HIOS Publishes Case Study on JVC Kenwood Yamagata: Inside the Making of Radios Used by North American Police, Fire, and EMS

HIOS Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Sumida-ku, Tokyo) has released a customer case study as part of its 'HIOS User Visit Project Vol.9,' featuring an interview with JVC Kenwood Yamagata Co., Ltd. (Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture). The visit explored the production site of professional radios supporting public safety in North America, examining the company's high-quality manufacturing practices and the use of HIOS's 'Expert Worker' screwdrivers.

[JVC Kenwood × HIOS] The 'User-Friendly' Expert Worker Driving Globally Recognized Radio Production

JVC Kenwood's Professional Radio Systems Supporting North American Police, Fire, and Emergency Services

JVC Kenwood Yamagata is promoting the strengths of Japanese manufacturing worldwide through radio production. Supporting this high-quality production line from the ground up is HIOS's electric screwdriver series 'Expert Worker,' also manufactured within Yamagata Prefecture. In environments requiring multi-variety production, an advanced system that structurally prevents human error is combined with user-friendly operation that reduces operator burden. This high-level technological collaboration under the 'Made in Japan' banner is powerfully driving global quality innovation.

Chapter.01 Establishing Solid Trust in the North American Market with Superior Durability

Located in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, JVC Kenwood Yamagata is a key production hub driving JVC Kenwood's wireless communications equipment business. Situated within the Tsuruoka Central Industrial Park, this factory leverages advanced technical capabilities to manufacture a wide range of high-value products—from professional radio systems for police, fire, and emergency services, to premium amateur radios coveted by enthusiasts worldwide, and emergency public address systems for public facilities.

Radios with Exceptional Durability Are Made in Yamagata

In recent years, particularly strong performance has been seen in radios for the North American public safety (public safety) market. Demand for these products, supplied to government agencies such as police, fire, and emergency services, has surged since the 2023 launch of the latest high-end models. All of these products are manufactured at JVC Kenwood Yamagata.

The factory's North American products feature dust and water resistance compliant with IP standards, as well as rugged durability conforming to MIL standards established by the U.S. Department of Defense. They pass rigorous tests, including drop tests onto concrete and endurance tests against high-pressure water spray from fire hoses. In Michigan, their operation has been confirmed even in extreme cold environments below minus 30°C during severe cold waves.

Radios with Strong Credibility in the North American Market

"Our radios have earned trust in North America due to their 'exceptional durability' that withstands harsh field conditions. There are even reported cases where a radio stopped a bullet from a handgun, saving the user's life," says Koji Watanabe, President of JVC Kenwood Yamagata. The radios are designed with such extreme scenarios in mind—firefighters might even use them to break window glass at fire scenes—making them robust enough to endure situations straight out of a movie.

Meanwhile, for domestic and Southeast Asian markets, compact models are offered to accommodate users with smaller hands. "Japanese users are detail-oriented. We propose designs that match Japanese sensibilities—slightly smaller sizes, cool-toned colors, and so on," says President Watanabe. The company employs a strategy of optimizing product characteristics for each market while maintaining the same technical foundation.

Koji Watanabe, President of JVC Kenwood Yamagata

Chapter.02 Supporting 300 Screw Tightenings Without Error

The full-scale adoption of HIOS electric screwdrivers dates back over ten years. When JVC Kenwood Yamagata began producing high-end amateur radios—also registered as hometown tax return gifts—a major challenge arose: each unit required approximately 300 screws.

Expert Worker Integrated with the System

Sato Hisashi, General Manager of the Production Department, recalls the situation: "Omitted or incorrect screw counts directly impact quality. We were certain that errors would inevitably occur without a new tool. That's when we discovered HIOS's counter-equipped electric screwdriver. In practice, it offered excellent operability and enabled screw count management. We knew instantly—this was it."

Since then, the company has actively adopted the orange-colored Expert Worker series. The deployment has now expanded to over 200 units across the entire factory. While drivers from multiple manufacturers and air-powered drivers were once mixed in, HIOS's orange drivers now account for over 90%.

These electric drivers are operated in conjunction with the production management system. Work instructions appear on operators' monitor screens, clearly indicating which driver to use.

In processes where multiple product types with different torque or screw specifications are assembled, a system prevents power activation if the wrong driver is selected. By detecting clutch signals, the system monitors in real time whether the correct driver is being used at the correct process step.

Work Process Using Expert Worker

"Mistakes are essentially impossible. Since incorrect drivers won't operate, misuse is prevented. Even if multiple orange drivers are lined up at the worksite, the system automatically controls only the authorized driver. There's no need to physically swap drivers during model changes, enabling a system that structurally prevents human error even on complex, multi-variety production lines," says General Manager Sato.

The company uses HIOS electric drivers not only for manual operations but also in automated machines combined with industrial robots. An automatic screw-tightening machine, introduced experimentally about five years ago, continues to operate stably today.

Notably, the long-term stability is remarkable. Takashi Tanaka, General Manager of the Technical Department, shares: "It's been three to four years since introduction, and we've never had to adjust the torque settings. We conduct regular inspections with torque measurement devices, but the set values show no significant fluctuation," expressing strong confidence in the tool's sustained reliability.

General Managers Sato and Tanaka Discuss the Catalyst for Problem Solving

Chapter.03 Adoption of Expert Worker Accelerates Through On-Site Feedback

Feedback from actual users on the production floor has also been highly positive. Eto Koki, Supervisor of the FA Manufacturing Team in the Manufacturing Group, Production Department, says: "There are cases where we use bits over 20 cm long, but HIOS's Expert Worker shows absolutely no shaft wobble. Other brands I've used before had noticeable vibration. The Expert Worker has a clean clutch cut-off, making it easy to sense when tightening is complete—this makes work easier and gives a sense of security."

In radio production, where precision components are densely packed, even slight vibration or misalignment risks damage or slippage. Supervisor Eto notes: "If this area vibrates, it could cause cracking or slippage—this is a critical concern." The tool's ability to deliver stable performance even under inconsistent tightening conditions is highly valued.

At JVC Kenwood Yamagata's production lines, the majority of operators are women. The Expert Worker series has received particularly high praise from these female workers.