Japanese Wheel Standards and Regulations for the Aftermarket

The following information is a basic explanation of wheel testing and marking requirements for the Japanese after market. The JWL and VIA marks are required for all wheels being manufactured for the Japanese market. It is possible to sell wheels with only the JWL, but JAWA has been pressuring retail chains and shops to only carry products that have both marks/testing.

JAWA Japan Light Alloy Wheel Association
JAWA (Japan Light Alloy Wheel Association), is an organization made up of various wheel companies, and carries out research and technical studies concerning the manufacture, marketing and distribution of automotive light alloy wheels. These activities also include market and technical research aimed at developing new demand for industry products plus many other related activities. To achieve these objectives, JAWA aims to improve the quality of the Automobile Light Alloy Wheel and promotes liability of our product in the Automotive Aftermarket.

JWL Mark
Japan Light Alloy Wheel (JWL) Standard for Passenger Cars. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport requires that aluminum wheels for passenger cars (with 3, 5, and 7-number plates) sold in Japan bear the JWL mark. The JWL mark can be displayed on wheels that have passed the standard through a self-certification system.

JWL-T Mark
Similarly, the ministry requires aluminum wheels for trucks and buses (with 1 and 4-number plates) to bear the JWL-T mark. Even if a vehicle is classified as a passenger car (with 3, 5, or 7-number plates), if it comes with LT tires as standard equipment due to its GVW (gross vehicle weight), it must use aluminum wheels bearing the JWL-T mark.

VIA Mark
A third-party entity called the Vehicle Inspection Association verifies whether a product meets the requirements prescribed by the JWL or JWL-T standard. This association permits a product to bear a VIA mark if it passes rigorous quality and strength verification tests conducted in accordance with the JWL or JWL-T standard.

JAWA Certificate Sticker
The JAWA Quality Certificates: Since 1995, JAWA has introduced the “JAWA Quality Certificate” system to protect and develop consumer confidence in wheel safety and quality. The certificate guarantees that all products qualify to the JWL and JWL-T light alloy disc wheel standards approved by Japanese Ministry of Transport and the products are registered under VIA regulations after strict quality testing by three types of testing methods.

JAWA
In order to maintain high safety standards, JAWA supports the JWL and JWL-T technical standard and promotes JAWA VIA Registration System.

JWL (JAPAN LIGHT ALLOY WHEEL): The technical standard for Light Alloy Disc Wheels for Passenger Car approved by Ministry of Transport (MOT)

JWL-T (JAPAN LIGHT ALLOY WHEEL TRUCK & BUS): The technical standard for Light Alloy Disc Wheels for Truck and Bus approved by Ministry of Transport (MOT)

VIA (VEHICLE INSPECTION ASSOCIATION) Registration System: VIA marking can only be engraved on the wheel is registered by Japan Light Alloy Automotive Wheel Testing Council after strict quality tests by the authorized testing facility on the adaptability of JWL or JWL technical standard.

To establish the chronological order of wheel design in the aftermarket wheel industry, JAWA promotes the Voluntary Wheel Design Protection Registration System.

JAWA is also lending its support to the efforts to find solutions to material recycling for wheels and packing materials that are difficult to dispose of after use.

Product Liability Related Measures
The JAWA Quality Certification includes PL insurance. In accordance with the PL law effective in Japan since 1995, JAWA has introduced the Group PL (Product Liability) insurance program. All our aluminum wheels bearing the JAWA Quality Certificate stickers have been covered by this PL insurance policy in Japan since 1998.

Protecting original designs: The Design Protection Registration System
Since 1989, JAWA has introduced its Design Protection Registration system. The JAWA Wheel Design Committee, consisting of wheel design professionals, examines the originality of wheel designs submitted by JAWA’s member companies and the design, judged to be inherently creative or original, shall be registered by the committee. The registered design will be officially announced to the public to protect the originality of such wheel design or prevent dead-copying of the design.

Public Relations and Promotions
Public Relations and marketing support activities, including the automotive after market shows

1) JAWA promotes its activities to the public and executes a market research to study consumers’ demand and trends.
2) As a part of its public relations activities. JAWA supported the first “Auto Asia” show held in September ‘96 at Tokyo International Exhibition Center. This show was held by the Japan Auto Parts After Market Promotion Association, an organization consisted by JAWA, JASMA (Japan Automobile Sports Muffler Association) and ASEA (Auto Sports and Special Equipment Association) and will be held every two years to promote development of the Automotive After Market. (In the year 2000, the show was held jointly with Tokyo Auto Salon under the name of “Tokyo Auto Salon with Auto Asia 2000″.
3) JAWA publicizes in automobile magazines to announce its activities.
4) An annual report (”Aluminum Wheel Year Book”) of the Japanese aftermarket is published which is composed of responses from questionnaires to member companies which provides an overview of the Japanese market and manufacturing trends.
5) “JAWA News” is published twice a year.

Market Research and Special Studies
1) In order to study various regulations applying to wheels, JAWA’s delegation has visited TUV (Europe) and SEMA (USA) and provided technical data to SEMA who has been studying new technical standards of aftermarket Automotive Light Alloy Wheels.
2) In Taiwan and Korea where lots of important suppliers have production facilities, JAWA has promoted study sessions of the VIA system supported by Japan Light Alloy Automotive Wheel Testing Council.
3) In Japan, JAWA promotes the study session of VIA regulation whenever important revisions of the regulations are applied.
4) Every year, JAWA checks dimensions of all the new automobiles manufactured and sold in Japan and also supports revision activities for VIA testing conditions.

While chrome wheels are the 2nd most popular finish for aftermarket wheels produced in Japan, Diamond Machine Cut (DMC), or polished wheels, are the most popular. Not only does the term “Diamond Machine Cut” sound more fashionable, Enkei actually employs a diamond to cut the wheel. A record player with a diamond needle tip at the end would be a good mental analogy. The DMC process begins with an undercoat. After the undercoat, a metallic silver paint is applied. Finally, the diamond machine cut process is executed with a final clear coating to finish off the process.

The DMC process is an almost impossible process to successfully achieve without using a high quality wheel. You will see very few wheel companies attempt to apply this method as it shows the imperfections of the wheel. Here’s a close-up. Notice the edges of the spokes are painted for aesthetic and subtle contrast.

A machined center can both accent the face nicely as well as show off the quality of the aluminum material used. Notice there are no imperfections.

The mindset of the chroming process differs between Japan and other countries. U.S. specialty chrome wheel manufacturers tend to like their chrome to be thick while Japanese wheel companies tend to prefer their chrome to be thin. A clean, thin chrome look is much more difficult to achieve. Thicker chroming can hide imperfections of the raw wheel surface while thin chrome cannot. Thinner chroming can only appear successful on a very high quality wheel. Usually, Low Pressure cast wheels use a thick chrome to hide these imperfections while Gravity cast wheels can still appear flawless using thinner chrome.
In JWL/VIA standards testing, chrome wheels are treated differently from wheels with any other finish. When a specific non-chrome wheel undergoes JWL testing, that exact same wheel in a chrome finish must undergo and pass a stricter version of testing. Chrome is considered harder than aluminum, thus when chrome cracks it affects aluminum adversely. Aside from the weight factor, this is the reason Enkei and a handful of other reputable wheel makers use thin chrome. It has less adverse affects than thick chrome if cracking occurs.

Many times, chrome wheels utilize a plastic center cap, but AME actually uses a forged, chrome center cap, something that is not very often seen, to show off the quality of the wheel. A chrome, forged center cap tends to shine brilliantly and AME likes to show that there is relatively no difference in brilliance between its chrome, forged center cap and the chrome face of the wheel.

The term “3D” is simply used to express that the thin chrome quality can be seen from many dimensions of the wheel. Have you ever noticed creases within the crevices of certain chrome wheels? It’s very difficult to chrome non-flat surfaces if the wheel surface is not smooth. For AME branded chrome wheels, the process begins with a machine buffing. Then, the crevices are meticulously hand buffed. After the hand buffing process is complete, a base chemical treatment is used on the surface for the copper to stick. Finally, the dipping process is executed. Many times, the barrel of a chrome wheel will have undesirable clamp marks from the chrome dipping process. Enkei wheels are clamped on the inside of the center bore as to not produce any blemishes on the barrel of the wheel. Yes, the reflection is intentional.

BBF, or Brilliant Buff Finish is a finishing technique currently utilized only by Enkei and Rays in Japan and I think also HRE here in the US. It’s considered by many to be the most difficult finish to achieve and can only be achieved with Gravity Cast and/or Forged wheels. Performing this process with a Low Pressure Casting (more on Gravity vs. Low Pressure casting later) technique will almost always ensure pinholes and other imperfections that cannot be concealed. The BBF process begins with a very fine filing and sanding of the disk surface. After the filing and sanding, a specific compound is applied on the surface and waxed countless times. Then, the wheel is buffed and a clear coat is applied. A BBF-finished wheel is essentially a raw wheel that is brilliantly buffed to an immaculate shine.

Here’s a close up of the spoke in a BBF finish. Sort of looks like chrome. We’ll get into 3D chrome next time.

The Enkei manufacturing plant, which produces AME Wheels amongst other very high-quality wheel brands that I am unwilling and unable to share at this time, is the ONLY wheel manufacturing plant in the world that is ISO 9000 certified. What does this mean? That there are probably less than 1 defect per million units produced. Basically it’s to assure customers that suppliers can provide quality products and services. Basically, it’s a quality management system intended to serve the needs of customers. ISO is recognized worldwide and can be used by Toyota, Honda, etc. to use in their evaluation of Enkei and their products. AME gets the benefit of knowing that ISO has approved them which is another requirement as a supplier for Toyota (especially) and other companies. It’s taken Enkei several years to become ISO certified. Google “ISO 9000″ to get more information or click here.