TOYOTA AUTO BODY : Kyowa Interface Science

Alphard, Noah, Hiace, Land Cruiser—Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd. is a finished vehicle manufacturer for the Toyota Group that handles these models from planning to production. Mr. Furui, who is responsible for cold-climate testing in the Vehicle Experiment Division, wanted to capture a specific winter phenomenon through "numerical data."

While the team had conducted preliminary internal tests and had a certain level of experience, why did Mr. Furui seek out an external contract measurement service and choose Kyowa Interface Science Co., Ltd.? And what were the results of that choice?

――― Could you tell us about the background behind the need for this measurement?

Mr. Furui: In winter, snow on a car's roof melts due to fluctuating weather. As this meltwater flows slowly down the vehicle from top to bottom, it can refreeze if temperatures drop again. When this happens, it can cause doors to jam or prevent retractable steps (common on the Alphard and Noah) from operating, which negatively affects customer convenience. Our job is to understand these phenomena with higher precision and apply that knowledge to vehicle development to prevent such issues.

While we had an empirical understanding of these phenomena, we wanted to know exactly where and how meltwater flows and where freezing risks are highest at the earliest possible stage of development. The way water flows changes depending on the material and the shape of the parts, making it an extremely difficult phenomenon to predict in advance.

Therefore, we began considering this measurement to confirm how water slides off through experiments and organize that as numerical data to lead to a more reliable evaluation.

――― How did you choose Kyowa Interface Science?

Mr. Furui: Looking at the website, we saw that their services are used across various industries—food, soap, automotive, and construction. After researching their domestic track record and market share, we determined they could meet the needs of a wide range of industries. When we checked with our internal Materials Technology Department, we found that they were already using Kyowa's measuring instruments. Upon contacting them, their technical explanations and professional response gave us the confidence to move forward with the request.

――― We understand you visited the showroom in Niiza. Even though it was a paid visit, why did you decide to go?

Mr. Furui: We prioritized confirmation on-site. To be honest, we wanted to see the work of interface professionals firsthand. Our corporate culture values "Genchi Genbutsu"—going to the source to see the actual object and situation to reach a consensus. By observing the equipment and measurement process while speaking directly with the staff, we felt we could make a request we were fully satisfied with.

When we actually saw the measurement site, we were most surprised by the depth of knowledge of the staff and their obsession with quantification. Their ability to capture the exact moment a droplet begins to move and their management of the measurement environment were on a completely different level compared to what we were doing internally. It reaffirmed our confidence that they would take our challenges seriously.

――― What were the results of the measurement?

Mr. Furui: Through this measurement, we confirmed that our accumulated internal basic test results largely matched the precision measurements from Kyowa Interface Science. This is a significant achievement. Having "expert backing" that our direction was not wrong allowed us to proceed with the next development steps with confidence. It was very impressive to see difficult-to-visualize phenomena converted into easy-to-understand numerical data.

――― We heard that the dialogue following the report was also important.

Mr. Hashizume: The technical discussion with the person in charge of the measurement was an extremely meaningful experience for us. Instead of just looking at numbers, we were able to understand the "why" behind water behavior from a professional interface science perspective, which expanded our own knowledge. It didn't end with a single result; new questions arose such as "what if the conditions were like this?", leading us to request additional testing. Their flexible response made us feel they were a true "partner" in solving problems, rather than just an outsourced vendor.