakayama used his experience to meticulously calculate the clamping position of the frame and the mating surfaces, and was able to finish the work exactly as planned. This was an experience that gave Nakayama great confidence.

Nakayama has always valued "challenging everything" in his work. He says that the little experience he had with welding when he was in Kyoto is still useful to him today. He knows better than anyone the importance of proactively learning knowledge and skills that may not be directly relevant now. He says that he would like to eventually pass on his welding work to his juniors, maintaining and improving the welding quality while passing it on in order to protect the "quality" of welding at the Kanto Factory.

He shows by example the importance of taking on new challenges. Nakayama's ambition is endless. In order to broaden the scope of his work beyond welding, he is now eager to learn bender processing techniques on a general-purpose line.

"I'd like to be able to handle the panel bender that was introduced a few years ago, and in that way help to increase productivity throughout the factory." Rather than doing it on the side while welding, if he's going to do it he's going to tackle it thoroughly. This attitude also leads to confidence. Nakayama's work style is one in which if he's going to do something, including welding, he's going to tackle it thoroughly. With this firm pride in his heart, he continues to work silently today.

Nakayama has been using the same metal scrubbing brush to clean the surface of the table before TIG welding, and the chipping hammer to adjust the position of the frame ever since he started welding. He maintains them at least once a week, and looks at them with care, saying, "They're my partners."