The main task of Murata Finland’s Component Platform Development team is to ensure an efficient production flow for new inertial sensors. What does this precisely mean? Let’s ask the team!

What does your team do?

The team’s primary responsibility is to ensure that there is a mass-production-capable, reliable, cost-effective, and validated production flow for new products. Our team gathers requirements based on product specifications and coordinates dialogue between product design and process development when necessary. We design and coordinate production trial runs. We prepare Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) and control plans in collaboration with process development teams, aiming to reduce risks identified in processes.

During projects, we collect analyses and summaries regarding production yield and quality, ensuring that all necessary resources for mass production are available—from intermediate stocks for production to work instructions. We also participate in defining quality criteria for products and ensure that testing plans and guidelines related to continuous and annual validation are established. We are heavily involved both in the product development phase and during the ramp-up phase of production. Occasionally, we lead or participate in so-called concept development phase projects, which are technology projects preceding actual product development projects.

What skills are needed in your team?

Our team requires skills such as communication and collaboration abilities, negotiation skills, problem-solving skills, project management expertise, as well as sufficient technical knowledge of various stages of the production process along with familiarity with quality systems and standards. Additionally, proficiency in various methods and tools—such as PFMEA and statistical data analysis methods—is needed.

What’s the best part of your job?

Our work is varied and diverse. We get to collaborate with many different teams while gaining extensive knowledge about the organization. We participate in situations requiring quick responses and problem-solving but also get to plan and engage in long-term development work.

How do you apply Murata’s corporate philosophy and cultural etiquette?

Our work has a clear internal customer—namely the production organization—especially concerning product quality. Our product development process includes many requirements related to product quality that we must address. We strive to ensure that receiving production teams have all necessary information about the product so they can manage it independently after ramp-up phases.

In problem-solving situations, we use data as a basis for decision-making—scientific methods are a strong part of Murata’s operational philosophy! Within our own team, we aim for open discussions about what has worked well or not; we share knowledge from different projects with one another. We also help each other during peak workload times or with using tools effectively. We continuously develop our own tools and processes.

Our team members are all very athletic, but in addition, many of us are also food lovers. Last year’s theme for our team-building event was “good dinner only.” We enjoy cooking too; our specialties include raspberry Brita cake, cranberry ice cream cake, cinnamon rolls, buttermilk cheese, tom yum soup, Thai green curry, and pizza made from slowly risen dough. One member may not have a culinary specialty but has an even better appetite!