We held a kickoff event to initiate international collaboration with the Fraunhofer Society. This project, led by our laboratory and supported by the International Collaboration Promotion Program (IIR Initiative) of the Institute of Innovative Research (IIR), aims to foster a strong and effective partnership through joint research, as well as researcher and student exchanges.

From Fraunhofer, Dr. Volker Weihnacht (Technology Field Manager for PVD and Nanotechnology / Division Manager for Carbon Coatings) and Dr. Frank Kaulfuss (Group Manager for Coating Technology) visited us. From our university, we were joined by Professor Hideki Hosoda, Director of the Laboratory for Future Interdisciplinary Research of Science and Technology, Professor Takuji Saito, Director of the Komatsu Collaborative Research Center, and Dr. Taisuke Maruyama, Manager of the Lubrication Research Group at the NSK Tribology Collaboration Hub.

At the event, Dr. Volker and Dr. Kaulfuss from Fraunhofer, as well as Professor Saito, Dr. Maruyama, and Assistant Professor Eiji Cho from our university, shared presentations to stimulate discussion. Following the event, we held a lab tour of the NSK Tribology Collaboration Hub and concluded the day with a networking dinner in Shibuya.

We sincerely thank all those who helped make this event possible.