2026 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Engineering Major courses
Introduction to Super Smart Society:Smart Production
- Academic unit or major
- Major courses
- Instructor(s)
- Tomohisa Tanaka / Koji Takeda / Keiichirou Kobuchi / Tohru Onozaki / Wataru Murata / Masahiro Saito / Hirotaka Kan
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Class
- -
- Course Code
- XEG.S415
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2026
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Apr 7, 2026
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The old concept of "monozukuri" is changing drastically with the fusion of digital technologies such as DX and ICT. What should "manufacturing" be in the future super-smart society, and what issues should be solved? In this course, we will invite expert engineers from several manufacturing companies as lecturers, and provide lectures on issues in each manufacturing field related to digital technology and AI applications. Furthermore, we will give lectures on actual examples of approaches and implementations in each company.
Course description and aims
Develop the ability to think in their own way about what manufacturing should be in a super-smart society, and to draw a roadmap to get there with their own original ideas, making the most of their own specialized fields. Furthermore, students will be able to propose solutions to social issues by using such kind of manufacturing technology.
Student learning outcomes
実務経験と講義内容との関連 (又は実践的教育内容)
Provided by external lecturers who have professional expertise at the companies associated with the Super Smart Society Promotion Consortium.
Keywords
Super-smart society, Manufacturing process innovation, Cyber-Physical Systems, Connected industries, Digital manufacturing, Variable-mix variable-volume production
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
A series of lectures given by several lecturers will be delivered on demand, followed by discussion between students.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Growth and Beyond - Connecting the virtual and real worlds to accelerate change in an era of resilience |
Specified in the lecture |
| Class 2 | Revitalizing Japan's manufacturing industry with "D" and "X" |
Specified in the lecture |
| Class 3 | Use of AI for Labor-Saving in the Production of Automotive Parts |
Specified in the lecture |
| Class 4 | Use of software for efficient operation of AI |
Specified in the lecture |
| Class 5 | Production Process Innovation at Kawasaki Heavy Industries |
Specified in the lecture |
| Class 6 | Inspection Solutions with Robotic Systems in Manufacturing |
Specified in the lecture |
| Class 7 | Mazda's "Monozukuri" that leads to customer brilliance |
Specified in the lecture |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Specified in the lecture
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Specified in the lecture
Evaluation methods and criteria
Grading will be based on the discussions with other students and lecturers about the contents of the lecture videos.
Related courses
- XEG.S411 ： Introduction to Super Smart Society:Quantum Science
- XEG.S412 ： Introduction to Super Smart Society:Smart Healthcare
- XEG.S413 ： Introduction to Super Smart Society:Smart Agriculture
- XEG.S414 ： Introduction to Super Smart Society:Smart Workplaces
- XEG.S415 ： Introduction to Super Smart Society:Smart Production
- XEG.S416 ： Introduction to Super Smart Society:Smart Ocean
Prerequisites
This Course is the successor to the courses on SSS Innovation offered by the WISE (World-leading Innovative & Smart Education) Program for Super Smart Society (SSS.S401–SSS.S406) until Academic Year (AY) 2025. Students who have already earned credits for the following courses in or before AY2025 are not eligible to register for their corresponding successor courses from AY2026 onwards.
Completed in/before AY2025 --- Ineligible for registration from AY2026
SSS.S401 (Quantum) --- XEG.S411 (Quantum)
SSS.S403 (Agriculture) --- XEG.S413 (Agriculture)
SSS.S404 (Workplace) --- XEG.S414 (Workplace)
SSS.S405 (Manufacturing) --- XEG.S415 (Manufacturing)
SSS.S406 (Ocean) --- XEG.S416 (Ocean)
Other
This course is the successor to the courses on SSS Innovation offered by the WISE (World-leading Innovative & Smart Education) Program for Super Smart Society (SSS.S401–SSS.S406) until Academic Year (AY) 2025. Starting from AY2026, this course is offered by the School of Engineering Common Courses. Consequently, the course code prefix will be updated from "SSS" to "XEG."
This course can be taken as an Entrepreneurship course (GA0M).