ILEA000801822: Production line for On-Awa, a solid bath salt sold by Earth Chemical Co.

JAXA's fairing separation and release test for the H3 rocket

On April 17, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) conducted a separation and release test of the fairing (the tip of the rocket) for the new H3 core rocket at Kawasaki Heavy Industries' Harima Works in Harima, Hyogo Prefecture (photo). The fairing is a container that protects the satellite from wind pressure and frictional heat from the air while the rocket flies in the atmosphere. The internal capacity of the satellite is 2.3 times larger than that of the "H2A" 4S model. Carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) layers were used for the perimeter panels, and the number of panels assembled was reduced by enlarging each panel to keep costs down. Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Harima Plant, Harima-cho, Hyogo Prefecture, December 17, 2019; Credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

Wako Metal Industry's hot-dip zinc aluminum alloy plating "Wako AZ Galva Leo

Wako AZ Galva Leo (photo), a highly corrosion-resistant hot-dip zinc-aluminum alloy coating produced by Wako Metal Industry Co. in Suminoe Ward, Osaka City, is expanding its lineup. Because it boasts 10 times higher corrosion resistance than hot-dip galvanizing, it has been used mostly for measures against salt damage, but it has begun to be used for ordinary infrastructure applications such as bridges and overhead wires. The process contains 5% aluminum and 1% magnesium, and the company uses it for plating small items such as bolts and washers. The company says it is receiving an increasing number of inquiries from customers who want to extend the service life of their products, since rust from these fastening materials can easily damage them. (Photo taken on December 12, 2019, location unknown, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images)

The second factory of Okada Shell Manufacturing introducing IT production control system.

Okada Shell Manufacturing (Awaji City, Hyogo Prefecture) will introducean IT production management system to its No. 2 plant by December 2020. The investment will amount to about 20 million yen. The plant is the main production base near the main plant. The production plan will be reflected directly from the office to the production facilities in the plant, and the progress will be monitored in real time. Okada Shell Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is engaged in the production of cores, which are sand molds used to create cavities inside castings. Conventional paper-based production records have been prone to errors, but the company will automatically accumulate production data from its facilities and use the data to extract production conditions that realize high quality and to train young workers. In addition to the use of simulation equipment to analyze the core manufacturing method, the defect rate will be reduced from 5% to 2%. Credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

Hyogo Seimitsu Kogyosho builds its own robot system.

Hyogo Seimitsu Kogyosho (Hyogo Ward, Kobe City) has started to build a robot system to improve productivity within the company. In the past, cast parts weighing several dozen kilograms were manually fed into machine tools and the finished products were taken out. The tip of the robot's arm was developed and manufactured independently, and a light-weight yet high-strength mechanism that can withstand the transportation of heavy objects was adopted. The lathe process can be reduced to about one-third of the conventional process, which will lead to an optimal allocation of human resources in the plant. At the Sasayama Plant, the products to be processed by each machine tool are separated, minimizing the need for setup changes. The company aims to further improve its production efficiency by optimizing the use of robots within the company. Hyogo Seimitsu Kogyosho's Sasayama Plant in Sasayama, Tamba, Hyogo Prefecture, November 5, 2019; Credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

Alliance between Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Optimum

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. and Optimum Corporation announced today that they will form a business alliance to utilize the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) in the fields of precision machinery and robots. The two companies will build a platform (foundation) for AI analysis of data collected from hydraulic equipment and robots, aiming at early development and commercialization of new solutions such as more efficient maintenance work. The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the alliance. Medicaloid has been developing surgical support robots with the aim of bringing them to market by the end of fiscal 2007. (Photo: Yasuhiko Hashimoto, Director and Managing Executive Officer of Kawaju (left) and Shunji Sugaya, President of Optimum) (November 1, 2019, photo credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images)

Automatic replenishment system developed by HCI and RoboPlus

HCI (Izumiotsu City, Osaka Prefecture) and Robo-Plus (Itami City, Hyogo Prefecture) have jointly developed a robot system to automatically replenish beverages in convenience stores and supermarkets. The replenishment time from the storage shelf to the showcase is about 20 seconds per item. A sensor attached to the robot constantly monitors the number of products in the showcase, and when the number of products decreases, the robot checks the barcodes of the products taken out from the storage shelves one by one and displays them with the front facing forward. A tablet terminal can be used to check the replenishment status of storage shelves and display shelves from a distance, and notifications of stock-outs can be received. the company plans to propose the system to retailers starting in August and continue to improve it based on customer requests. Photo taken on July 29, 2019, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

Manufacturing process of hydraulic equipment at Konno Manufacturing

Konno Seisakusho (Adachi-ku, Tokyo) will automate the inspection of three types of hydraulic equipment using an automatic inspection machine developed by the company. The company expects to be able to automate most of the inspection work that is currently done manually by one employee at the Fukushima Plant (Shinchi-machi, Fukushima Prefecture), and improve production efficiency by 5-10% compared to the current system at the plant. Konno Seisakusho has been actively promoting the linkage of information management systems and data both internally and externally, and has linked its PSI (production, sales, and inventory) management system with the ordering system for its Taiwan plant. By linking the inspection data to be acquired this time to the same system, it will also contribute to the sharing and efficiency of production schedule management. Photo taken on July 26, 2019, location unknown, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

Square pyramidal structure with circular opening in Futaba

Futaba Corporation (Harima Town, Hyogo Prefecture) has developed a processing technology that can reduce the number of welding points from two to one on a square pyramid-shaped structure with a circular opening (photo). Rounded corner structures are used as ventilation fan ducts, hoppers, etc. By reducing the number of joints from two to one, the time and effort required for welding can be reduced, and the thermal degeneration of the material caused by welding can be minimized. In 2018, the company developed a press processing technology that can reduce the weld area of a circular structure with a circular opening to one side. This time, the company has applied the same processing method to round-cornered structures, making it possible to make welds on one side. Photo taken on July 10, 2019, location unknown, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

STOP Pedal" commercialized by Nanki Industry

Nanki Industries (Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture) has been getting a lot of attention for its "STOP Pedal," which has increased from two to three inquiries a day to 20 to 30 inquiries a day as traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers stepping on the wrong pedal have become a social problem. "The number of inquiries has increased from two to three a day to 20 to 30 a day, as traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers mistakenly stepping on the gas pedal have become a social problem," said Mr. Minami. The product is installed in place of the accelerator pedal in automobiles. The only problem is that the system is not compatible with all car models and production cannot keep up with the demand. We want to reduce the number of traffic accidents and eliminate accidents caused by wrong steps," said Mr. Minami. (Photo taken on July 4, 2019, location unknown, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images)

Takoyaki Robot Octo Chef

Connected Robotics (Koganei City, Tokyo) will launch a new service plan for its octopus dumpling robot "Octo Chef" in August for a monthly fee. The plan includes all the costs for upgrading and adding functions to the robot, so that users can always use the latest version, and also aims to make it easier for small businesses to introduce the robot by reducing the initial cost. Takoyaki robots and other cooking robots may be used in small and medium-sized restaurants, but the price is a hurdle to their widespread use. In addition to the competition with the labor cost of part-time workers, the cost of adding new functions or changing to a new image processing unit during the process is also a reason for hesitation. The new plan solves these user concerns. The monthly fee and the length of the cancellation penalty period will be worked out in the future. Photo taken on July 3, 2019, location unknown, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images

Production line for On-Awa, a solid bath salt sold by Earth Chemical Co.

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