by Shun Otsuki
President & Editor in Chief KINSAN FASTENER NEWS
 

The Japan Research Institute for Screw Threads and Fasteners (JFRI, Chairman Toshiyuki Sawa, Honorary Professor at Hiroshima University) has started recruiting students for the Screw College for the 2023 academic year in order to train experts in screws who will lead the industry in the future.

As the number of university research labs studying screws is decreasing, the Screw College project was established to produce young experts who will lead JFRI’s business. In its inaugural year in 2022, six engineers from screw manufacturers, automobile-related companies, and measurement equipment manufacturers are taking the course.

There are two types of training courses: the ① engineer course, which trains experts in fastening, and the ② standardization course, which trains experts who can lead Japan in international standardization activities such as ISO/TC. However, only the ① engineer course will be recruited for the 2023 academic year, with around 15 additional students compared to the previous year. The plan is to recruit for both courses from the 2024 academic year onwards. The requirement for admission is to be a member of the JFRI.

Students will take specified courses for two years to acquire the necessary credits. They will then participate in JFRI committee activities, conduct research on certified themes, and publish papers in the JFRI bulletin. After obtaining the necessary number of credits and passing the graduation exam, they will be awarded the title of Master of Fastening Technology (MFT) as a graduation certificate.