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Research paper : Energy savings in transportation systems by weight reduction of their components (M. Sakamoto et al.)−126−Synthesiology - English edition Vol.2 No.2 (2009) Therefore, it was necessary to write the scenario from the perspective of what would be the individual technologies adapted to magnesium. Fortunately, we were able to establish a collaborative organization with a common objective, with several companies in different businesses that were interested in noncombustible magnesium and saw its unique potential. We were able to write and share the scenario of R&D through this collaboration and were able to engage in development efficiently.A material is a material only when it is used, and wide-ranging accumulation of technologies and experiences is necessary, just as it was with the conventional materials. If it is to be employed as a core material, further accumulation of integrated technology is needed, and normally, extremely long time is required if this process is left to a natural course of development. To accelerate the practical use of noncombustible magnesium, we made conscious effort to engage in R&D under one scenario, which is the realization of the material, while sharing an integrated and total vision with the members to develop individual elemental technologies. Through the activities in which the elemental technologies mutually influenced each other, we rapidly shifted the image of a novel material to an industrial material, and nurtured it as a core material. To accomplish this, we found that R&D through wide-ranging collaborative network of institutions with varying characters, including companies, universities, and public research institutions was effective.We engaged in R&D with shared objective of application through the integration of technology, or the construction of an environment-friendly material system. For efficient research, a planar R&D system was created through collaboration of research activities that differ in character, using industry as a vertical line and core technology as a horizontal line. For industry, the technical issues became clear by taking a vertical collaborative system with mutual feedback, from upstream to downstream, or from material to product as shown in Fig. 9. Since we recognized that the research itself would not be possible unless the materials and components were not available at the industrial level, the companies in the figure had minimum commercial mass production systems. On the other hand, for core technology, a support system was constructed by a close network of universities and public research institutions to enable thorough and careful technical assistance for potential technologies and technical issues in various aspects as shown in Fig. 10. In this scheme, rather than each business engaging in technological development independently, they were encouraged to be part of integrated technological development that progressed in a planar manner. In the network of core technology, the significance and positioning of the individual technological issues were not left to become isolated, but were made clearly visible, so elemental technology could be developed while maintaining direct relationship with industry. As a secondary result in the core technology network (perhaps this is an ultimate outcome for a public institution), we were able to possess a successful experience of the R&D method where one scenario was shared and the direction was determined, and a collaborative research platform was created for integrated technological development. Not limited to noncombustible magnesium, this platform is expected to become the center of growth of various innovations.Fig. 9 Mass production system for noncombustible magnesium alloy.TechnologicaltransferSell cast and billet productsTechnologicaltransferTechnologicaltransferCompanyKSCompanyDMCompany TCompany STWelding technologySupply automobilemembersSupply forgedproductsSell forged productsSell rolled andplate productsSell shaped and billet productsJointdevelopmentJointresearchJointdevelopmentSell shapesSupplyshapesSupply shapesSupply billetsSupply billetsSupply billetsSupplypreformsSupplypreformsAISTAutomobilesAutomobile partsVehiclesExtrusionExtrusionTrading companyCastingCastingRollingBillets & materialsJointresearchTechnologicaltransfer

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