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With this in mind, we strive to stay ahead of customer needs by providing high-quality products and services based on our corporate policies of "Absolute Credibility", "Enterprising Management", and "Harmonious Personal Relations".
Our quality control is based on the idea that the added value we give to products is quality, and that this quality is what customers are buying. And each Daikin employee constantly puts quality ahead of everything else.
Daikin Group service quality policy
All manufacturing bases in the Daikin Group are ISO 9001-compliant and have quality assurance systems conforming to this international standard. Company divisions maintain high levels of product quality and ensure proper management of each department, such as development, materials and parts procurement, and production. We are also improving quality at our contract manufacturers.
Each division is audited twice a year so that we can assess our quality situation and if necessary further improve it.
Based on our annual Daikin Group policy, each division formulates its key quality measures and targets, which are used to create a detailed quality program (fiscal year action plan) for all stages including design and development, materials and parts procurement, and production.
In fiscal 2011, we improved our ability to analyze market information and promptly corrected quality issues, and we stepped up our Stress Strength Model (SSM).
Quality Control System
Quality Control Process
Every division in the Daikin Group has numerous quality education activities so that employees can continue to raise their quality awareness.
Since 2004, the 19th of every month has been quality day in the air conditioning division, when each division holds discussions on ways to improve quality. Since November 2008, each division has held 10-minute daily quality meetings. These meetings are now an established way of keeping employees thinking of new ways to pursue quality and sharing up-to-date information of quality matters. These two activities were again central to quality in fiscal 2011.
In the Chemicals Division, new employees are taught the philosophy of quality assurance as part of their orientation. This education is for all new employees doing work related to sales, research, and production.
In fiscal 2005, the air conditioning division reformed its development process with a stricter, more segmented design review (DR)*. First, the personnel in charge of the relevant divisions inspect the proposed products for conformity to Daikin standards using the four criteria of an individual design review (DR): product quality, monotsukuri (the art of manufacturing), cost-effectiveness, and compliance. Products that pass the individual DR are then subject to a gate DR: six stages of design reviews and to-market reviews by top management. Only those that pass all standards make it to market.
In August 2006, we further raised our product safety standards and now conduct reviews to ensure that products are absolutely safe to use and problems with previous models have been fixed. In fiscal 2011, we established development process management guidelines in the advanced product development stage, which allowed us to make the design review even stricter.
We will continue to make even safer and higher quality products by ensuring that our development process detects problems and solutions early on and helps us predict potential problems during product use.
* Design review: In a process involving the entire Daikin organization, products under development are assessed for quality of design and all other processes leading up to product realization. Only those that pass each stage can move forward.
Development Process Raises Quality
Daikin products are designed based on quality standards and design standards that ensure that, even if users err in operating the machinery or use it beyond recommended limits, there is no danger for the users; and even if there is a product accident, the danger to the user is minimized.
In case of a product accident, we have systems in place that allow us to quickly relay the necessary information and handle the problem, and minimize the impact on the product users and the general public.
We also place top priority on detecting product problems before they lead to a major accident. When the cause of a minor accident is discovered, we determine whether this could also cause a major accident and we reflect this into the development of future products.
Clear Force Dehumidifying/Humidifying Air Purifier for Japanese Market Recalled, Replaced Free of Charge
It was discovered that there was a danger of heat from the dehumidifying element causing smoke or fire on Clear Force dehumidifying/humidifying air purifiers for the Japanese market produced between September 2009 and August 2011. For the sake of customer safety and peace-of-mind, Daikin gathered these products and replaced them free of charge with a Clear Force model released in November 2011.
To ensure a smooth recall and replacement, Daikin put out reports in various media and put an explanation of the recall process in writing and on video on its website.
Free Inspection and Repair
Customers owning the models in question should phone this number.
0120-330-696 (24 hours a day, every day; toll free in Japan only)
The Daikin Group (hereinafter, "the Group") believes that its most important management task is to provide products that satisfy customers from the standpoint of our customer when designing and making products that have a high level of safety and quality. To this end, we have formulated the following basic policies on product safety in efforts to provide ever-greater levels of safety and quality in products.
The Consumer Product Safety Law obligates companies to design products for safety and provide consumers with information and warnings so that household product accidents can be avoided.
Based on the failsafe* philosophy, Daikin's system of checks ensures that customer safety is the top priority in design and that design review (DR) leads to safe products.
Our home page also provides consumers with information including product model numbers and year of products already on the market. In April 2009, the Ministerial Ordinance of technical standards for the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law went into effect. We abide by this ordinance by placing labels on our residential air conditioners and ventilation fans (which are covered by this law) that state the duration of product use.
In Japan, about one-third of the product accidents are the result of improper product operation. Therefore, to prevent accidents, we believe it is important to provide customers with accurate, easy-to-understand information on using products. The air conditioning division conducts product labeling in compliance with industry guidelines, such as the Guidelines for Labeling Household Products for Safe Use (4th edition, revised March 2009), published by the Association for Electric Home Appliances, and the Revisions Labeling Procedures (March 2010), published by the Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association.
When we make product user manuals, we make sure they are readable, easy to understand, and easily searchable. This ensures that customers can use products with peace of mind. We work with our design, quality control, service, and sales departments to improve areas of customer confusion in order to make manuals with which customers can get the answers they need quickly.
* Failsafe: Checks and measures are in place to ensure safety in case of a breakdown of mechanisms or systems.
ECOCUTE user manual
Because of its complexity, the ECOCUTE heat pump water heater was the subject of a large number of customer inquiries. We analyzed these inquiries to improve the product's user manual and thus put customers at ease in using the ECOCUTE. We used illustrations and color so customers could better visualize product function use, and we used everyday language instead of technical product words to describe product usage and maintenance.
The result was a manual good enough to receive a 2011 Japan Manual Award from the Japan Technical Communicators Association.
While the fluorochemical products produced by the Chemicals Division are highly advanced and highly functional materials, pressing them can sometimes require specialized methods. Not only do representatives of the Technical Service Department visit our customers to explain about our products, but we also conduct customer-oriented training seminars, titled "the Fluorine Classroom," to explain about the special properties of fluorine materials and the guide them on the manufacturing process using the facilities and equipment available to the company. In fiscal 2011, we promoted better understanding among customers with four workshops on the topics of plastics, rubber, and paint.
Our website includes the material safety data sheet (MSDS) and technical documents, as well as information on how to spot imitation products and precautions regarding the return of high pressure gas cylinders.
Daikin incorporates universal design (UD) into product development to enable even the elderly and physically disabled to operate products with ease.
In fiscal 2007, we teamed up with NPO Universal Design of Citizen Network to offer training in universal design. In this training, engineers learn the principles of universal design through discussions with general customers and participation in activities mimicking the challenges facing the physically disabled.
Universal design is central to the concept of monotsukuri (the art of manufacturing), because it involves designing a product so that everyone, no matter what their age or physique, can use it with ease. We are continuing steady efforts in universal design training so that the concept becomes second nature to all engineers.
Example of Universal Design
Introduced in February 2010, the "Daikin ECOCUTE X-Series" has energy efficiency among the highest in the industry as well as an eco-confirmation function that helps users operate the product in the manner that is most energy efficient for their operating conditions. The display on the remote controller shows helpful advice and the effects of energy saving functions.
This remote controller boasts the industry's first full-color display, which enables any user to easily understand and operate the product. For example, when the ECOCUTE is dispensing hot water, red lettering warns users of this high temperature. This means users get both aural and visual information and are thus doubly safe in product use.
Before the development of this product, in April 2009 we held discussions with developers of the International Association for Universal Design. The ideas discussed were reflected in product development.
Developed in April 2011, the RAKUAIR was made for comfort and ease of use, and its simple operation and minimal number of features marked a new concept in air conditioners.
Together with design psychology researchers at Chiba University, Daikin developed an easy-to-use remote controller. With the newly developed remote controller, customers needed only spend one-third as much time using functions, making the RAKUAIR an air conditioner ideal for people who aren't technically inclined.
So that the visually impaired can also easily use our air conditioning units, Daikin Industries has braille easy-operation guides explaining the basic points of operating our air conditioners, which we offer free of charge. An audio version of this simple operation guide is also available on CD, and can be ordered through our website. Please visit our website for information on ordering this CD.
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