Manufacturing Department
When one aims to build a product that does not differ in the slightest from thedesign prototype, highly sophisticated manufacturing techniques and a stringent
quality control system are essential. The Accuphase production line is not a belt
conveyor where products are moved along at a prescribed speed. Rather, it is aplace where highly skilled technicians perform careful adjustment, inspection,and listening tests until each single unit performs exactly as intended.
Performance testing in particular is a meticulous process that covers all inputs
and outputs, making sure that the guaranteed specifications are fully met. Thisapproach limits the number of products completed per day to slightly more thantwenty.
The process steps until completion of an Accuphase product are as follows.
1. Main unit assembly and wiring
2. Wiring and operation inspection
3. Continuous operation test
4. Adjustment and performance measurement
5. External parts mounting
6. Vibration test
7. Actual operation inspection
8. Safety test
9. Shipping inspection
10. Packaging

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■Main unit assembly and wiring
This process comprises the mounting of electronic parts, circuit assemblies
and other parts, and establishing the internal wiring.

■Wiring and operation inspection
The assembled circuits and parts are tested for faults, wiring errors, basic
operation etc.

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■Continuous operation test
In order to identify initial failures and to stabilize sound quality, each unit isoperated and tested for at least 24 hours.

■Adjustment and performance measurement
Skilled technicians perform careful adjustment and measure all performance
aspects. The adjustment is not aimed simply at clearing the inspection
requirement for the respective item, but to reach the optimal performance pointthat the product is capable of. In the case of a power amplifier for example, thephysical location of internal wiring will also be tweaked to minimize distortionand noise.

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■External parts mounting
External elements such as panels, knobs, and covers are mounted. With
general audio equipment, parts such as panels and knobs are designed to fallwithin a certain tolerance range after mounting. In Accuphase products bycontrast, panels and knobs are designed so that their exact position can beadjusted when mounting them. This allows minimizing the tolerances for eachindividual product. At the same time, careful checking for dust, a scratch etc. iscarried out.

Product history card
The product history card is somewhat akin to the medical record of a patientat the doctor's. In the production line, a history card is created for eachproduct, and information about each step of the process is entered into thiscard. Accuphase has a complete record of all cards since the first product wasmade in 1973. This provides useful information in case of a problem and forservicing even long after the product has entered the market.

4■Vibration test
While the product is operating, it is subject to a given level of vibrations, totest for soldering or contact problems, foreign objects etc. This step is notincluded in the manufacturing process of most common audio products.

Separate process
The front panel assembly, drive mechanism of a CD player and similar areassembled in a separate process and then supplied to the main production line.

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■Actual operation inspection
While the unit is operating in a real-life type of situation, it is subject to sensory
checks using the five human senses. This not only covers general sound quality
but also aspects such as display brightness, switch operation feel and sound,and many other details.

■Safety test
To ensure that the product can be used in full safety, power supply insulation,ground connection and other important aspects are checked.

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■Shipping inspection
The Manufacturing Department is in charge of production up to the safety test,
but then the Quality Control Department takes over for the shipping inspection.
This department has its own strict standards for determining whether a productis ready to leave the factory.
In most general manufacturing situations, the shipping test is only a samplinginspection where an arbitrarily selected percentage of the total output is checked.
By contrast, Accuphase performs total inspection, meaning that every single
product is thoroughly checked to determine whether it meets our high quality
standards.

■Packaging
The final product is packaged in a double wall exterior carton using the best
quality cardboard available in Japan. The product is then stored in ourwarehouse.

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