Discover where the
mobility
of tomorrow
is created.

NISSAN MONOZUKURI Website

OUR MISSION

Welcome to NISSAN's Monozukuri website.

On this website and through actual Plant tours we show
"what it takes to build cars." Innovative design. Driving technology that excites.
Quality that assures peace of mind and safety.

Please come and see for yourself NISSAN's Monozukuri technology
and the dedication of all the people involved with NISSAN.

We have started online plant tours for elementary schools
across the country from 2020.

We're now on process of plant tours for adults. Please look forward to it.

NEWS

What's New

New information on PA (Plant Attendant) Blog sent by PA from each plants has added.
( IWAKI Plant, TOCHIGI Plant, YOKOHAMA Plant )

[Information]
“PA blogs” delivered from Plant Attendants of each plant are renewed at any time.
Please click these links below.
( IWAKI Plant, TOCHIGI Plant, YOKOHAMA Plant, OPPAMA Plant, KYUSHU Plant )

New Content: “Our Passion, Our Challenges” Discover the passion, challenges and stories of people who drives Nissan forward.
Click here for details.

HOW TO ENJOY NISSAN PLANT

NISSAN PLANT TOUR

  • on THE WEB

    Have fun online

    From your home, you can learn about the process of making a car and the features of a plant through Nissan's website. There is a lot of useful content before and after the tour!

  • at THE FACTORY

    Go to a plant and have fun

    We also offer tours for visitors, with limited numbers of people and as many safety measures as possible (some plants do not offer this service).

CAR MANUFACTURING PROCESS

How a car is manufactured

Stamping

Enormous iron plates are cut into various sizes. Pressure is applied above and below using a big pressing machine, which molds large components such as the doors and side panels that build a car.

  • How many cars can you build with one steel roll (approx. 300m) ?
    We can build approximately 300 cars.
  • Why are car components processed by stamping in the first place?
    Processing time is short (about 3 seconds for one component), and also is a method that is suitable for making components that have the elegance and high-precision required of a car.
  • What happens to the leftover steel plate?
    Steel plate that has been cut out is all re-used to prevent waste.

Body Assembly (Welding)

The parts formed in the stamping process are joined together by melting iron at high temperatures to form the shape of a car. Computer-controlled robots perform spot welding, arc welding, laser welding, and other tasks with high precision, which are then carefully checked at the end by the workers' eyes.

  • Why is the frame in this process referred to as "white body?"
    We call it a "white body" because it is the basic structure of a car at the framework stage, and is in a pristine state before it is painted.
  • Which components are assembled?
    There are 4 main categories. The floor of a car is referred to as "floor", the walls are "body side", the roof is "roof", and "cover parts" are the doors.
  • The heat generation method used for spot welding is a familiar heat source in the home, but what is it used for?
    It is used in electric rice cookers and irons.

Painting

Painting takes place in a dust-free environment. Using the latest in paint application technology, the body and bumpers can be painted at the same time, despite being made of different materials. This results in an even, beautiful finish.

  • How does the robot prepare for different colored cars on the line?
    The robot’s paint equipment is thoroughly cleaned with paint thinner before painting the next car.
  • How do you apply two-tone colors?
    The robot will paint the main color in the order set in the computer beforehand. After drying, it returns to the line and paints another color.
  • Why are there air showers in the painting area?
    This is to ensure that the painting is completed without any dust. Workers use air showers to remove dust before entering the site.

Engine/Monitor Manufacture

Engines and motors are made of iron and aluminum. They undergo forging, casting, and other processes, and the parts that operate are subjected to precision machining.

  • Where does the word engine come from?
    It derives from Latin, and means "Innate ability" or "genius".
  • Why is the engine at the front end?
    The engine gets very hot and needs to be cooled well by the outside air, and also since it is heavy, the overall balance of the car needs to be maintained.
  • What is the difference between horsepower and torque?
    Torque is the force acting on the engine's rotating shaft to turn it. Horsepower is how fast you can go or how heavy a load you can carry by maintaining that power.

Assembly

About 3,000 parts bursting with technology are attached to the body after painting has been completed. Meanwhile, automation and the sharing of roles with work robots reduce the burden on workers, realizing a human-friendly work environment.

  • How are various improvements made to the production line?
    Workers propose improvement measures amongst themselves and also hold company contests, endeavoring to bring more speed and precision to processes, however minor.
  • Are Electric Vehicles manufactured in a designated area?
    They are manufactured on the same line as Gasoline and e-Power.
  • Do you need a special qualification to work in the assembly area?
    There are qualifications for handling hazardous materials and low-voltage electricity qualifications for producing EVs.

Inspection

Completed cars are thoroughly checked by qualified personnel for about 700 to 1,200 items. The cars are actually driven at a speed of 100km/h to strictly check the operation of the accelerator pedal and brakes for any defects.

  • What happens to cars that do not pass the inspection?
    Any defects found are thoroughly fixed and re-inspected before returning to the line.
  • Where are the driving inspections held?
    The test which involves driving on a roller is held in the factory, while the test that involves driving on a test course is conducted on a site within the plant premises.
  • Are inspections held at this phase only?
    Inspections are also carried out for each process individually. Due to thorough inspections during each process, there are very few defects in the final inspection.

Shipping

After passing strict inspections, cars are delivered to customers around the world by land transportation using dedicated trucks and sea transportation using dedicated ships.

  • How many days are the cars transported by ships?
    Cars are transported by ship for approx. 1 day for domestic shipping, up to one week for neighboring countries, and up to one month for faraway countries.
  • What sort of construction is the dedicated ship for transporting cars?
    The interior is made up of several layers in order to load as many cars as possible at once.
  • At what point are the car numbers created?
    When shipped, they are transported from a special wharf on the premises without numbers, and numbers are attached after arriving at the sales company.
  1. Stamping
  2. Body Assembly
  3. Painting
  4. Engine/Monitor Manufacture
  5. Assembly
  6. Inspection
  7. Shipping

Domestic
production bases

Global
production bases

SIX PLANTS

Domestic production bases

6 domestic plants at the crux of NISSAN car manufacturing.
Each plant plays a role and strives for the highest quality.

  1. Iwaki Plant (Engines)
  2. Tochigi plant
  3. Yokohama plant (Engines, Motors)
  4. Oppama plant
  5. Nissan Shatai Co., Ltd. Shonan Plant
  6. Nissan Motor Kyushu Co., Ltd

CONTRIBUTION TO SDGs

NISSAN's Commitment to SDGs

With the world's population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, society is facing a variety of challenges such as climate change, poverty, and increasing urbanization.
To tackle these issues, the United Nations has adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and companies are playing an increasingly important role in achieving these goals.
In the automotive industry as well, we recognize that it is becoming more and more important to provide value to society by bringing safe, reliable and sustainable mobility to all people. Nissan endorses the SDGs and will contribute to the achievement of these targets.