The Consortium for Sustainable Aircraft Production (CSAP) Launched

2025.04.14

On Thursday, March 27, 2025, the Tokai National Higher Education and Research System (THERS), with Gifu University and Nagoya University as constituent universities, announced in a joint press conference that five organizations jointly established the "Consortium for Sustainable Aircraft Production (CSAP)" on Saturday, March 1. They are THERS, Boeing Japan, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. and SUBARU Corporation. This consortium aims to address common challenges faced by the aircraft manufacturing industry and enhance its overall sustainability.

At the press conference, THERS Chancellor, MATSUO Seichi stated, "We aim to find innovative solutions by taking full advantage of the cutting-edge technologies of universities to address issues such as the declining workforce and energy efficiency." President YOSHIDA Kazuhiro of Gifu University added, "Utilizing advanced technologies such as AI, robotics, and multimodal AI inspection systems will be a significant step towards improving efficiency and quality in aircraft manufacturing."

Additionally, Mr. Mauricio Benitez, Senior Manager, Technology Integration, BR&T Sustainability and Future Mobility, The Boing Company, Mr. KONO Toyohiko, Director, Engineering Department, Commercial Agiation Systems, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Mr. TAMURA Junichi, Deputy General Manager of Aerospace Manufacturing Division, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., and Mr. SUZUKI Yoshinari, Vice President, Engineering, Aerospace Company, SUBARU Corporation, also expressed their expectations for CSAP.

Professor SAKAI Akihito, Director of the Intelligent Production Technology Research & Development Center for Aerospace (IPTeCA) of Gifu University, provided an overview of CSAP, emphasizing the focus on research and development utilizing AI and robotics to address labor shortages and shorten production lead times. He particularly highlighted the development of a multimodal AI inspection system capable of spotting any violations of quality requirements like skilled inspectors.

The establishment of CSAP is expected to enhance the sustainability of the entire aircraft manufacturing industry and give Japan's aerospace industry a competitive edge in the global market.