# Kuken Tests AI Tool That Finds Cooling Tower Drawings in 4.5 Minutes

By Simon Yoon

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/technology/53550
Published: 2026-11-11T04:10:13.000Z
Updated: 2026-11-11T04:10:13.000Z
Section: Technology

> The system searches a 70-year archive by part number, model name or screenshot. Kuken estimates it will cut annual staff hours spent on drawing searches by 90%.

Kuken Industries is testing an AI search tool at its Fukuoka factory that can find cooling tower drawings in 4.5 minutes, helping engineers locate replacement-part records faster.

The Japanese manufacturer’s archive contains more than 70 years of cooling tower drawings. Engineers can search the records using a part number, model name or screenshot. The system is integrated into a field app.

Kuken developed the tool with Recursive, a Japanese AI startup, and integrated OpenAI’s API. AI models extract and organize information from the archive so engineers can find relevant drawings without manually searching digitized records or asking experienced colleagues for help.

Based on 2025 operating data, Kuken estimates the system will reduce annual staff hours spent searching for drawings by 90%, with search time falling from nearly an hour to 4.5 minutes.

The system can also match replacement parts with their original installations, reducing the need for custom manufacturing. The company plans to improve the tool’s handling of older handwritten annotations and strengthen data security.

Kuken targets full-scale deployment at its Fukuoka and Chiba factories in late 2026.