E-learning is a valuable tool for learning the basics
and can even play an important role in helping prepare to take over a family business

"My father signed me up for e-learning without even asking me. He'd already paid for it, so I really had no choice in the matter," explains Shoichiro Sakashita, while laughing.
Until now, new employees were sent to outside classes first, and then used actual equipment at Sakashita Seisakusho under the tutelage of an external instructor. Once this training was complete, Kiichiro, the president himself would teach the new employee directly. Therefore, the company had provided three-tiered training. Shoichiro, too, had been considering whether to use this type of training or to take training at the DMG MORI Iga Campus, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic he had trouble participating in the external training. It was at this time that he received some information about Digital Academy from DMG MORI. He decided to take both the Basic Machining Course and Basic Turning Center Course.

Shoichiro had previously worked at a company machining precious stones for industrial use, where he was responsible for designing, manufacturing, and maintaining manufacturing equipment fabricated in-house.
"My father told me that it would be better for my future to get experience operating actual machinery rather than studying NC programming, so that's why I started working at that company. Initially, I hadn't planned on continuing the family business. I actually really enjoyed my work and didn't plan on leaving. However, my father turned 67 and was getting worried about the future, so he asked me come back. I guess I just accepted my fate, and decided to carry on the business."

Although Shoichiro was responsible for designing, manufacturing, and maintaining manufacturing equipment at his previous job, the methods of operation and products being machined were completely different from what he would be doing at his family company, so he did not expect to be able handle the work right away. He started with deburring so that he could learn the types of products being machined at the company, and gradually learned the business. He also would read machine tool manuals during downtime.
"The manuals were all written using technical terms, and I didn't understand them at all at first. As I made progress in the e-learning courses, I started to understand."

How did he make progress in his studies using e-learning?

“I'd stop work at 6:00 p.m. and then eat dinner. A little after 8:00 p.m, I'd work on my e-learning courses for 30 to 60 minutes. Of course, my father insisted on me completing the courses, since he had paid for them. So, my motivation at first was just to pay for itself (laughs). I decided not to overexert myself but just study for 30 to 60 minutes every day and tried to understand at least the key points in order to keep studying." It seems that persistence truly does pay off.
Shoichiro was impressed with e-learning. "There are videos that show how to operate machinery and how it moves when you operate it, and they also provide a detailed explanation. It was really easy to follow. In order to absorb and retain the content, I'd take notes of key points while watching videos and then read over my notes later. I would also watch videos over and over if there was something I didn't get or if I felt there was some really important point being covered. Finally, the quizzes after each unit were great for reviewing information and discovering my weak points."

In addition to covering the basics on machine tools and cutting, the Basic Machining Course also includes a curriculum on safety and machine maintenance, which Shoichiro felt was particularly useful for application at work. "Safety is the most important thing at the workplace. I really focused on studying this information, because I want to avoid any injuries. The course also covered the detailed explanations of maintaining machinery to keep it running in good condition for a long time, such as how to lubricate parts. We make our living with machine tools, so it's very important to know how to maintain them."
The most difficult topic for Shoichiro was programming. "I had the most trouble with taper calculation. I wasn't so great at trigonometric functions back when I was in school, so this was really hard for me. You can calculate this automatically using interactive dialogs with today's machine tools, but if you don't know the basics, you could not deal with in case of trouble, so I really studied hard."

After studying little by little for around five months, Shoichiro was able to complete both courses around March 2022. "There's a test after each unit, for a total of 100 questions to answer. This let me think back on what I learned and really commit the content to memory." How was he able to complete his courses? "I guess e-learning is just a good fit for me," he responds. "It probably depends on the person, but I was worried about joining external training for a few days, because I thought I might only listen to lectures and not really remember what I learned. With e-learning, you can repeat lessons at home and study at your own pace. It was a really efficient way of learning for me. I saw how to operate the machinery in the videos, so I could even understand what my father was saying when he was teaching me after."

We asked Kiichiro what he thought about Shoichiro's improved skills after e-learning study. "You can't memorize everything during a single training session, so I think e-learning was a good fit for him, since he could watch videos over and over. Thanks to the e-learning courses, he now understands the basics of machining and machine tools, and it's a bit easier to talk about work with him. All that's left is to put it into practice. I want him to gain a lot of experience and polish his skills."

Since Shoichiro has joined the company, Sakashita Seisakusho, which mainly manufactures parts for farm equipment and construction machinery , has taken the first steps toward expanding its business. They seem to be extremely busy with new orders.
"We've got many orders partly because other companies doing the same work in the neighborhood have stopped operating, but mainly because the president is so kind that he accepts any offers if asked, even at low prices. He's also highly skilled, so there's a lot of demand for his work. We often get requests for machining work that other companies have refused to do. Even if we get a request for some complicated part that seems impossible, he'll make his own jig and get the job done. He keeps telling me that I need to reach his level, but I'm not there yet."
Other manufacturers in the area also often come to Sakashita Seisakusho for machining advice. Kiichiro is highly respected among other manufacturers for his skill, so he also serves as a machining consultant within the neighborhood.

They have DMG MORI machine tools (two CL-203 turning centers and an MS-850 general-purpose lathe). Kiichiro hopes that Shoichiro will be able to use all of these machines someday. Shoichiro says, "My father told me that the CL-203 is now my responsibility, and he is going to teach me strictly. He's run this company on his own for 30 to 40 years. Of course he gets help from our family and employees, but he still mostly runs the company on his own, from taking orders, to negotiating with customers, machining pieces, and even doing the accounting. He's really amazing. I'm too embarrassed to tell him, but I really respect him."

Shoichiro is following in the footsteps of Kiichiro, and in the near future will take a central role in running the company.