01GUIDES
Engineering guides
Practical guides to Japanese drawings, standards, maintenance routines, and the way Japanese orders work.
JIS grades, drawing notes, and the documents Japanese suppliers send.
How Japanese plants run maintenance, safety, and quality routines.
Approvals, inspections, and the business process behind Japanese orders.
Search the guides
Look up a JIS grade, a standard number, or a Japanese term.
Every English guide in one list
174 guides on drawings, standards, maintenance, and working with Japanese suppliers, newest first.
Drawings→Standards→Suppliers
See all guides →Read MONOSCOPE in Japanese
680+ articles for readers in Japan on industries, jobs, and technology. Many English guides are adapted from them.
Industries→Jobs→Technology
Visit the Japanese site →02INSIDE JAPAN
Inside Japanese industry
Original English stories about Japanese manufacturers, the technology they lead in, and the people who run the plants.
Profiles of Japanese manufacturers and what makes them different.
Where Japan leads in manufacturing technology, and why.
How Japanese engineers and factory teams work, decide, and communicate.
About this edition03POPULAR SEARCHES
Popular topics
Jump straight to the guides by keyword.
Which topics have the most English guides?
Guides published in each of the 6 topics. The shape changes every time a new guide goes live.
04RANKING
Most read guides
The English guides readers open most.
JGC and Japanese EPC Contractors: How Projects Are Run
Optical Pyrometer: Disappearing Filament & Emissivity Error
Japanese Carbon Fiber Manufacturers: How Japan Took the Lead
Thermocouple vs RTD: JIS/IEC Classes on Japanese Equipment
Metal 3D Printing in Japan: PBF, DED, Binder Jet Suppliers
Strain Wave Gear vs Cycloidal RV Reducer for Robot Joints
City Gas 13A, LNG and LPG: Wobbe Index and Conversion
Shimano Business Model: Company History and Spec-In Strategy
Japanese Engineer Career Path: Hiring, Rotation, Tenure
Quartz Thermometer: Resolution vs Accuracy, Bath Calibration
05TECHNOLOGY
Japanese technology
Where Japan leads in manufacturing technology, and why.
Japanese Technology
Strain Wave Gear vs Cycloidal RV Reducer for Robot Joints
Japanese Technology
Japanese Carbon Fiber Manufacturers: How Japan Took the Lead
Japanese Technology
Monozukuri Meaning: Japan’s Philosophy of Making Things
Japanese Technology
Metal 3D Printing in Japan: PBF, DED, Binder Jet Suppliers
Japanese Technology
Japan’s Manufacturing Industry: Strengths and Weaknesses
Japanese Technology
Small Once-Through Boilers in Japan: Multi-Unit Control
Japanese Technology
Japanese Robot Makers: Pendants, Service, and Safety Rules
Japanese Technology
Semiconductor Back-End Process: Flow and Japanese Suppliers
06PEOPLE & CULTURE
People & Culture
How Japanese engineers and factory teams work, decide, and communicate.
People & Culture
Japanese Engineer Career Path: Hiring, Rotation, Tenure
People & Culture
Working With Japanese Engineers: Nemawashi and Ho-Ren-So
People & Culture
Skills Transfer in Japanese Plants: Shokunin to Ginou Kentei
People & Culture
Skill Matrix Template: Rikiryo-hyo Japanese Customers Audit
People & Culture
Japanese Factory Departments: Who Is Who and Whom to Ask
People & Culture
TWI Job Instruction: How Japanese Plants Run OJT in 4 Steps
07LIBRARY
Guide library
Scroll through every English guide.
Japanese Technology | Oct 25, 2026
Strain Wave Gear vs Cycloidal RV Reducer for Robot Joints
Working with Japan | Oct 25, 2026
City Gas 13A, LNG and LPG: Wobbe Index and Conversion
Japanese Companies | Oct 25, 2026
Shimano Business Model: Company History and Spec-In Strategy
Maintenance & Quality | Oct 24, 2026
Optical Pyrometer: Disappearing Filament & Emissivity Error
People & Culture | Oct 24, 2026
Japanese Engineer Career Path: Hiring, Rotation, Tenure
Maintenance & Quality | Oct 24, 2026
Quartz Thermometer: Resolution vs Accuracy, Bath Calibration
Japanese Technology | Oct 24, 2026
Japanese Carbon Fiber Manufacturers: How Japan Took the Lead
Japanese Companies | Oct 23, 2026
Fujifilm Business Transformation: Film to Chip Materials
Maintenance & Quality | Oct 23, 2026
Feedwater Heaters: LP vs HP, Extraction Steam, TTD and DCA
People & Culture | Oct 23, 2026
Working With Japanese Engineers: Nemawashi and Ho-Ren-So
Drawings & Specs | Oct 23, 2026
VA vs W: Apparent vs Real Power and How to Read UPS Specs
Japanese Technology | Oct 22, 2026
Monozukuri Meaning: Japan’s Philosophy of Making Things
Drawings & Specs | Oct 22, 2026
Thermocouple vs RTD: JIS/IEC Classes on Japanese Equipment
Drawings & Specs | Oct 22, 2026
Cast-In vs Post-Installed Anchors: Methods and When to Use
Japanese Technology | Oct 22, 2026
Metal 3D Printing in Japan: PBF, DED, Binder Jet Suppliers
Japanese Companies | Oct 22, 2026
JGC and Japanese EPC Contractors: How Projects Are Run
Maintenance & Quality | Oct 22, 2026
Electro-Pneumatic vs. Pneumatic Positioners: How They Work
Maintenance & Quality | Oct 22, 2026
How to Measure Current with a Multimeter (Japanese Testers)
Drawings & Specs | Oct 22, 2026
JIS Bolt Grades 8.8 vs 10.9 vs 12.9: Strength and Torque
Maintenance & Quality | Oct 22, 2026
Cpk 1.33 Explained: Cp vs Cpk, Sample Size, Japanese Specs
08TOPICS
Explore by topic
Six topics, from drawing notes and JIS grades to the people who run Japanese plants.
No.01
Drawings & Specs
JIS grades, drawing notes, and the documents Japanese suppliers send.
50 guides
BrowseNo.02
Maintenance & Quality
How Japanese plants run maintenance, safety, and quality routines.
46 guides
BrowseNo.03
Working with Japan
Approvals, inspections, and the business process behind Japanese orders.
41 guides
BrowseNo.04
Japanese Companies
Profiles of Japanese manufacturers and what makes them different.
17 guides
BrowseNo.05
Japanese Technology
Where Japan leads in manufacturing technology, and why.
12 guides
BrowseNo.06
People & Culture
How Japanese engineers and factory teams work, decide, and communicate.
8 guides
Browse09ABOUT
About MONOSCOPE
MONOSCOPE is a Japanese media site that explains manufacturing jobs, industries, and technology from the shop-floor point of view. This English edition is for engineers, maintenance and quality staff, and buyers outside Japan.
Practical guides for people who work with
Japanese drawings, standards, and suppliers
Practices vary by company and industry, so treat these guides as a starting point, not a specification.
10LATEST
Latest guides
The newest English guides from MONOSCOPE.
Strain Wave Gear vs Cycloidal RV Reducer for Robot Joints
City Gas 13A, LNG and LPG: Wobbe Index and Conversion
Shimano Business Model: Company History and Spec-In Strategy
Optical Pyrometer: Disappearing Filament & Emissivity Error
Japanese Engineer Career Path: Hiring, Rotation, Tenure
Quartz Thermometer: Resolution vs Accuracy, Bath Calibration
Japanese Carbon Fiber Manufacturers: How Japan Took the Lead
Fujifilm Business Transformation: Film to Chip Materials
Feedwater Heaters: LP vs HP, Extraction Steam, TTD and DCA
Working With Japanese Engineers: Nemawashi and Ho-Ren-So
VA vs W: Apparent vs Real Power and How to Read UPS Specs
Monozukuri Meaning: Japan’s Philosophy of Making Things