As part of the Cabinet Office’s “Regional University and Industry Revitalization Grant Program,” the Next Generation TATARA Project, selected under the “Expansion Framework” from FY2023 to FY2027, is being promoted at the Next Generation Tatara Co-Creation Centre (NEXTA), Shimane University. The initiative aims to establish Shimane as a global hub for advanced metallic materials and promotes industry-academia collaborative research through two major projects.

From July 23 to 25, 2025, NEXTA showcased its motor-related research achievements at TECHNO-FRONTIER 2025, held at Tokyo Big Sight and organized by the Japan Management Association. The event attracted approximately 29,000 visitors, with over 500 stopping by the NEXTA booth over the three days.

At the NEXTA booth, visitors were introduced to the center’s research themes through a series of informative posters. One of the main attractions was a live demonstration comparing motor cores made from amorphous metals with those made from conventional electromagnetic steel sheets. Using drone motors and ducted fan motors, the demonstration allowed attendees to observe the differences in performance, including improvements in output and reductions in energy loss—making the benefits of NEXTA’s research tangible and easy to understand.

In addition to the motor core demonstrations, a prototype of the chip wear detection system known as MACE was exhibited. This system, which monitors machining conditions in real time, drew considerable interest from attendees due to its potential applications in manufacturing and process optimization.

Pamphlets from participating companies were also distributed at the booth. Proterial, Ltd., Moriya Cutlery Laboratory Ltd., and SUSANOO—a consortium consisting of Kiguchi Technics Inc., Hata Seiko Co., Ltd., and Makata Industry Inc.—also participated in the exhibition. The companies worked together in close coordination to introduce their activities to visitors.

NEXTA will continue to proactively share and apply its research achievements, contributing to the advancement of regional industries through strong industry-academia partnerships.
 

🧑‍🔬 Voices from Researchers
Professor Motoki OHTA, Project Leader – Next-Generation Motor Project:
“Participating in this exhibition was a major milestone we had envisioned since the project’s launch in 2018. I’m relieved that everything went smoothly.
Our motor industry project has focused on three key themes:

1. Promoting the unique soft magnetic properties of amorphous and permendur alloys.
2. Improving processing efficiency for these difficult-to-machine materials.
3. Understanding the deformation and fracture mechanisms of these alloys.
With these themes progressing well and yielding substantial results, we felt ready to present our work externally.We believe that the success of our motor cores lies in finding markets where their advantages—such as low heat generation, high rotational speed, and high power density—can be fully utilized. Our goal was to leave a strong impression on potential future partners.”

🏭 Voices from Industry
Mr. Morihiko OHTA, Director, Tokyo Office – Moriya Cutlery Laboratory Ltd.:
“At TECHNO-FRONTIER 2025, Proterial Ltd., Moriya Cutlery Laboratory Ltd, and NEXTA collaborated to showcase the path toward mass production of high-efficiency amorphous motors.
By presenting perspectives from materials, cores, and applications, we offered visitors a comprehensive view of the development process.Seeing the amorphous motor in action helped attendees visualize its manufacturing potential, which we hope will accelerate its adoption.We look forward to deepening our collaboration within the TATARA Project and contributing to the development of new products and technologies through regional industry-academia partnerships.”

For inquiries;
Next Generation Tatara Co-Creation Centre