Product Quality and Safety

Quality Policy

Providing Safe, High-Quality Products and Services

With this in mind, Daikin strives to stay ahead of customer needs by providing high-quality products and services based on its corporate policies of "Absolute Credibility," "Enterprising Management," and "Harmonious Personal Relations."

With a quality management system in place, we ensure that our products are of the highest levels of safety and quality in all processes: from design and manufacture to sales and after-sales service.

Quality Policy in the Divisions

Product Quality Management Structure

Thorough Management in Development, Procurement, and Production

All major manufacturing bases in Daikin have obtained ISO 9001 certification and have quality management systems conforming to this international standard. Company divisions maintain high levels of product quality and ensure proper management of each department, such as development, procurement, and production. We are also improving quality at our contract manufacturers.

In all aspects of the quality management system, each division continuously carries out internal audits, assesses the operational system, and carries out the PDCA cycle's do, check, and act steps. Furthermore, every year each division sets key quality measures and targets based on the Group's new year policy and then plans and executes a fiscal year plan based on these measures and targets.

Initiatives by each division

Quality Control System

Quality Assurance Process

Improving Quality

Only Those Products That Pass Our Strict Design Review for Product Safety Are Manufactured

The air conditioning divisions have reformed their development process with a stricter, more segmented design review^* under which the personnel in charge of the development divisions inspect the proposed products for conformity to Daikin standards using the five criteria of an individual design review (DR): product quality, monotsukuri (the art of manufacturing), cost-effectiveness, compliance, and security. The item of security was newly added in fiscal 2020 in response to the heightened information security risks for our company's products.

In the chemicals divisions, we have been conducting reviews based on a four-level management system consisting of development theme verification, technology establishment, business-viability establishment, and mass-productivity. As key review standards, in addition to the four criteria of product quality, monotsukuri (the art of manufacturing), cost-effectiveness, and compliance, we focus on safety and environmental consciousness. Because we were not able to get evaluations in the past from customers and the industry with regards to criteria in the stage of business-viability establishment, we are increasing the number of inspections we do to strengthen design review functionality.

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Design review: A system of coordinated activities covering design quality of products under development and the various processes involved in bringing these products to fruition. The products in question are objectively assessed and improvement suggestions are made, and only those products that pass each stage can move onto the next.

Development Process Raises Quality (Air Conditioning Divisions)

Example of Quality Improvement in Development: Forced Fire Test Conducted in Combustion Test Room

During the development stage, we perform forced ignition tests on actual products to ensure that even if an accident occurs due to a faulty product the problem does not spread beyond the product itself.

Forced fire test conducted in a combustion test room

Example of Quality Improvement in Development: Global Product Structural Audit

Every two years, Daikin holds a meeting of the Global Product Structural Audit. With participation by quality control managers from production bases, the goal of this meeting is to share know-how and bring together those working on the front lines of quality so as to ensure that Daikin's product structural auditing is conducted at the highest possible level worldwide.

Tracking Customer Information and Product Information

We have two systems for gathering information—on customers and products—from markets around the world. The information is used to solve problems at each base and thus create better products.

System for Sharing Information to Solve Problems

Establishing Protocol for Promptly Handling Product Accidents

Daikin products are designed based on quality standards and design standards that ensure that, even if users misuse 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 strive to prevent major product accidents from occurring. When the cause of a minor product accident is discovered, we examine it to determine whether this could also lead to an accident. The information we gather is reflected into the development of future products.

In fiscal 2021, there were no cases of product recall.

Working Closely with Suppliers

Refer to "Raising Product Quality and Ensuring Safety Together with Suppliers" (Working Closely with Suppliers)

Policy on Product Safety

Product Safety Voluntary Action Guidelines

Global Product Safety Standards

We have formulated our Global Product Safety Standards to ensure products are designed for the utmost safety by having standards common to all Daikin worldwide bases. The goal is to make sure that products can be operated safely and that damage is limited to the absolute minimum in case of a product accident—whether the customer is using the product correctly or incorrectly, and whether the customer can operate the product safety during an atypical usage situation.

These safety standards set common rules for the global Daikin Group regarding things like fire, electrical shock, and explosion, and stipulate two layers of safety in the design: design that will prevent accidents from occurring, and design that will minimize damage should an accident occur.

Efforts to Ensure Safety

Clear and Concise Product Use Instructions

The Consumer Product Safety Act 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 website also provides consumers with information including the model number and production year of products already on the market. We abide by the Ministerial Ordinance of technical standards for the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law by placing labels on our residential air conditioners and ventilation fans (which are covered by this law) that state the duration of product use.

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Failsafe: Design methodology and mechanisms for control that ensure safety in case of failure in equipment, mechanisms or systems.

Optimizing information tool

In Japan, about one-third of the product accidents are the result of improper product operation. Therefore, Daikin strives to provide customers with accurate, easy-to-understand operating instructions so that they can use our products safely.

The air conditioning divisions conduct product labeling in compliance with industry guidelines, such as the Guidelines for Labeling Household Products for Safe Use (5th edition), published by the Association for Electric Home Appliances, and the Revisions Labeling Procedures, 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.

Examples of improvements to product information disclosure

• Installation manuals have been resized from A1 to A4 booklets to make the text easier to read
• User manuals are now downloadable from our website using smartphone or computer
• The support page now includes additional video support while video manuals are available on the website to help customers resolve situations where they cannot tell normal and abnormal operating conditions apart based on a user manual alone
• Added videos on FAQ and AI fault diagnosis
• Enhanced details of notification on the remote control to display current operating status in an easy-to-understand manner