PRODUCING DREAMS

Be it if you’re an owner of a N-series mo‍‍‍del, a Honda Fit enthusiast residing in California, or even a driver of the new Jazz and City Hybrid marketed locally here that comes with an i-DCD transmission, this is where all matters of engineering and manufacturing take place; the Suzuka factory.

Suzuka is known for its — well of course — circuit that hosts established races and events. But there’s just more than that. Nestled in between some housing and small commercial areas is Honda’s Suzuka plant, where key models and components are being manufactured for both export and local consumption. It was built back in the 1960 and remains as Honda’s third and one of the most important factories in Japan ever since the day it was founded.

Besides maintaining the highest quality in vehicle and parts manufacturing, the plant also contains high-tech equipments to offer the best in precision machinery. The production lines includes an integrated system that connects from assembling an engine to even building a vehicle. Heavy sectors will utilise robots, and humans are normally tasked to work on final touches to ensure the most ideal working conditions.

This comes from the ‘Global Standard Line’ initiative in processing parts in an integrated manner to return a flexible system that enables the facility to produce a variety of models. And not forgetting Honda’s ‘Respect for the Individual’ philosophy that guarantees everyone’s well-being at work within the facility.

Four Notable Highlights

Best of Both Worlds

Honda’s latest i-DCD dual-clutch transmission

Currently, Suzuka is the only place that manufactures the brand’s latest seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which is dubbed as the Sport Hybrid when the formula is applied for both the Jazz and City Hybrid that’s marketed locally. It works alongside an integrated electric motor, and a lithium-ion battery made by Blue Energy.

EVOLTN HONDA JAPAN FEA‍‍‍TURE | SUZUKA PLANT VISIT

Layered Production System‍‍‍‍‍‍
The production lines are combined three-dimensionally over the first and second floors. This improves productivity per square meter, and subsequently maximising space usage without the need of constructing another covered facility within the factory grounds.

Engines To Complete Vehicles‍‍‍
‍‍‍Though the engines are built on a separate section within the plant, the flow ensures every single vehicle is produced within a set time frame. This also allows the line to produce various models by using digitally-controlled robots that comes built-in with presets that can be switched to coordinate its manufacturing geometry to assemble a different Honda vehicle.

Straight Production Line‍‍‍‍‍‍
From stamping directly to shipping, the Suzuka plant practically guarantees top-notch efficiency and flow to reduce transfers between materials and other components to different sectors. Everything is basically streamlined to a single-unit line.

Going Green
The factory is lined with trees on the outer perimeter. At least 100,000 of them, in a bid to reduce 800 tonnes of Co2 emissions. The trees also acts by exchanging harmful greenhouse gases to 600 tonnes of pure oxygen air.